The Winning Pathway: A Blueprint for Success in Politics and Governance.
By Leye Toyese
This paper encapsulates over 15 years of work, comprising findings, experiences, and suggestions or potential measures aimed at enabling a serious political party, government, or movement to secure victory in elections at every conceivable level and, more importantly, to win the hearts of the people and steer the country towards a positive trajectory. This study was conducted based on firsthand experiences living in rural areas in Ekiti State, engaging in discussions, and staying informed about developments across the country.
.jpeg)
The best political party/movement/administration is one that fosters a sense of belonging among all citizens. The key is to engage in activities or programs that make everyone, including opposition members and politically neutral individuals, feel included. The following areas should be targeted for improvement or reorientation:
●Transportation
●The youth
●The Aged
●Schools
●Farmers
●Herdsmen
●National feeding.
.jpeg)
The primary objective is to unite everyone under a particular political party, with even opposition members who genuinely desire a better Nigeria eventually coming on board. Below are detailed proposals for achieving these objectives:
The main aim is to capture everyone under a particular political party, and before one realises it , even the oppositions who truly want a greater Nigeria will have a turnaround.
1. The FG needs less than 4 billion naira to procure 30 Marcopolo luxurious buses for each state, at an average price of 120 million each, totalling less than 150 billion naira spent across 36 states plus the FCT. Calculate the cost of maintaining them per month and 70 to 80% be paid by the FG and another 10% by the SGs and the remaining 10% from the IGR from their usage, at a very subsidised rate, note that 10% may sometimes be lower, depending on patronage transportation is central to the problems created by subsidy removal, once solved the immediate effect is the "trickle down effect" that gets to the common market women. One spends at least 2k daily going to Ido-Ekiti from Ado and back, 10K per week for non-core-health workers, and 14K for the core health workers. It only means once one gets home, one gulps his garri and goes to sleep. If subsidised buses are available at 600 naira to 1K per day, one can buy efo rorowo, iru woro, ata gungun e.t.c while going home. That way, one is better fed, has some strength for an uncertain tomorrow, and the mama alata has got some change to transact with these are the short-term benefits. This transportation idea should continue for as long as the fuel issue can be resolved or the intended gains can be palpated. In the long run, we can start parking our cars at home and start using the buses regularly, like is being practised in the developed but prudent countries. The percentage maintenance costs, at this time, can then be reviewed. The question that comes to mind,as asked on a forum, is: What becomes of the commercial drivers? They are mostly registered, and we do not intend to take their daily meals off their tables. Arrangements can be made for them to be getting subsidised fuel at designated filling stations. In the long run, attention will also be given to our roads as that will reduce the cost of maintaining these luxurious buses.
2. Youth Makes Decision (YMD) or Youth Decides (YD):
The idea is to have youth committees across all local governments in every state.
State executive members are put in place and will be the ones to relate with, on behalf of the government, with the local coordinators.
The local coordinators would be the ones to relate and explore the needs of every community in the LG. The Kabiyesis, emirs, and religious leaders will be carried along by those coordinators.
For instance, the youths in various schools can be assisted with books and foodstuffs periodically. The okada riders can be assisted with building okada
stops at the locations of their choices. As more accidents have occurred with okada riding, we can totally ban okadas after providing the registered ones with tricycles, which are more in obedience with the law of equilibrium and so more accident-free. There should be a strong collaboration with the state and local governments in this regard. Youths who are farmers can be assisted with seedlings as well as seeds and basic farm tools.
The religious and traditional rulers will be encouraged to meet with these youths
periodically. These leaders will then invite the coordinators to the communities when they can have a large turn-out of youths for interaction. They will inform the coordinators of their needs and the coordinators will suggest to them also. By doing this, every household is involved.
3. Grow Healthier As You Age (GHAYA):
While free medical outreaches and stipends for the aged as being practised by some of our leaders should be encouraged, inculcated by others, and sustained, It is important to help our aged live their last days healthier.
From a medical point of view, every being above 50 years, especially women, requires supplements (be it food or multivitamin) on a daily basis.
The aged should be supplied with multivitamins on a monthly basis, to be taken on a
daily basis.
The government should liaise with medical facilities (government and / or private – because they will require money to transport themselves to another town in case the nearest government facility is located in a town farther from them)
nearest to them. We should start thinking of a "spider-web" healthcare delivery. This entails the provision of smaller clinic outlets from the existing ones, other than the primary health centres, we can call them GRASSROOT HEALTH CENTRES, likely the first of its kind in the world! By doing this, we will be succeeding in taking healthcare services to every doorstep!
On a particular date of every month, the aged would visit these facilities to get their multivitamins, which would have been arranged by the government with the selected/ registered and / or newly created GRASSROOT facilities.
