Post by Udeh Maduabuchi (@UdehMaduabuchi)

Frederick Douglass Saw Nigeria’s Politics 180 Years Ago

Chapter 4 of _Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave_ 1845:

"Slaves are generally expected to sing as well as to work. A silent slave is not liked by masters or overseers. 'Make a noise, make a noise, and pay attention to your work,' was the burden of my overseer’s injunction.

It is not uncommon for slaves even to fall out and quarrel among themselves about the relative goodness of their masters, each contending for the superior goodness of his own over that of the others. When Colonel Lloyd's slaves met the slaves of Jacob Jepson, they seldom parted without a quarrel about their masters; Colonel Lloyd's slaves contending that he was the richest, and Mr. Jepson's slaves that he was the smartest, and most of a man. Colonel Lloyd's slaves would boast his ability to buy and sell Jacob Jepson. Mr. Jepson's slaves would boast his ability to whip Colonel Lloyd.

They seemed to think that the greatness of their masters was transferable to themselves. It was considered as being bad enough to be a slave; but to be a poor man's slave was deemed a disgrace indeed!"

*What Douglass was really saying:*
Slavery survived because the enslaved were busy defending their masters instead of ending the system. They measured their own worth by their master’s wealth, power, or reputation.

*Fast forward to Nigeria’s politics today:*

We now have five groups arguing on the same plantation.

APC speaks like Colonel Lloyd: “We have structure, federal power, we can buy and sell everybody.”

PDP speaks like Jacob Jepson: “We ruled for 16 years. We are the smartest, most experienced.”

LP was the first wave of Obidients: “We may not have money, but we have people, energy, and integrity.”

ADC presents as the new coalition: “We are the alliance gathering all the rejected stones.”

NDC carries the Obidient, Peter Obi, and Kwankwaso bloc: “We are the movement. We have the youth, the numbers, the diaspora. Our leader does not buy votes, he earns them.”

Then the fight begins.
“Your party has no structure.”
“Your party has no money.”
“Your party is just Twitter.”

It is the same disgrace Douglass named: “To be a poor man's slave was deemed a disgrace indeed.”

*The truth Douglass leaves us with:*
While APC, PDP, LP, ADC, and NDC fight over whose master is richest, smartest, or most people’s man, citizens are still on the same plantation of hardship, inflation, insecurity, and failed systems.

“They seemed to think that the greatness of their masters was transferable to themselves.”

Nigeria has tried the old masters. We have tried structure without service. We have tried experience without results. We have tried alliances without direction.

This is why many Nigerians now see Peter Obi as the last hope for Nigeria and Nigerians, so that Nigeria will be OK. His message is not about borrowing a master’s greatness. It is about competence, accountability, and putting the people first. For a country tired of quarreling over masters, Peter Obi represents the chance to finally aspire to be our own master as a nation.

Your dignity is not transferable. Your freedom is not borrowed. Your future is not in a logo.

Akuamia n’Ngwo

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