Wikipedia defines Table football, also known as foosball, as a tabletop game that is loosely based on association football. The game aims to move the ball into the opponent’s goal by manipulating rods that have figures attached. Although rules often vary by country and region when the game is played casually, at the competitive level table soccer is played according to a unified code.

There is a goal at each end and a place to serve on each side in the middle. Each player/team uses their handles to move their men to strike the ball into the opposing team’s goal. You always go to your right and defend at your left. The tables are very cleverly built to provide different kinds of rods with different spacing between the men. The game is fast and funny and everyone cheers and laughs. You can play for years and never get bored.

During my physics classes in the not-too-distant past, quantum physics has been defined as the study of the behavior of matter and energy at the molecular, atomic, nuclear, and even smaller microscopic levels. This study tries to discover the fundamental building blocks of matter. 

Looking at Nigerian politics has a similar analogy to that of quantum physics and the mighty foosball. There are many players, and of course, there are those that are always been played. The player, the playmaker, and played actors’ relationship sometimes seem interesting. While the player is always to make it in form of the strike and hide concept, the playmaker continues to create a sound that could neutralize or possibly mask the action of the player. The played actor is almost always worthless. 

Politics in Nigeria involves hypnotic languages and signs that only the key actors get to decode. Like in foosball, each player use figures to pass and shoot the ball into his opponent’s goal while blocking the ball from going into his own goal. You serve (foos) it, you pass it and you try to score. Always shoot to the right! 

This is synonymous with politics in Nigeria, you try to win by getting more votes and support, and you also try to win by preventing your opponent from gaining votes and supporters. The process of winning also involves digging so madly deep to know the fundamental part of an established opponent and use that against him, this is like the principle of quantum physics.

Foosball is just like Nigerian politics has the following in its entirety:

1. Completion, which involves the two playmakers, the foos are the “played” terms. Foosball has its rules and regulations, just like our politics, there are international and local observers, some with the naked eye and others with aided eyes to aid in justifying the credibility of the game and otherwise.

2. Tables, this may mean draws, the hard table, and any other physical structure that do help in making the foosball interesting. Nigerian politics has tables, usually being flipped regularly by political actors.

3. Robotic players may mean testing players, foosball has this and so also Nigerian politics. 

Let me say, foosball and quantum physics are very much terms used by politicians here, the played rubber sticks in foosball are the ones suffering almost all the time, while in the physical form of it, the players are the ones at the suffering end of Nigerian politics. 

Written by Isah Dahiru

​Interestingly, Almond and Verba in the book “The Civic Culture” (1963) differentiated between political cultures in which citizens were active or inactive in civic affairs, explored the relationship between citizen participation and attitudes toward their political system, and maintained that a country’s political institution must coincide with its political culture for it to have a stable political system.

​In explaining the context above, a citizen is a person who, is legally recognized by place of birth, nationality of one or both parents, or naturalization and is granted full rights and responsibilities as a member of a nation or political community.

In ensuring that a citizen’s participation and attitude towards his/her political system is active, there are many legal benefits and privileges to enjoy certain rights and these rights are referred to as inalienable rights specially provided by the constitution which may include the right to vote, hold public office, to security, to health services, to public education, to permanent residency, to own land, or to engage in employment, freedom of expression, to demand accountability from your government within the ambit of the law amongst others.

​Unarguably, an average citizen out of inexperience, lack of awareness, or lack of information about the inalienable rights of the citizen, may assume that it is only the people in authority or in leadership positions that have the sole right to exercise their rights, responsibilities and owe their obligations to the country. However, it is expedient to note that as a citizen of Nigeria, you have an Office, and you are charged with the responsibility to serve, support, and defend the country as much as the Government. In this regard, The Office of the Citizen in Nigeria cannot be overemphasized, because, without it, there would be no government.

​Furthermore, just as Almond and Verba maintained, a country’s political institution must coincide with its political culture for it to have a stable political system, and this can only be achievable through active citizens’ engagements in promoting representative democracy and good governance.