Records will be kept. This way, the aged can go to the facilities without a kobo, get checked, and go back home with drugs without having to pay.
The facilities, if not government owned, would work out an agreeable amount for consultations or tests that some may require. These records would be scrutinized regularly by the FMOH and the SMOH. These aged are firstly registered with the health facilities so that multiple entries can be avoided. Other programs like giving out food items regularly will equally help, especially in the very rural areas. Food supplies, supplements, and regular check-ups are all the aged need to live a healthy ending.
4. Schools:
The beautiful school free feeding programs as being practised in some states should be encouraged, inculcated, and reinforced in other parts of the country. Most public schools do not have safe sources of water and means of sewage disposal.
Those schools with faulty boreholes should have them repaired, and those which never had should be provided with. The government should take cognizance of important days in the lives of pupils in primary and secondary schools.
May 27 – The government should be fully involved. All pupils must be able to partake, at least, it is called the Children’s Day. Each school should be empowered on this day to help all pupils enjoy the day – They can be supplied with cooking items/ ingredients, gift items, and musicals – That way, all children, in public or private schools, have a sense of belonging irrespective of the political party of their parents, teachers, or guardians. Pupils can equally be supplied with traditional wears during their cultural week. Their teachers should have more workshops and seminars.
They should be encouraged by providing them with improved teaching aids and helping to stock their libraries.
I want to advise that the suggestion I want to raise here should be made into a campaign video and released soonest, you don’t know how many minds are thinking alike.
5. HERDERS/FARMERS CO-BUDDING:
Farming can be crop (plant) or livestock, so both groups above are actually farmers. The farms are built side-by-side, fenced, or barricaded with planks, bamboos, or wires but are connected by a flat surface or plank such that one can pass a big bowl with its contents to the other.
One source of water or irrigation system should be created such that it connects the two farms – This helps them to interact often, and they soon play together and become a family. The cattle rarer packs the cow dungs and transfers to the farmer via the connecting plank, who can then use them as manure for his crops. When the farmer weeds his farm or harvests his crops, the cassava leaves, cassava stumps, cassava peals, cocoyam leaves and peals, maize leaves, and stumps can be handed over to the cattle rarer to feed his cattle with. They can equally exchange farm produce for fresh cow milk. This form of symbiotic intensive farming will equally create job opportunities for their youths. While the crop farmer is likely to get manure on a regular basis, the cattle rarer may need to source for feeds when the farmer is not weeding his farm or harvesting it.
Though the disturbing herdsmen-farmers' clashes seem to have reduced in the last one year, we can put things rightly back in their harmonious good old ways in those good old days
My candid opinion is that until we strategize a method that can allow these farmers and herders to coexist like they had done before, we might not get it right.
This gives opportunity to the youths who can then get feeds from the bushes and sell to the cattle rarer or exchange for fresh cow milk. People will also come up with the ideas of setting up factories that can grow genetic feeds for the cattle. That way, we would be preventing disharmony among farmers and would be boosting the economy by reducing unemployment. No matter how herculean this task seems, it is worth giving a try, and it is way better than brutality and fatality, under which some disgruntled elements will always hide and rubbish a performing government.
Like I suggested earlier, this idea should be put in place without delay and be
made into a short video for reorientation purposes.
6. Operation Feeding the Nation (OFN):
The federal government should liaise with each state government, get a piece of land, and establish a mechanized farm in each state. The federal government can take, for instance, 70% of the employment while the State takes 30%. The federal government should equally agree on a sharing formula of the profits with each state. The federal government should also enter into agreement with each state that after a number of years, having realised the capital and some profits the State should take total control of the farm.
I strongly believe that if 2 billion naira can be budgeted for farming in each state, making a total of less than 80 billion Naira, then we can have enviable farms in each state. The idea is that by the time the government pays salary for a particular month, farm produce can then be transported to the market 2 to 3 days later, selling at cheaper prices.
IGR is increased, money is recycled, employment opportunity is created, and the whole country takes the glory for it. Farmers are encouraged by providing them with soft agricultural loans, graduates are encouraged to go into farming by providing them with start-up capital and provisions of good seedlings, fertilisers, and working tools will be a great idea. The government must also be ready to buy these farm products and produce directly from the farmers and sell at the local and international markets. That way, the government can have a regulated/fixed price for each farm produce/product. All these, if religiously carried out by incorruptible individuals, are not only achieveable but prolific, and in no distance time, our economy will start breathing again.
These are programs that can be added to the good ones already in place.
These proposed initiatives, if diligently executed by incorruptible individuals, have the potential to transform the country's economy and improve the well-being of its citizens. By adding these programs to existing initiatives, Nigeria can pave the way for a brighter future.
Leye Toyese, Ado Ekiti.
Email: cravoanatomy@yahoo.co.uk
09043021002
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)