By Chima Christian
While Nigerians are still mourning the outcome of the 2023 presidential election, efforts are in top gear to hurriedly conduct a census. This particular exercise will potentially redraw the map of Nigeria, and set the template for the rigging of future elections.
Yet, Nigerians are spending valuable time discussing Prof. Wole Soyinka. We have perfected the art of ignoring real issues and keeping ourselves busy with trendy topics. Make no mistake, another distraction will undoubtedly be thrown up after Soyinka has completed his part of this unfolding drama.
The few men and women holding Nigeria down are not that powerful. They are just banking on the emotiveness, assumed gullibility and the lack of critical thinking among the general populace.
Those who can’t draw a straight line between the hurried 2023 census and the 2027 general elections are only setting themselves up for another heartbreak.
Nigerians, please I am on my knees. Let us break out of our usual habits for once and take concerns around the upcoming census seriously. We must find the mental presence and grit to compel the federal government to;
1) Delay the census by at least seven months.
2) Subject NPC’s systems and processes to multi-stakeholder audits and integrity tests.
3) Review the laws governing the census, especially those around data integrity.
4) And, hold off on the census until all identified grey areas are addressed.
If Nigerians, with all the expressed energy, especially on Twitter, can’t get their government to produce, at the very minimum, accurate and acceptable demographic data, then it’s high time we began questioning the usefulness of that energy and the thoughtfulness of the people directing it.
#PostponeNigeriaCensus2023
Africa’s morning will come.
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