​In addition to this, other obligations and responsibilities required of true citizens include, among others:
a. Obedience to the laws, especially the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;
b. Payment of taxes, loyalties, rates, and other approved bills;
c. Loyalty to those in authority at all levels;
d. Commitment towards respect of rule of law;
e. Ensuring unity and promoting diversities;
f. Protection of public properties and assets; respect for the national symbols and promoting the dignity of Nigeria;
g. Attending civic meetings as well as engaging other citizens towards national development;
h. Participating in periodic elections; and promoting good governance;
i. Ensuring accountability and transparency in public sector governance, and performing community and humanitarian services; and
j. Ensuring women and youth empowerment, promoting peace and security.

Written by Susan Okolie

A Nigerian woman is strong, brave, smart, intelligent, and hardworking but still faces the peculiar challenges of hunger, poverty, health, and poor representation compared to her male counterparts and women in some other countries. The point here is not to state that men are responsible for such inequalities or that women should be put above men or should be elevated to positions they haven’t worked for and haven’t earned.  

I am not advocating for gender-blind policies and not saying that there shouldn’t be a place for men and women in society, the focus is to join the dialogue with a different voice to end itself. Although in recent times, progress is been made in terms of achieving gender equality. However, in comparison to other aforementioned countries, Nigeria is still at the takeoff point and seems not to be ready anytime soon in dealing with the monstrous issue. For example; The -Bill for Affirmative Action for women in political administration 2022 was rejected. The reasons put forward in explaining the justification for the failed bills are nothing short of traditional, cultural, and religious considerations.

Even though there are overwhelming documentaries and oral traditional evidence of surviving religious cults, and indigenous political cultures in different parts of the country that support the view that the current inequalities in the Nigerian political landscape did not exist until the advent of colonialism.  

Viewing things from the historical lens, amongst the Igbo of the southeastern part of Nigeria, the functions of the Obi (male monarch) were parallel to, and complementary to, those of the Omu (female monarch). And each monarch within this system manages its own affairs, and women’s interests were represented at all levels, In Yoruba land, women occupied positions of great influence, both by merit and aristocratic connections, and served as priests of local deities, a position which imbued them with considerable spiritual and political powers.

Again, many of the tribal groups that were incorporated by the colonial administrators into the geopolitical entity called Nigeria were founded by women. Among the women who founded communities in Nigerian history were Inkpi of Igalaland, Moremi (Yorubaland in the southwest), and Daura (Hausa of northern Nigeria). Furthermore, Cambausa is said to have been in charge of the Bonny in the 13th century while Queen Amina held the reins of political leadership in the Zazzau emirate in the 14th century. In other places, women, such as Omu Okwei, Nana Asma’u, and Iyolade Efaunsetan, were notable political figures who advised and supported male leaders.“

All of these confirm that women were not passive subjects in pre-colonial politics, rather they were active participants with meaningful and enduring contributions like their male counterparts. political marginalization of women in Nigeria became very effective during the colonial period.

The consequence was that it deepened the fissures of gender inequalities by eroding women’s power and autonomy and pushing them to the bottom of the social structure table. In Igboland for example, shows that the British colonial rule only recognized the male Obi, and even paid him a monthly salary, but totally ignored the female Omu. This accounts for the absence of women from meaningful and active political representation in independence. the Nigerian women did not simply fold their arms and watch.  in reaction to the discriminatory colonial policies, Nigerian women of the Ibibio and Igbo extractions rose up against the colonial authorities in the famous ‘women’s war’ known as the Aba women’s riot’. These protests witnessed the uprising of women in defiance challenging the socio-cultural and political marginalization and systematic suppression.  The fierceness and momentum of the Aba women’s riots are evidence of the severity of injustices that women were subjected to during colonial rule. They were trying to renegotiate their role in the socio-political structures. Unfortunately, the battle was not won and it’s yet to be won because, even after several years of independence, all the efforts to achieve full female political participation by successive governments are nothing but mere lip service.

