Are You Still Being Apathetic???

_{Tope A. Asokere}

---

I have always wondered why it was that some people preferred to be on the sidelines when it came to making decisions that could be for the collective good. That is, not just for themselves but for the society at large.

Many of them would rather be an observer, choosing not to take part and letting it all happen while they watch. And one such example of this is voting during elections.

It is no news that this would be the first time that a lot of Nigerians are taking an active interest in the powers that govern this country. Over the years, there has been too much leeway and a lack of accountability that has led to this very moment. So much has been lost, and the people are finally ready to say enough is enough!

People are ready to get out of their houses and no matter the weather, go out there to get their voter's cards and when election day comes, they are ready to vote. And not just that, they are also talking to other people, especially in rural communities where there might not be adequate access to the internet, they are letting the people in such areas know the value of voting for those they feel are the right candidates.

_{Emmanuel Ikwuegbu}

Even celebrities are not left out of this fight, as a matter of fact, many of them are championing it. Using their platforms to sensitize as many people as possible to do the needful so that come election day, they would be able to cast their votes and finally vote out bad governance.

It is literally everywhere, in Nigeria now, and the major topic that is always trending is politics and leadership. Everyone is looking forward to the coming elections and there are mixed feelings about how it would go.

But then, despite the clarion calls and the urge to do what is necessary, there are still some people that are hell-bent on not participating in the elections.

Of course, it is not by force. Voting is a right, and it is up to each individual to use it whenever and however they deem fit, that is if they even choose to do it. But then, considering the state of the country presently, and the mess we all are in, it is now beyond just a right to vote. It is now a duty for everyone. One that we should not avoid at all costs.

_{Mikhail Nilov}

Although, for many of them, their apathy is quite understandable. For decades, we have been made promises of how our votes will count in each election, but then come election day, the media will be agog with stories of rigging and other electoral malpractices. This plants in the minds of everyone that their votes don’t count as they claim. And if the votes don’t count, why bother themselves to go vote at all?

But then, this is what many of these politicians are capitalizing on. It is my opinion that some of them are the ones spreading the rumors that votes won’t count, because let us face it, if we do not vote, we would be giving them space to put whoever they want in power. And that is the very thing they want because then they would be totally unstoppable and able to do whatever they wanted.

I have looked at everything this way, if your votes don’t count, why do you think they go to all that lengths to secure it? Why do they organize campaigns and rallies, and why do they share gifts all in a bid to curry favor from the voters? Why do some even attempt to buy the votes if they had no value?

This should tell you that, when it comes to your vote, it is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a citizen and it is the tool you can make use of to enact the change that you want in the country.

_{Tope A. Asokere}

People have different reasons for wanting to stay away from voting, some might be religious, and others might be personal. But as far as I am concerned, so long as you are of legal age to vote and you are choosing not to do it for no just cause, you are simply part of the problem this country is facing. Even if you are scared that your favorite candidate won’t end up winning, he will have a better chance when your vote is also counted along with the others.

We all want to live a better life, I am sure no one is enjoying the state that the country is in presently. We are in hot soup, and we need someone that can get us out of it. How can you be dreaming of a better country and yet be unwilling to do anything to get it? Especially when you know exactly what you can do. It is just like a hungry man that has the means to get food but chooses to stay hungry because he wanted others to get it for him.

Yesterday, Nigeria marked her 62nd year of independence. And I made a post about it. There is really nothing to brag about in the country, the little achievements that were made over the years, and the careless handling have even made all that obsolete and we can’t talk about them.

It is very possible that we can get a new Nigeria! 2022 and 2023 can be the year in which the people take charge and make a decision and decide who they put into power. These coming months will be the game changer for each and every one of us, it is what will decide the path we are going to take as a nation and as individuals.

_Cottonbro

And as Election Day draws nearer, people are openly declaring support for their preferred candidate, everyone has the right to do that. While we support our preferred candidate, we need to make sure that we are not insulting or aggressive, everyone has the space and privilege to exercise their rights and you have no right to trample on another person’s just because they do not support your candidate.

And if after all this, you are still being apathetic, then I have to say that you probably deserve everything that is happening to you. Go out there, get your PVC and cast your votes! Put the right person in power, and let us take back our country from those who want to bleed us dry. I am saying this again, enough is enough!

_{Edmond Dantes}

Thank you for reading. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below, I would love to know what you are thinking. Till we meet in the next post.

---

_{Borderimage credit: @deimage.}