Yesterday, I decided to go to work at whatever time I would have registered myself as a voter for the upcoming elections. I went to the registeration spot (iyanfoworogi 
) that I heard had come to my area on Sunday, determined to make my vote and voice count. On getting there, we ( I went with two other people that were old enough to vote in my house) discovered that we could write our names somewhere and come back just in time. We followed all the laid down protocols, but what I saw in this registeration place was scary.
I was there for a considerable period of time, and couldn’t help noticing that majority of the people that had come to register were not elites. Some of them were area boys, conductors, jobless joes, apprentices, old men, tired women – the typical D class, the uneducated masses. I don’t mean to sound derogatory, but the crowd that I saw in that place looked like the set of people who would do much for short term gratification. Small wonder 50 Naira per head makes a lot of difference at the polls. I asked myself if the regular employee of MTN, Shell, Chevron, Virgin, e.t.c. could have the time to wait through all these protocols. I wondered that even if the elections were free and fair, who would vote, and who would they vote for?
I wasn’t going to be left wondering for long. Here I was arriving again after I had been called that the queue had moved and it would be my turn in another 5 mins. I got in there, waiting excitedly to gain the status of one who is able to decide – a voter, when I got the answer to all my wondering. A 45-ish balding man came in, and in less than 3 minutes we were almost resulting into a royal rumble, or is it called survival series? We practically started shouting at each other, and some were willing to get physical – why? Good question. I’ll explain why. This man, we later discovered was eyeing the position of local government chairman. He first came in to chat with the coordinators of the registeration, telling them he would bring a generator, some fuel and all what not to make sure they were comfortable, he then informed the lady that his lady (couldn’t place if it was wife, woman friend, or party member), should be registered as soon as possible. He was told that we were already on a virtual queue as all our names were on a list, that was when pandemonium broke loose.
Trust me not to be involved in any fighting, but trust me also to try my best to be an opinion leader. Eventually, we all cooled down and resumed our places on the queue, but I had learnt some vital lessons.
1. If the registeration process can be compromised so easily, what about the voting process? We’ll need to go there, not just to cast our votes, but also to make our votes count. It’s not going to be like sitting in Mr Biggs, it’s going to be serious business.
2. You are not an opinion leader by grammer. These guys are area boys! You’ll need to be able to speak the language of the common man, and appeal to their reasoning. It takes different skills believe me, and one I know works well is if you are not alone. You can imagine one man saying we will not agree. I had to ask him who we was… afterall one person cannot say we have arrived.
3. You won’t believe this, but at a point I really thought it would be a good idea to have a gun 
. To just point it up and shout ” Will you all shut up and listen?”, but guess that’s not sustainable. It made me realize that if the police are compromised, then the process will run however way they desire. With the types of people I see voting, the man that holds a gun surely gets his opinion ranked.
By and by, the question is this. Even if the elections were free and fair, who would vote? You haven’t registered, and every one more of you that haven’t make it easy for the process to be compromised. A friend told me yesterday that my vote would not count, I smiled, haven’t we all believed that before? But let’s say for example that God happens to hear our prayers, would we be part of the voices he would use?
I know (by experience) that getting a place, getting the time, or even getting both to go and register is tough, but we need to do this. No matter how much you believe in the future of Nigeria, if you think Angels will come down from heaven to make it happen you are a clown. I believe companies should give their employees any one day to get this sorted out. Tell your MD I said so
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1 thing we havent proved beyong all doubts is that our votes wont count. Most times we just all choose to sit back because we have a feeling our votes dont count. Lets put it to test. lets defy the odds
Thank God you finally registered.
I believe that God will not do for man what He has put within man’s ability to do for himself.
If the community of people (residing in Nigeria) who visit this site can register and ensure that their friends and family do same, it will make better sense than being excellent analysts of the situation.
Deolu, looking at the vital lessons 2 & 3, is there any gentleman’s way of approaching these issues or should the violent take it by force? (Wondering aloud).
Wow!…This is both sad and true all that the same time.
I am not in Nigeria, so please forgive me for asking why the goverment did not insist that companies give there staff time off to go register, or make two days an official registration day for people to. I would love to register. Is it possible for Nigerians outside of Nigeria to do so?
Please My fellow Nigerian do make sure you register and vote!
Change can only happen when we all do our part….Till then I’ll be praying for Nigeria to get positioned for where God wants us in 2007.
God forgive me for I am guilty; I have not yet registered, but I will and soon will it be.
Some of us have decided not to leave the game to “them” this time arround, I am not only ready to vote but also to make my vote count.
Good post. I will be watching you from now on…
Hm…I have been trying to locate a registration centre but haven’t succeeded yet in locating any centre within my area. This is even due to the fact that I have only two days within a week to continue my search. I would have expected the government to declare one week break to ensure that people get to registered.
