-By Austen Akhagbeme:

It is amazingly interesting to know that every Nigerian, home and abroad, knows the problems of Nigeria. This is because the pain of bad governance and the effects of a malfunctioning society is naturally felt by all no matter how we may try to play the ostrich.

It is in light of the above observation that the need for sober reflection and unbiased introspective soul-searching by all becomes necessary, especially in moments such as we are now if we must move forward as a nation.

Nigeria as a sovereign state has gone around this mountain of despair and hopelessness for so long that any attempt at maintaining the status quo in terms of her leadership recruitment frost with the known and the familiar nuances, will spell doom for the nation: God forbid.

The present political situation has thrown up a uniquely different scenario. For the first time in a long while, three leading candidates are involved in the slugfest. While two are descendants of the anachronistic order that has kept us bound and bowed as a nation, the third is a rising dawn after the darkest night; sanity after long years of madness and confusion.

Peter Gregory Obi represents the totality of hope for a people wallowing in endless despair and swimming in hopelessness untoward. He represents the unbiased and altruistic determination of every Nigerian to witness the great dawn of hope for a nation eaten up by her greedy political elites in our lifetime.

This is the time to close our dimming eyes and itching ears to tribal and religious lullabies to embrace the true music of hope and change that has the people in mind always. Let us throw away the old rags that remind us of endless slavery, poverty and squalor to embrace the newness of hope and a new way of doing things such as Peter Obi represents.

As we go to the polls a few days from now, let us remember the past and its players and compare them with the future we desire for ourselves and our children yet unborn. This is no time for emotive decisions based on frivolous and temporary satisfaction.

It is the time to queue up behind a man like Peter Obi whose fame and acceptance have gone beyond ethnic, regional and religious boundaries to trigger hope alive again in the heart of despondent citizens and their ailing nation. Do not vote “wisely”, vote for Peter Obi. He is the Joker in the pack.

• Austen Akhagbeme:is a Columnist with Blank NEWS Online