POLITICAL OSTEOGENESIS IMPERFECTA (POI)

Going down memory lane, I remember Fela’s hit & evergreen song – ‘Na POI’. But I am not singing now but ruminating on another type of POI. I call this particular one ‘Political Osteogenesis Imperfecta. Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a genetic problem that causes bones to break easily, often for little or no obvious reason. As many as 50,000 Americans currently have OI, and there are at least four forms of the disease.  OI is a rare genetic condition which stunts growth and causes underdeveloped lungs and brittle bones; so when this disease affects the Political gene, the result is Political Osteogenesis Imperfecta known as POI.

 

Politics is a game that enables the enthronement of Power and Leadership. The Political game varies from Country to Country. In a Country where the rule of law is sacrosanct and uppermost in the minds of the people; they enjoy full democracy, transparent governance and free will in the choice of their leaders. Our bane in Nigeria is poor judgment, misplaced priority and lack luster for rapid development of Infrastructure. The germane decision of re-awakening Nigeria Nation has over the decades been over-looked; yet there is a re-cycling of same decision maker in the leadership of the Country. In developed Countries & Economies, Youths are making waves while here in Nigeria old tired men want to continue to rule despite dwindling knowledge and strength. They present themselves as Messiahs and some of the youths that have been given rare opportunity at highest levels of leadership are displaying stunted growth in their macabre behaviours. Is Nigeria a cursed Nation? Capital NO! But we truly need God’s directed revolution or surgery for the POI ailment.

 

Serious politickings is all over the Country at present with many political parties getting ready for primaries OR have concluded their primaries (selection or nomination); rarely democratic election like it happens in developed economies and Countries. The ‘Me’ categories have more opportunities than the ‘You’. Real Democracy should be the ‘You’ and not the ‘Me’ but the political situation and politicians in Nigeria are affected by Political Osteogenesis imperfecta. This is a very serious disease that needs medical attention. The real OI is a genetic disorder that is present at birth. It is caused by an abnormality in collagen. So also the POI is present at the formation of political parties. Is there any serious Country with over sixty (60) Political parties with only about four (4) of them winning any election and still maintaining those other dead on arrival (DOA) parties? No, I believe this can only happen in Nigeria; home grown democracy.

 

During the crisis of the Civil War, Frederick Douglas said, "The life of a nation is secure only while the nation is honest, truthful, and virtuous." (1865). Somewhere along the way we shifted gears and covertly turned a cold shoulder to such notions. And now we are a Nation more given to Vices than to Virtues. How did this happen? Somewhere back there several years ago, a group of so-and-so's decided to do a social experiment, which was founded upon the faulty notion that Life and all things in it is better without God. Business is better without God. Politicking is better without God. Education is better without God. Sex is better without God. Money is better without God. Society is better without God. The Arts are better without God. We now see the full fruit of these seeds in the dismal indifference which characterizes a society of non-virtuous people. Selfishness trumps self-sacrifice; personal interests take priority over the needs and concerns of others; petty arguments have replaced great debates — and the cry is, "ME, ME, ME," all the way home.  Nigerians have become fragile and ordinary bones with the milking of the Nation’s resources.  Let us do a kind of SWOT analysis at this point on the symptoms of OI and POI.

In the four most common types of OI, the symptoms include:

·        Bone fractures

·        Bone deformity

·        Short height

·        Loose joints and muscle weakness

·        Sclera (whites of the eyes) may have a blue, purple, or gray tint

·        Triangular face

·        Tendency toward spinal curvature

·        Brittle teeth

·        Hearing loss

·        Breathing problems

The Nigerian Masses have become bones due to POI. It is only in and through Politics one can win and keep governmental control. A politician’s business is politics; one who has been elected to a position in government. Someone who is skilled at dealing with people in a way that is advantageous to himself or herself, or at using a system to his or her advantage. (Longman Dictionary). Power. Intelligence. Athletic ability. Efficiency. Winning. Affluence. Visibility; these are among the values we hold in high esteem, idolize… even worship. Human frailty, failure, weakness, and poverty we avoid like the plague. Certain acts are directly recognized as universally and unconditionally wrong. Falsehood for example is known to be wrong, not from its own incompatibility with social well-being but from its very nature. Honesty is seen to be right in itself, and not because of its beneficent economic and social results. Nigeria’s wealth has been hijacked by a few, leaving the majority weak and unable to defend them-selves. This Comatose situation is largely due to POI. So what happens when God decides to deal with our pride through illness and frailty… possibly through failure? What happens when we cannot call the shots, control the circumstances, or determine the outcome? Is our peace of mind and our sense of worth so fragile that it is predicated upon the guarantee of life's optimum circumstances or upon a continual string of successes and recognition?  

