The theatre of bad politics is the grand stage where personal ambition, greed, and deception overshadow the sacred duty of governance. It is a performance where politicians act for applause, not for impact where the scripts are written in lies, the costumes are stitched in hypocrisy, and the audience, made up of citizens, is left with nothing but broken promises and wasted time.
Effects on Society, Citizens, and Civilization:
Bad politics corrodes the moral foundation of society. It normalises dishonesty, rewards mediocrity, and punishes integrity. Citizens lose faith in the democratic process, disengage from civic duties, and retreat into apathy or rebellion. A once vibrant and hopeful civilization slowly degenerates into cynicism, lawlessness, and cultural decay.
Effects on Leadership and Governance:
In the theatre of bad politics, leadership is no longer about vision or service it becomes a contest of manipulation. Governance turns into propaganda; policies are crafted to win elections, not to solve problems. Leaders become actors reading prewritten lines while the real directors vested interests and political godfathers pull the strings from behind the curtain.
Effects on Accountability and Service Delivery:
Accountability dies in the shadows of bad politics. Leaders avoid scrutiny by diverting attention through media theatrics and political distractions. Projects are inflated, budgets are looted, and service delivery becomes an afterthought. The people’s needs are drowned out by the noise of political rivalries.
Effects on Social Services and Development:
Bad politics diverts national resources from development to self serving ventures. Roads remain death traps, hospitals decay, schools become shells of learning, and security collapses. Development projects are abandoned midway sometimes deliberately so they can be “revived” as campaign tools in the next election cycle.
Consequences:
• Institutional collapse and erosion of democratic principles
• Rise of poverty, unemployment, and inequality
• Increased political violence, ethnic tension, and insecurity
• Loss of investor confidence and economic stagnation
• Generational distrust in governance
• The culture of “anything goes” in public service
Impact on the Dividends of Democracy:
When bad politics dominates, the dividends of democracy justice, equity, prosperity, and security are replaced by the dividends of deceit poverty, oppression, and hopelessness. Elections become mere theatrical reruns, with the same actors swapping roles while the script never changes.
Remedy:
1. Political Culture Reorientation: Civic education to reawaken citizens’ awareness of their rights and responsibilities, fostering a culture of merit-based leadership.
2. Strong Institutions: Build and protect institutions that can withstand political interference, ensuring laws are enforced equally.
3. Transparent Governance: Mandatory open budget systems, periodic public account audits, and legislative oversight free from executive manipulation.
4. Electoral Integrity: Strengthen the independence of the electoral body to ensure credible elections that reflect the will of the people.
5. Citizen Engagement: Create platforms for direct citizen input in governance, shifting politics from theatre to service.
6. Value Based Leadership: Promote leaders whose legitimacy comes from integrity, competence, and measurable achievements not from political godfathers or ethnic bias.
The theatre of bad politics must be dismantled and replaced with a stage of honest governance where leaders are not performers, but true servants; where the people are not passive spectators, but active participants; and where democracy delivers not drama, but development.
Chief Odekpe
Iyase of Onicha-Uku Kingdom
(De Traditional Prime Minister)