Memo to retiring politician

…also published in Daily Trust

Now that the 2019 election season in Nigeria is over, and as has always been the case at the end of every election season, the winners are already celebrating while looking forward to starting their new tenure. They are also already being lobbied by lobbyists and aspiring political appointees lobbying for appointments as ministers, ambassadors, commissioners, advisers, assistants, etc.

On the other hand, the grieving losers are already coming to terms with their losses, though many of them are preparing to contest the election results in courts, in hopes of reclaiming what they rightly or wrongly consider their rightful mandates.

Though this memo is basically addressed to any politician who believes in life after death where he will certainly be held to account for his actions and inactions, which, in turn, determine his destiny accordingly, yet, it’s particularly addressed to that who is retiring from politics due to aging or as a result of irreversible loss of political relevance, or both. Because, obviously while the former may be too absorbed in the pleasures and indulgences that come with political relevance, to pay any attention to this memo, the latter is likely to do, having probably grown too old to enjoy the pleasures and indulgences anymore.

However, before delivering the memo, it’s appropriate to highlight some of the essential practices in politicking, which explain why this memo is particularly addressed to politicians. I quote the following passage from my last week’s piece to provide the highlight. “After all, democracy as a political system is, in the first place, inherently devoid of moral values. Deceit, deception and corruption are its fundamental dynamics, which the mainstream political players perpetrate to succeed at the expense of one another. It’s, as a matter of fact, an open secret that many of them go to the extent of turning to malaman tsibbu and other sorcerers under whose instructions they commit some polytheistic rituals and blasphemous practices, thereby effectively turning apostates. Also, incitement and manipulation of public ethno-religious emotion, bribery and other forms of inducement in various disguises, are perpetrated by all in the game, in their struggle to outfox one another. Likewise, derogatory insinuations, insults, slander, and what have you, against one another are always essential ingredients in political campaign under democracy. All political players, e.g. incumbents, winners, losers, their respective beneficiaries and aspiring beneficiaries are basically equally guilty in this regard; only that everyone operates within the limits of his influence and affluence, and also depending on the amount of his lust for power and the extent of his moral deficit.” “Invocation for election victory: Whose wish deserves to be granted?” (Daily Trust, Friday, March 22, 2019).

As it’s obvious, a typical politician is so engrossed in such practices and even worse without any remorse, and not minding their implications on his destiny in the Afterlife, which the the Messenger of Allah (SAW) had warned about when he said “The amount of damage caused by two starving and unrestrained hyenas devouring sheep in an enclosure is never as much the amount of damage that greed and lust for influence cause to one’s Faith” (Authentic, as narrated by Imam Ahmad 15784, and others).

Now, Rankai dade, as a retiring politician probably in your late 60s, 70s or 80s, and having spent decades engaged in politics as highlighted hereinabove, the issue of your destiny in the Afterlife should be your only obsession in what remains of your life on earth. You should resist the temptation to turn power broker, or accept any role that would keep you unnecessarily active in public affairs.

You should instead keep a low-profile that will enable you to concentrate on the acts of worship and meditation. Your daily routine should revolve around punctuality in performing the Five Obligatory Congregational Prayers in a mosque, performing as many non-obligatory prayers as possible, reading the Qur’an, muttering the Azkaar, e.g. Hailala, Tasbihi, Salatin Annabi, Istigfari, etc.

Rankai dade, you should also get rid of the part of your wealth (no matter how big) that you deep down know is illegitimately acquired through, say, kickbacks, bribes and other forms of corruption, which is endemic in politics and public service in Nigeria. You can quietly return it to public treasury through whatever means possible. Though you may face resistance from some of your own family members and other aspiring inheritors of your wealth, you mustn’t compromise, for they can’t benefit you with anything when you stand before Allah, the Almighty to give an account of how you amassed it. 

You should also be as generous as possible on charitable works to benefit as many needy as possible in your community. Also, except when it’s absolutely necessary, your foreign trips should be only to Makkah and Madina, which you should frequent as many times as possible, to perform Hajj and Umrah. 

Rankai dade, you should keep in mind that, once you are gone, the sponsored hence apparently hypocritical eulogies and tributes supposedly for you that would flood the media, and renaming of landmarks and public structures in your name, or organizing public occasions in your honour would never benefit you whatsoever.