There is a dire need to enthrone righteousness in the politics of this Country. It is imperative therefore for us as a Nation to produce righteous Leaders. Only a righteous leader can rescue the nation from the present downstream situation. This is the only way to expunge the POI viruses i.e. ethnicity, nepotism, favoritism, greed, caprices, ‘419nism’, etc. from our polity. Treatment for POI can be done only by Infusion and transfusion of new ideas, new meanings, new orientation, new game plan, and new players. Political Players that are faithful, honest and righteous can do this.  Political players with Conscience, Character, Honesty and Integrity can do the magic.

Spiritual and physical healthy politicians  must take a stand in order to achieve morality, selflessness, justice and integrity in Politics and government without which this generation and the coming generation may never have a taste of peace, security and even prosperity in our Country. There is a wide spread satanic encroachment in all public institutions of our Country. Basically our conscience is God’s programming us to know His will. This is why so many people today suffer from guilt complexes  - because they are operating against what their consciences tell them is right. As long as we are relying upon our accomplishments or bowing to the world's idols to gain our peace or sense of worth, God is unable to work in and through us. Because it is only in our weakness… yes, in our dependency upon Him that He chooses to work and to give us inner-contentment. Who is to stop the spread of POI? You, I, all of us, are to enthrone righteousness in politics. We are all political animals. As long as you cast your vote in any election you are part of the system. That your lone vote can actually build on a foundation of righteousness; using your vote wisely, voting the personality with integrity and character according to the dictates of your conscience. Character is the sum-total of personal traits possessed by an individual that makes him what he is. Character has special reference to moral qualities, ethical standards and principles, which guide a person’s conduct and cause him to choose one course of action over another. One vital aspect we must consider is the concept of honesty and integrity in the politics of any nation. The dictionary defines integrity as soundness of moral principles and character, uprightness and honesty. Integrity means living by laws – both God’s laws and those of the society. Integrity presupposes that there is a situation and a desire to live by it. A person who lives by integrity will aim to do right and to wrong no one. His conscience will be clear, both towards God and Man,

Politicians must learn to walk in integrity, blameless and with conscience. Some people act against what their conscience tells them for so long that eventually their conscience becomes numb – seared – no longer sensitive to right and wrong. Election is an integral part of politics. Election involves moral responsibility. Politicians must see their elections to offices as special priviledges, they should look at them as participation in the purpose of God in the world. Many people are deceived on this matter. They wrongly assume that they will not have to face the consequences of the "daily seeds" they are planting. To hold such an inaccurate perspective is actually a mockery against God, who established this principle. "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked."  Every person is sowing spiritual seeds every day of their lives: either, seeds of "his flesh" or seeds of "the Spirit." The harvest for each person is thereby determined: either, "corruption" or "everlasting life."  Now politics have been taken over by idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, violations of Children’s rights, kidnapping and the like." These seeds bring forth a harvest of destruction. Such seeds diminish and destroy every life that engages in them; these seeds bring forth spiritual dryness, fruitlessness, and causes brittleness of political bones leading to POI.

There is presently no cure for OI, so treatment is directed towards:

·                     Preventing health problems

·                     Improving independence and mobility

·                     Developing bone and muscle strength

Also, a surgical procedure called “rodding” is often considered for people with OI. This surgery involves inserting metal rods through the length of the long bones to strengthen them and prevent and/or correct deformities. POI also needs surgical treatment and political education for leaders and followers including non-political voters. We must all be determined to save our Nascent Democracy. No more Demon-Cracy. We must save our Nation from POI. This political disease must be totally eradicated. "No people can be great who have ceased to be virtuous." (Samuel Johnson, English poet 1750). Benjamin Franklin picked up on this and said, "There never was a truly great man that was not at the same time truly virtuous." (1780). But God is moving among us even still. He is summoning a people who hunger for that which is virtuous and your heart is being drawn to the higher and nobler things of God. If that be so, "Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things." (Philippians 4:8).

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