By Joe Iniodu
The Guardian Newspaper when it debuted in the 80’s donated to its readers a reflective message in its motto which stated “Conscience is like an open wound, only truth can heal it”. The paper still retains this position and remains one of the most reputable publications in the country. It is known for its balanced reportage, ethical practice and apolitical posturing. The Guardian is one paper that has never been alleged to be used as political tool to serve ignoble ends. It is a medium that is adjudged as upright, professional, thorough and diligent in the discharge of its role as a socially responsible institution. One can recall the number of times some of the owners, the Ibrus have contested elections, but they have often resisted the temptation to subordinate the paper to create or earn personal advantage. They have allowed the paper to operate as a verifiable medium of truth which conscience must yield to. The motto of the Guardian is actually an adaptation of a statement that was made by Uthman Dan Fodio.
The pre-eminence of truth may have led Lord Action to assert that “truth is the only merit that gives dignity and worth to history”. Truth is the quality of being genuine, actual or factual. It is opposed to falsehood. Many consider its presence in human affairs as righteous. And righteousness according to the Good Book exalts a nation. Any society that is run on the dictates of truth has prospects of prosperity. For instance a leader who predicates his leadership on truth would accord primacy to the well-being of the people. Such leaders are altruistic and always totally committed to improving the human condition. Their service quality/delivery often earns them indelible legacies.
For a long time, our politics has been soused in falsehood. Infact many believe that politics has to do more with falsehood than truth. It is common to hear people in an attempt to caution others from lying to say “don’t play politics”. The literal meaning here is that you must not falsify or distort facts. The noble enterprise of politics which is expected to be an instrument used in alleviating the human condition and bringing good to the greatest number is analogously used to underscore indiscretions pertaining to the sanctity of truth. The bane of our politics has remained our liberty with truth. It is said that one’s capacity for falsehood, distortions and outright shenanigan, effect corresponding rise on the political profile of the individual. Such individuals are seen as deified political oracles and often buffeted by politicians who consult them for support and political masterstroke. But oftentimes, these so called oracles do no more than latch on the prevailing scarcity of truth to suffuse the polity with falsehood. They make hollow claims and wax with illusory air of importance. They drop names and flaunt chanced pictures to underscore their contacts and connections. Their major commodity of trade is perfidy which they deftly manage for mouth-watering returns.
And the desperation of politicians has helped their trade. Politics which was actually evolved for service has lapsed into mercantile enterprise to serve self. It is now seen as the one and only way to economic security. For many, it is the only assured way to salvage oneself from the stranglehold of poverty with an equally assured leap to the comfort zone of affluence with the beneficiary not adding any value to society. And in a society where corruption is in the ascending order, political office is the window to the lucre. It is why politicians would do anything to win election knowing that there lies the road to obscene fortune. As they do all these, society continues to suffer moral erosion. With a new order of rapacity enthroned and vested interest defining every action, truth and altruism are suspended. Correspondingly, matters that border on collective good are relegated.
The Akpabio administration has made considerable efforts to make truth an inalienable part of its operation. This has earned the man at the helms the epithet of promise keeper. Truth on the part of government engenders the confidence of the people and buoys their hope. It is what the present administration has achieved in contrast to status-quo-ante. But the long romance of the people with government that thrived on deceit has impeded the appreciation of the new reality. For a people who never had a government that walked the talk, it is still difficult acquaint and orient their psychology to accept a government that has made truth its cardinal principle. And so for them, truth is still a scarce commodity in government.
But it is rather a matter of curious conjecturing that while government is elevating truth, the people are devaluing it. The elites seem to be the worst culprit. The elevation of falsehood in their desperate attempt to pooh-pooh government which is one of their new fancies depicts the moral crises that our society is confronting. The corresponding followership culture has created the risk of wrong models with the potential of herding many to danger. All of these arise because truths have been so infamously relegated and so scarce for our collective benefit.
The on-going primaries seem to give hope that one day, this State and nay the nation would revert to truth as its moral arbiter. The strength of any nation lies in the people’s confidence in the affairs of that nation. The same applies to State. The first thing the present administration did in the area of truthful leadership was to allow the people to speak in the town hall meetings of March/ April. And the people maximized the opportunity by speaking the immutable truth of justice and equity. The government on its part provided an unhindered atmosphere for discussions with no executive interference. All the ten federal constituencies spoke and were unanimous in the agreement that power should shift to Eket Senatorial District.
Having crossed that bridge with a few cynics left to rue over the scuttling of their intention to subject the State to injustice and predictable acrimony, we are now in the season of primaries. The season started last week with the House of Assembly primaries. For the benefit of the non-initiates, primaries involve election processes within the parties in which aspirants contest to be elected as candidates of the parties. It is always a very excruciating election as it is the individual’s goodwill, track record and personal charm that come into play in such elections. In the general election, the party’s capacity, manifesto and perhaps ideological inclination are what the candidates wield or flaunt. In Akwa Ibom State, Governor Godswill Akpabio had assured all participants of a level playing field noting that PDP intends to allow the people to select only popular candidates that can win election. That came to pass last Saturday as PDP recorded free, fair and rancour-free primaries to the dismay of cynics and skeptics. That exercise was a hint that truth may no longer be a scare commodity in our clime.
The exercise recorded interesting outcomes. Upsets happened to prove the true ratings of incumbent and others serving in other government positions. Some returnees won even when they were least expected to do so while some local government chairmen who thought they were on ground were roundly floored. The exercise was generally noted to be peaceful, free and fair with the delegates enjoying the rein of liberty to speak the truth with their votes. The deduction is that we have moved notches from the scarcity of truth to a new order which will combine truth with the will of the people to produce a government of the people.