In the 2003 general elections, the country witnessed an increase in women’s participation in political activities all over the country. For the first time in the history of Nigeria, more women contested for elective positions. During this period, 3 women were elected senators out of 109, and 21 women were elected House of Representative members out of 360, only 2 women succeeded as deputy governors and in state Houses of Assembly, we had only 2 women as Speakers out of 36. There was a significant improvement in the 2007 general elections compared to the past. 6 women succeeded as deputy governors, and 9 were elected as Senators, in the House of Representatives we had 28 and 42 made it to the State Houses of Assembly. 

There is no doubt that the muffled voice of women in public life and low participation in politics is a result of unequal power relations and discriminatory attitudes toward women and Nigeria ranks among the lowest in this regard. In the last election in Nigeria, only one female ran for the office of the President, and of course, the President is not a female. The effect of the non-involvement of women in politics at decision-making levels is that women’s gender-specific concerns remain unaddressed and the benefit of their perspective on mainstream issues is lost, and thus equality and consequently national development remains an illusion.

WHAT CAN BE DONE?

Knowledge is power and access to knowledge is empowerment, therefore, it is critical to empower women through functional and qualitative education and concomitantly, equip them for productive and constructive engagement.

 A lot of men and women in Nigeria, especially in rural areas, are ignorant of women’s rights. Therefore, workshops and training should be organized especially in rural areas in order to create more awareness of the issue. This can be done by the Government, women-based NGOs, human organizations, and influential individuals like celebrities, traditional rulers, etc. 

Gender equality laws like the aforementioned rejected bills should be re-enacted at both state and state Federal levels. Achieving gender balance does not stop at enacting gender equality laws only, the authorities should in addition to laws, make policies and such policies should establish agencies and bodies that would be responsible for implementation and the monitoring of such implementation processes.

Written by: Barr. Freedom Bassey

Political office is not a source of making fast money, building mansions, and affording luxurious things, this is where most people misconstrue things, thereby forgetting the sole aim of running. Before you contest for any political office these are the questions you should ask yourself; what are my values and vision? What am I going to do differently? What development have I brought to my community before now? Before contesting against my opponent is there anything he/she is not doing right that has inspired you to contest against him?

What Next?: ELIGIBILITY TO RUN FOR OFFICE

It is pivotal to know about the eligibility of running for office, before taking the BOLD STEP!

Do you desire to run for political office? If yes, Here are some questions you may need to know before planning your campaign:

1.  What is the type of election, and what are the rules?

2.  What has happened in past elections?

3.  What are the main factors affecting this election?

4.  What are the characteristics of the constituency?

5.  What are the characteristics of the voters?

6.  What are the strengths and weaknesses of all the viable opponents?

7.  What are your strengths and weaknesses? 

What Leadership Qualities do you have?

What qualities do voters most want to see in their leaders? Are they looking for stable, experienced leadership, or do they want someone young and dynamic who will shake up the establishment? Would they prefer leaders from the intelligentsia, or do they want leaders who can relate to the concerns of the common person?

Developing your campaign message: WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE?

Once you have decided who your target audience is, you need to decide what you will say to persuade them to vote for you. This is your campaign message. It tells the voters why you are running for this particular office and why they should choose you over your opponents for the same office. Your voters should not be confused with the message, a simple statement that will be repeated over and over throughout the campaign to persuade your target voters.

THE MESSAGE BOX

Before you draft your campaign message I want you to use the “Message Box.” The message box requires candidates not only to determine what they will be saying during the campaign but also how they will respond to their opponent’s attacks.

On a large piece of paper or a chalkboard, draw the following graph: 

Now fill in each box with as much information as possible.

MAKE YOUR MESSAGE SHORT!

Voters have very little patience for listening to long-winded politicians. If you cannot effectively deliver your message to a voter in less than one minute, then you will surely lose that voter’s attention and probably their vote.

GET OUT THE VOTE

It does no good to have spent weeks persuading your target audience that you are the best candidate if they do not go to the polls on Election Day and vote for you. Individual voters often feel that their one single vote does not matter. They need to know that they are part of something bigger and that their support for you is important. Often a simple reminder – either a phone call or a piece of literature – can be enough to ensure that they vote.

