Beyond the Shadows: Godfatherism as a Threat to Nigeria’s Democracy –By Muhammad Bashir Abdulhafiz

My Fellow Nigerians,

I write to you not as a politician, not as an academic, but as one of you. I am a young Nigerian who looks at our nation and sees not just its problems, but its immense, almost unbelievable, and potential. We are a country blessed with brilliant minds, hardworking people, and enough resources to not only feed ourselves but to become a beacon for the entire African continent. Yet, we find ourselves stuck in a cycle of stagnation, held back by a political sickness that has become so common, and we almost accept it as normal. I am talking, of course, about the cancer of godfatherism.

We all know what a godfather is supposed to be: a guide, a mentor, and a source of wisdom. But in Nigerian politics, the godfather is something else entirely. He is not a mentor, but he is a puppet master. He is not a guide, but he is a gatekeeper. He is the unseen hand that determines who gets a seat at the table, not based on their ability to serve the people, but based on their willingness to serve him.

This is the harsh reality we must confront. How does this system work? It is a simple, yet destructive, and challenging. An individual with money, influence, or control over a political structure, the godfather decides who he wants to remain relevant even after he leaves public office. He cannot do it alone, so he goes in search of a ‘loyalist’. This loyalist might be a popular local figure, a wealthy businessman, or simply someone hungry for power. The godfather makes him an offer he can’t refuse: ‘I will use my money, my thugs, and my network to rig the primaries and get you the party ticket. I will finance your campaign and ensure you win the election. In return, when you get into that Government House, that Senate seat, or that Local Government chairmanship, you will remember who brought you here’.

And that is the crux of the problem. The loyalist does not owe his victory to the people who voted. He owes it to the godfather. He is not a servant of the public, but he is an employee of the godfather. Consequently, when he assumes office, who does he listen to? The struggling market woman in his constituency, or the godfather who just paid for his billboards? The unemployed graduate looking for opportunity, or the godfather who wants a lucrative government contract awarded to his front company?

This is how we end up with leaders who have no business leading. They are voted into power not for their capability, competence, or capacity to deliver democracy dividends, but because their godfathers have the muscle to force them through. We see it all the time: a commissioner who cannot string two coherent sentences together, a legislator who has never read a single bill, a governor who is a mere errand boy for the man in the mansion across town. Their only qualification is their loyalty to the godfather.

The godfather’s goal is simple: sustained political and economic relevance. By installing his loyalists in every key position, he controls the flow of government patronage, contracts, and resources. He ensures that after his ‘retirement’, he is still the one pulling the strings, still the one getting rich, and still the one deciding the fate of millions. The loyalist, in turn, gets a taste of power and wealth, and the cycle of mediocrity and corruption continues, leaving the common man to suffer the consequences.

We see the results of this godfatherism every single day. We see it in the potholes on our roads that never get fixed. We see it in our hospitals that lack basic drugs and equipment. We see it in our schools that produce graduates who cannot compete globally. We see it in the insecurity that plagues our towns and villages. We have leaders who are physically present in office but mentally absent, because their minds are not on governance, but on how to satisfy their political sponsors.

So, what is the way forward? What can we, the ordinary people who bear the brunt of this failed system, do? My advice to you, my fellow Nigerians, is simple, but it requires a radical shift in our thinking and our actions.

First, we must become conscious and deliberate voters. We must look beyond the handbills, the billboards, and the flashy cars. We must look beyond the party logo. We must refuse to be swayed by the money shared at rallies. Instead, we must ask the hard questions: Who is this person? What have they ever done with their life? Have they built anything? Do they have a record of solving problems in their community, their business, or their previous career?

Second, we must identify and reject the candidates who are clearly products of godfatherism. We all know them. They are the ones who cannot speak to issues, who avoid town hall meetings, and whose only visible ‘achievement’ is the endorsement of a political heavyweight. When we see a candidate who is paraded by a known godfather, we must see them for what they are: a puppet. And we must refuse to vote for a puppet, no matter how much we like the puppet master’s name.

Third, we must actively search for and support candidates who run on ideas, not influence. We must look for the candidates who have the ability to understand complex problems, the capability to assemble a competent team, and the capacity to execute projects that will change our lives. These are the men and women who do not need a godfather, because their manifesto is their strength, and the people are their backers. They might not have the biggest war chest, but they have the biggest ideas.

Our votes are our most powerful weapon. For too long, we have given them away cheaply, in exchange for a bag of rice or a few thousand naira. But that bag of rice is eaten in one day, while the bad leader we elected stays in power for four years, stealing what rightfully belongs to all of us.

It is time to break the chain. It is time to tell the godfathers that their era of impunity is over. It is time to tell the loyalists that we will not be governed by proxies. It is time to demand that the person we elect is the person who will govern, not some shadowy figure hiding in the background.

The Nigeria we dream of is a Nigeria of progress, development, and good governance is possible. But it will not be built by godfathers and their loyalists. It will be built by us, the people, when we finally decide to take back our power and vote for ABILITY, CAPABILITY, and COMPETENCE.

Let us arise and be counted. Let us vote for Nigeria. Not for a godfather.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Muhammad Bashir Abdulhafiz wrote from Jos, and can be reached via abdulhafizmuhammad81@gmail.com