I still remember the impact of the Lagos State SIT AT HOME order during the census. A lot of people staying in Lagos wouldn’t have been counted if not that people’s movement was restricted for some days. I feel the government should do the same now else… only the so-called artisans would have the right to vote. And how would the great Nigerian we all dream of emerge?
Guilty as charged! I haven’t reigstered either, haven’t found the time (where’s it hiding by the way?) and from what I hear, the nearest registration point in my area is a virtual location i.e. it doesn’t exist, lol. When exactly does it end?
Deolu, if you checked my comment on prof. Pat Utomi’s presidential ambition, you would have noticed this your discovery.
The informed, educated people of this nation dont want to do this for their country.
Some want to, but the backlog of duties on their tables wouldnt afford them the luxury.
So we are back to square zero after all the grammar we know how to blow.
These are my fears and concerns as a brand expert, we may end up having the same class ruling us for long.
some of these area boys are paid if you must know to find time to go and register! They have all the time and any amount would do as long as it can pay their next meal.God help our nation
Man,
The process of reforming Nigeria, the path of ensuring that Project Nigeria becomes a reality and the birth of the New Nigeria will be greatly enhanced if the class you identified take time out to get registered, vote and let their votes count.
Also, as identified, is there no pressure group, or friends in the Sitting room of Power who can rant some few words of advice to Baba OBJ to kindly consider declaring few days for registration of voters??? Generations unborn will continue to bless him if he does this….I see a serious awakening and consciousness in Nigerians now but some people do need a bit of impetus to push them out.
Whose got the networking pleasee!!!!!!!!!!….Two days will do.
@ Gbeborun of Lagos- Yessooo…I’m with you on that one, let’s be ready to vote, and actually vote and see if our votes will not count. From the look of what I saw, even if they count the votes, it is easy to manipulate the process, the guys I saw registering are willing to tick any name with minimal motivation.
@ Stephen – I think one sure way is to be vocal, to in our own little ways present the picture of the Nigeria we see in our environment and communities. It migth not be a bad idea volounteering with bodies that have been licenced( ;?) by INEC to educate the common man about the power of his/her vote. Then that force thing ? It’s either we are forceful or we are many, i prefer many!
@Angela – I think the best thing that you folks in diaspora can do for us is make sure that the mouths that you are responsible for here (as the case usually is), are informed and encouraged to register to vote, you folks are opinion leaders for many here who benefit from your pound sterlings. I’m not sure we’ll get as sophisticated as to allowing you to vote, but there is what you can do.
@Kamal, Emmanuel and Gbubemi – Please go and register! As Chxta has on his site, the only thing good needs to do for evil to prevail is nothing. It’s not going to be easy, but let’s make sure we count.
@Chxta – Saw you too… good work, and thanks..
@Olaito – True oh, we need to encourage ourselves to register, we can’t continue to theorize, the best man/woman will win when all those that support him/her register and vote!
@Lanre – I really don’t think the Government should declare any day free sha…I think companies should just give their employees one day – any one day in the next 8 days to do it. If we all take days off to register, the crowds will be alarming… it takes 5-10 mins to register one person.
Teaser – If it takes forever to register, how come we are going to vote in 1 or few days. Why didn’t we use the same system we would have used to vote in record time to register in record time?
When they say politics is dirty,i beleive it is not in terms of embezzlement alone.These are few of the nauseating things that go on.Just like you rightly observed,we all need to come out,come together and a times come to this peoples level to handle them.Not only registration,after voting,guide your vote.
Deolu, my MD didn’t have to wait for me to ask for a day off to be given to staffs to undergo the voters registration.
He actually got the INEC guys to the office this morning to register all interested staff.
Moa thinks, this act is worth emulating by other corporate organizations who cannot afford to give their staff one day off for this exercise.
Stephen, where do you work? If your boss is not into politics, I should be doing good PR for him. I admire that.
Wow… that’s brilliant!
I’ve always wanted to blog this topic. My angle would have been even if the election were free and fair, we still stand at the mercies of the primaries to be able to vote who we really want
hmm… hmmmm….
Confession Time! I havent registered not because I dont want to but I work in a tertiary health centre which is almost like a city (OK, town) of its own and you wont believe that there is no registration centre within! Now to find the time to go and queue up to register is anoda wahala.
A solution to other workers is that they can go in batches – if there are, say 12 people in a department, 4 can be granted leave per day to go & register & in 3 days voila!
I dont when (or if) I will be able to register!
The fact is & will almost always be that the “elite” will always be armchair panelists while the “masses” will be the ones on the battlefield. Period. QED!
Deolu, on behalf of my boss I say thanks.
However he’s not in politics and I would tell you where his office is so you can be doing good PR for him.
Abiola, I see your point about being left at the mercies of the primaries to really vote who we want. All the same good will always overcome evil even if it takes time.
may God help us and our elections in this country. during eletion period, issues will always arise.