My attempt to register to vote in the 2015 general election has given newer insights into the collective mindsets of Nigerians. With this understanding, and all I want to do is throw my hands up and
surrender. First thoughts are where does one start with addressing the issues we face?
I
went to register on Saturday and I was impressed by the number of people
waiting to register. As at the time I left- about 1pm, there were about 300
names written but no INEC official to register anyone (Registration should hold between 8-4).
Today
I resumed the quest to vote at 2.30pm and it was full of drama
Act
1, Scene 1
People
struggled to write their names and get ticket so they can join the queue and register-
apparently, if you were willing to pay or was brash you could buy or browbeat your to the capture point.People
lashed out at guy handing out numbers. He left to come back about 30 minutes later- everyone needs a break. The process of issuing tickets stalled. After a while,
someone started selling tickets, and the polling unit turned violent, some guys
began fighting each other and some bystander police officers intervened. After
hustling for over an hour, I finally got a number and proceeded to the point of capture.
Act
1, Scene II
There
were two INEC officials registering residents on two lines. I
joined a queue and when I noticed we were stationary, I went to the front to check what
was happening. I was told by a resident we had hustled together that there was no
queue, people were shunting and I should stand beside him. From that
point, people pushed and shoved to get in front of the registration official
and series of fights broke out. At a point, some thugs came with
wooden sticks to scare people into running away to form another line- they
succeeded but those on the main queue came back and refused to budge.
Registration at the desk stalled. At the other desk, people pushed and shoved
and the same area boy began to bring people who had dropped something to
register. Those on the queue protested but their protest was in vain.Things
never calmed down. People continued to jostle, push and shove to get registered till
the officials signed out at 5:50pm.
What
led to the signing out? The INEC driver came to pick them and one lady who had wrestled her way to register picture would not print. The printer malfunctioned when it
got to her turn and people begun to joke that she had a "bad head".
She got up for someone else to register and the person was able to do hers
successfully, she sat and the system went off. Then the jokes began.
The
takeaways from that experience has made me ask questions like:
1)
Why we treat ourselves like animals that have to be shoved and beaten. Why are we
unable to be orderly and just do things
the right way. The registration process itself was simple and would not take
more than 5 minutes. However, because people refused to be orderly, nothing was
done and we ended up going home without registering. This is similar to the way
we drive and cause needless traffic because people are impatient and would not
give way for other drivers.
2)
Why do we need to lie to get ahead. Some people claimed to have brought and
fueled the generator used to power the capture process. This was false. People had excuses/ reasons why
they should get priority registration
3)
The major causes of the fights that broke out were the result of a 'we-them' mentality. At a point
it became a case of 'you think because you are rich, are educated or
dress well think you can intimidate me'. The "rich" and the
"poor" began to exchange words and threw jabs at each other. If the
proletariat can openly put each other in a caste, what hope do we then have?
4)If
we channelled the vehemence and brute force we use on each other to hold
our governments accountable, we will be better off now. That belief that we
must be assertive, be feisty, that we must shout to get what we want
explains why we are uncivil to each other. Try talking to a junior
officer say a security man, and the first instinct is to shut you down.
As a
country we have a long way to go. Where do we start? Which do we start with?
