POLITICS, A Part Time Profession not Full Time —By Richard Romanus

0
200
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Richard Romanus|7 May 2017 
Imagine been substituted in a football match as a player in just 10-15 minutes of play!
Imagine been forced to retire as a Civil Servant when you are not even anywhere near the stipulated 35 years you are expected to be in service!
Imagine been asked to resign at your place of work against your wish and at a time you needed the job the most! Just imagine! Painful right! Yes it is.
This is purely what I think is happening to Cross River State politics where the old brigade especially within the People's Democratic Party (PDP) feel threatened over a possible extinction from the political space.
While I share in their plight, the bitter truth is, if some of them had taken politics as a part time job instead of a permanent one as it is the case, the fear and apprehension over what life would become of them after they exit power would have been less if any.
It was former President Olusegun Obasanjo who described this set of politicians as 'Politicians without an office'. For them, politics is their farm, office and business. They become so neck deep into it to the extent where asking them to step aside is like asking them to go and die.
For us the Youths who are the major beneficiaries of this political volcano that is blowing across the State, I hope we pick one or two lessons. We too will get old and definitely will have to give way for other people to come and put in their best.
I hope after you are asked to step aside, you will be like our very own Distinguished Senator Victor Ndoma Egba who immediately went back to his law Chamber until he was found worthy to serve in the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, I hope you will be like Rt Hon Jake Otu Enya, Ntufam Dr Peter Oti, Ntufam Dr Sandy Onor, Dr Mathew Achigbe etc who went back to classroom as university lecturers, I hope you will be like Chief Alex Egbona, Rev Takis Caifas etc who I hear are some of the biggest poultry farmers in Cross River State at the moment. This is not forgetting Mrs Margaret Ebokpo, Chief Ernest Irek etc who I also know are pursuing their individual businesses and professions! I just hope you learn and draw inspiration from them. These are men that are still actively involved in the politics of Cross River some of them in the opposition though but are doing it with maturity, pride and panache.
Let me ask you who is reading this; have you for one day read or heard that, these men took to the media to malign or lampoon Governor Ayade? Never! They are too busy and occupied to engage in such, unlike some of them who hide under this platform to vomit all sort of rubbish against a sitting Governor in the name of opposition. You see why they have my respect anyday anytime!
I have chosen not to be taking most of Governor Ayade critics serious any longer because like they say, an idle mind is the devil's workshop. A Man/Woman who has business meetings to attend will not spend the kind of time most of them spend on social media attacking Ayade and his administration. 
I know I will be called all sort of names including attention seeker, appointment seeker or a paid writer like most of you have been doing publicly and privately but I care no more after all what you don't know is bigger than you.
If we must criticise, constructive criticism is key rather than taking to Facebook to demean the Office of a Governor just because you don't like the person sitting there. 
My fellow Youths, the earlier you realise that the future we were told, you and I are going to be leaders has come, courtesy of Governor Ben Ayade, the better. Are you a Special Adviser, Senior Special Assistant, Special Assistant, Chairman or DG of board, Member of board and Personal Assistant etc, you must put in your best in your assigned task. The success and failure of the Governor depends on you. Ayade must not fail because if he does, It is us (YOUTHS) that have failed.
My name na Richard Romanus (RR) if you know like wetin I talk, come beat me.
Richard Romanus 
Writes from Calabar