By Lekan Otufodunrin
After the 2015 General Elections, I wrote an article titled Ten lessons from election coverage which I urged journalists to take note of, reflect on, and take necessary steps to enhance their careers.
Three of the ten points I wrote on were Politicians are not worth fighting for, Objectivity still matters and the Need for social media policy.
Reading through my 2015 article and reflecting on the just concluded elections, I can say my counsel and observations back then are still valid.
The lessons I will like to harp on from the recent elections are life lessons about what it takes to achieve any goal or come close to it.
You can claim what you think you deserve and work hard to get it.
When the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu made his declaration that it was his turn to be the next president (Emilokan) on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC), some people felt it was wrong of him to say so noting that the highest office of the land should not be anyone’s entitlement.
However, based on the political ‘investments’ he has made over the years, including spearheading the political alliance that brought President Muhammadu Buhari to power, he was very sure he deserved to be the candidate of his party and went all out to win the ticket despite seeming animosity against his ambition from top quarters within the party.
There are times when you can’t afford to keep quiet about whatever you think you deserve, especially when you sense you may be wrongly denied. However, before you make such a declaration as Tinubu did, you must be sure you have what it takes to get what you think is yours.
The opposition to your desire will definitely be more when you leave no one in doubt that you want to take what you claim to be yours, but if you are strong enough to ‘fight’ for your ‘right’ you can get it as Tinubu did. A closed mouth as they say is a closed destiny.
Some risks are worth taking
It was a big political risk for the President-Elect to think he could win the presidential election on a Muslim -Muslim ticket in a country so religiously divided between Muslims and Christians.
However based on his political calculation and that of his supporters, they reckoned it will be easier for him to win the much-needed support of the north with large votes than to take the risk of being ‘politically correct’ by having a Christian running mate.
The opposition to his candidacy by Christians was expectedly much which explained why he lost in some states his party have won easily in the past.
In the end, he won the election which is being contested by the first two runner-ups.
In life, success sometimes depends on how much-calculated risk one is ready to take. Not taking risks can be risky, while taking a well-thought-out risk may be worth it.
Dare to win
By the normal political projections, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi was not expected to perform as well as he did in the recent presidential election.
Against Asiwaju Tinubu and the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Abubakar Atiku and no nationwide political structure, his chances amounted to trying to reach for the moon.
As it turned out expectedly, he did not achieve his dream, but his performance impacted the political landscape that he has become a major political force to reckon with in the country.
Despite all odds, there are times when one has to be daring and not easily give up. One may not achieve his or her ultimate goal, but the first attempt may be the stepping stone needed to remain in the reckoning when next another opportunity comes.
Culled from The Nation