CAMPAIGN BUDGETING (MONEY 1)

Everything you do in the campaign will cost something. Make an estimate of how much each of the tasks will cost, and develop an overall budget for the entire campaign. Your campaign budget should not be a wish list, but a realistic list of what will be needed to implement your campaign plan. 

DEMOGRAPHIC TARGETING

Answer the following questions to determine the demographic targeting for your campaign:

1.  What are the demographic profiles (age, gender, profession, education, etc.) of all the viable candidates, including your candidate?

2.  What demographic groups should support your candidate?

3.  Are there enough votes within these groups to win the election?

4.  Where do these demographic groups gather? How do they get their information?

5.  Are there other candidates appealing to the same demographic groups?

6.  What demographic groups will you concede to your opponents?

7.  What collateral groups might you appeal to if need be?

Lastly, I want to use this medium to appreciate the EPLF team for giving me this golden opportunity.

Written by: Zakariyya Haruna Liman

The importance of National identity to socio-economic development in a Nation cannot be overemphasised. This is because it fosters cohesion and values in the polity, the mother of which is patriotism. An atmosphere of oneness paired with a sincere love for God-and-country wards off strife, ethnic clashes, corruption and insecurity thus, giving room for peace, progress and development. Sadly, the antithesis of this beautiful picture is the scene in Nigeria, no thanks to the lack of a unifying identity.

For Nigeria, it is disturbing that after 62 years of independence, we are yet to find that cord that binds us. History is a key ingredient in the making of a Nation’s identity and retracing our steps through the pre-colonial era, amalgamation, independence and civil war, we find that the events in Nigeria’s history, actions and in-actions of leaders and elite have played a major role in strengthening the socio-ethnic divides that plague us. Unfortunately, many Nigerians are also unaware of our history.

The author Chaim Potok said, “if you don’t know the past, you cannot understand the present and plan properly for the future”. Thus, it is imperative that government prioritises the need to provide fora (on-site and virtual) that allow Nigerians from all ethnicities and religions to gather and discuss the events (aftershocks of the war, elite consensus etc.) of the past and challenges of the present, that impede on national unity and how to surmount them. Only through these conversations, will we understand who we are and where we are headed as a people.

Furthermore, it is important that all aspects of society (families, traditional and religious institutions, formal education and elite) are used as a means of educating the populace about our history, what it represents, the values we uphold and the future we anticipate.

Above all, governments at all levels should uphold equity and fairness in appointments, policies and their implementations. This would set the precedence for the people to walk in the steps of leadership.

In the light of Nigeria’s current reality of numerous ethnic fault lines, the urgency of these, cannot be overemphasised. Will Nigeria remain that applicant stuttering in response to ‘who are you?’   

Written by Bernice Achi Abeku

In politics, especially in a multi-party democratic system, political parties are established to articulate the contending interest of the population. Citizens cast their votes on Election Day to elect their leaders on those party platforms. Money involvement usually starts at the party level and continues up to the election ground.

Money politics in a layman’s accord is that kind of politics whereby members of a political party offer money and other things in order to win support from certain individuals or communities during an election campaign. During elections in Nigeria, it was not uncommon to hear of instances where people were given money, rice, noodles, salt, and branded clothes. In return, the recipient would cast their votes for a specified political party.

The Phenomenon of money politics in Nigeria is not a new concept, the history of electioneering processes in the country, especially after independence, was largely influenced by buying and selling of votes. Money politics is quickly shrinking the political space, becoming a key variable in determining who participates in electoral politics. As a matter of fact, nomination fees for party members seeking elective posts for instance have become so high that only the rich can participate in party primaries.

Given the dark socio-economic background of Nigeria which, according to the data from the World Poverty Clock as of March 2022, has over 70 million people currently living in extreme poverty, the costs of nomination forms are a direct affront and insult to the sensibilities of the long-suffering Nigerians.

Worrisome still is that the country, with the highest number of school-age children still out of school, but at 10. 5 million Nigerian children and one in five out-of-school children in the world has politicians that are not worried by this scandalous scenario! Neither are they concerned that the beleaguered country has overtaken Iraq as the most terrorized in the whole wide world! Theirs is that of battling for political power by all means-good and crooked and retaining it more by the latter than the former.

