S.O.S ALIEME

Nigeria has come a long way with different leaders from different geographical and ethnic zones of the country. But one thing that has come to be a concern is the level at which tribalism thrives in Nigeria. Tribalism is strong loyalty and preference for one’s own social group such as tribe, family, or other social or political affiliation over other groups, sometimes leading to prejudiced behaviour, discrimination, and an emphasis on group interests above all else. While it can refer to the cultural practices of an actual tribe, in a negative political or social context, it implies a narrow focus on one’s “in-group” that can foster division and conflict.

Merit on the other hand, can mean the quality of being particularly good or worthy, especially so as to deserve praise or reward. In a workplace context, merit often relates to an employee’s performance, skills, and contributions to the organization. Merit Pay is a compensation system where employees receive praises or bonuses based on their performance or contributions rather than on seniority or other factors. Who Deserves Merit Pay: High Performers: Employees who consistently exceed performance expectations, meet or surpass their goals, and contribute significantly to team or company success.

Nigerian politics has lost its flavour when it comes to choosing a leader devoid of ethnicity.  Most times Nigerians tend to tilt towards the ethnic background of a candidate of their choice, even when they know that the candidate cannot perform.  In the Nigeria context, how do we choose our leaders: merit or tribe consideration? Leaders should be chosen for the fact they lead with one often overlooked trait. They should have the best interests of the majority of the people they lead foremost, in all they do and decide, that elected them. Not their own personal endeavours and goals or seeking wealth or fame as their primary goal. If these things come to them through good leadership, fine, but only if the rest of his people benefit firstly, through honest merits, morals, ethics and values. The question for me was more about leadership, not on most popular or most wealthy. Leadership is when you empower others to make ends meet.  Leadership should not be biased or full of favouritism. A good example is Otto von Bismarck who united Germany. He was a strong but good leader who tried to be a leader for all the Germans. He opposed the religious divide between the Protestant North and the Catholic South. The standard of living increased under Bismarck and he tried to eradicate poverty.

In every society that seeks progress and justice, it is essential to choose leaders based on merit and competence, not religion, ethnicity, or tradition. Leadership is a responsibility that requires wisdom, vision, integrity, and patriotism. When we prioritize tribe or religious affiliation over qualification, we deny ourselves the opportunity to have capable leaders, and this leads to failure and backwardness. Even when religion and ethnicity are important aspects of culture, but they should not be the standard for measuring a person’s ability to lead. What we must focus on are education, experience, character, and trustworthiness.

A worthy leader is one who is fair, just, and committed to the welfare of all people, not just a select group. Therefore, it is time for us to wake up and stop making emotional choices during elections. We must elect leaders based on competence and truth, for the development of our society and a better future for our dear country.

Let us take the Catholic Church as a case study. The Catholic Church has been in the forefront of fighting for human rights all over the world.  The Catholic Pontiff is the Pope.  He heads the Church and he is the Bishop of Rome. The Headquarters of the Catholic Church is in Rome but that does not mean that the Pope must be a citizen of Rome.  Pope Francis was from Argentina while the present Pope Leo XIV is from America. But do you know that the process of electing a Pope is worthy of adoption? The procedure for electing the Pope has evolved over the history of the Church.  The Cardinals are entrusted with the responsibility of electing the Successor of St. Peter.  When the Pope dies, there is a nine-day period of mourning, during which time the prescribed funeral rites are performed.  At least fifteen days after the death of the Pope and not more than twenty, the Cardinals assemble at the Vatican. They reside at St. Martha’s House, a guest facility within Vatican City, close to St. Peter’s Basilica.  The deliberations and voting take place in the Sistine Chapel.  Pope John Paul II decreed “…that the election will continue to take place in the Sistine Chapel, where everything is conducive to an awareness of the presence of God, in whose sight each person will one day be judged”.  The conclave must operate without any outside interference.  Only authorized individuals are allowed access to St. Martha’s House and the Sistine Chapel.  Also, the strictest secrecy must prevail during the conclave.  Pope John Paul II asserted, “I further confirm by my apostolic authority the duty of maintaining the strictest secrecy with regard to everything that directly or indirectly concerns the election process itself”.

Therefore, the Cardinal electors individually take a solemn oath to observe the regulations and to maintain secrecy during and after the election “regarding everything that in any way relates to the election of the Roman Pontiff and regarding what occurs in the place of the election”. The Cardinals are forbidden “to communicate– whether by writing, by telephone, or by any other means of communication– with persons outside the area where the election is taking place. 

Moreover, they are forbidden during the conclave to read newspapers or periodicals, to listen to the radio, or to watch television.  The implication of this is that there is no campaigning for the exalted office. Any violation of secrecy will result in “grave penalties,” including excommunication, as judged by the reigning Pope.  Moreover, prior to the election, “careful and stringent checks must be made with the help of trustworthy individuals of proven technical ability in order to ensure that no audio-visual equipment has been secretly installed in these areas for recording and transmission to the outside”.   “All technical instruments of any kind for the recording, reproducing, or transmitting of sound, visual images, or writing” are forbidden.

When a Pope has been elected, the Dean of the College of Cardinals asks the consent of the one elected: “Do you accept your canonical election as Supreme Pontiff?”  Keep in mind that a person may refuse to accept.  However, our Holy Father implored, “I also ask the one who is elected not to refuse, for fear of its weight, the office to which he has been called, but to submit humbly to the design of the divine will.  God, who imposes the burden, will sustain him with his hand so that he will be able to bear it. 

In conferring the heavy task upon him, God will also help him to accomplish it and, in giving him the dignity, he will grant him the strength not to be overwhelmed by the weight of his office”.  While these regulations seem very exacting, we must not forget the role of the Holy Spirit.  Throughout the conclave, the Cardinal electors, individually and collectively, implore the guidance of the Holy Spirit. 

Can’t Nigerians adopt this system of electing our President?  We need the divine intervention of God to be able to discern evil from good when it comes to election matters. It is possible to design a constitution that will allow contestants and voters to go into serious and dedicated prayers before a President is chosen.  Nigerians can adapt the absolute secrecy that is practiced in Rome by Cardinals to elect a President.  The Cardinals are human beings like Nigerians but the level of reasoning differs. Nigerians need divine intervention to succeed. 

If Nigeria can emulate the Catholic Church …

God Bless Nigeria!!!