The way forward is for INEC to prosecute anyone found wanting for infringing on political finance regulations. Now is the time to de-emphasize money politics and push for clear-cut party manifestos that seek lasting solutions to the people’s most pressing needs.

With these analogies, it can be incurred that money politics is the driving force of the Nigerian democratic process, it is, therefore, the collective responsibility of all stakeholders from the government to the electoral institution to strictly see to the adherence of financial electoral regulations. The challenges should never be allowed to take Nigerians by storm again, this is a duty for all. 

Written by Isah Dahiru

“It is getting harder to run a constitution than to frame one” Woodrow Wilson.

A constitution is, broadly, a set of rules, written and unwritten, that seek to establish the duties, powers and functions of the various institutions of government. It regulates the real relationships between them and defines the relationship between the state and the individual. Constitutionalism is the practice of limited government ensured by the existence of a constitution, that is, it exists when government institutions and political processes are effectively constrained by constitutional rules. Woodrow Wilson, a professor of Political Science and former President of the US gave an immemorial quote which headlined this piece and it effectively captures the challenges faced by nations in acting in accordance with the spirit and letters of the law, which is, of the rule of law and constitutionalism.

Wilson isn’t alone in this frustration, as one of the greatest English scholars and statesman, Lord Bryce said, ” all governments are faulty’, and equally minute analysis of the constitutions of England, France or Germany would disclose mischiefs as serious as those we have noted in the American system. To anyone familiar with the practical working of free governments, it is a standing wonder they work at all”.

The constitution is the ground norm, thus a sine qua non for every society. Even military and communist regimes had one form of law and order to protect their reigns!  The quest for a new constitution by Nigerians, very noble and rational, may not necessarily translate into positive democratic performance. Since 1999, there have been growing demands for constitutional amendments and restructuring with the latter essentially requiring a brand new constitution.  While there have been several amendments to the 1999 Nigerian constitution, the political will for restructuring has been gravity impossible for certain known reasons. The National Assembly as the legislature is constitutionally empowered to amend the constitution. Despite having a written constitution, we still have lacunas that we cite as the basis of our poor democratic performance.

However,  three liberal democracies like Israel, New Zealand and the UK continue to have unwritten constitutions without laying down major constitutional provisions but are seen as organic entities that have evolved through history and are embodied in customs and traditions. These three countries highlighted, pose better democratic performances than Nigeria with codified laws!  Nigeria faces a leadership problem in which the strong men that dominate the body politics lack democratic ethos to allow constitutionalism and the rule of law, the bastions of constitutional democracy. 

The constitution is made by man thus, no ” good constitution ” can be made by man to stand the test of time forever. For Constitutionalism to grow deeper, Nigeria needs to do more in bringing in strong men with an ethos that is congruent to the polity. These strong men (leaders) who are to promote constitutionalism without using certain imperfections in the constitution as an alibi because the constitution is unequivocal and unambiguous in charging the leaders under the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy. 

How are judges appointed?  Should judges be political or are they political? What is the role of the judiciary in public policy? Should the judiciary be in cahoot with the executive on “national interest ” or strictly on constitutionalism and the rule of law? How crucial is judicial activism in underlining and underpinning the raison d’être of constitutional democracy? How often should the judiciary exercise its power of Judicial Review?   How are political leaders recruited ( elected) into public offices?  These are philosophical questions that I think determine the degree of democratic performance as it relates to constitutionalism, rule of law and the constitution. While institutions are enduring, we still need strong men that will enable the institutions to get harder on the rules and processes by making it difficult to be circumvented, and offering punishments to offenders. The Bill of Rights is a creation of certain strong men in American history, subsequently, the society has continued to produce more leaders who have upheld the constitution even in its imperfect state as the US constitution too had gone through several amendments. The constitution will forever be amended to reflect changing times, realities and challenges, and that’s why the legislature exists, however, the leadership must be right in Nigeria. 

Written by Oluseye Akanmu-Bode