As we all know, Nigeria is really heated right now with presidential candidates throwing hate at each other and the electorates getting impatient at the current situation in the country:
- Insecurity
- Asuu strike
- Increase of the price of daily goods (food,water..)
- Terrorism and what not.
There is a lot of confusion about the perfect candidate coupled with the religious cards politicians are unashamedly flashing. Don’t worry not knowing anything about what Politics is really all about is not a big problem all you need is to educate yourself on how to play your part and play it well.
Here are five books to read to better understand what it is you are aiming towards, by voting;
OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN BY RICHARD BROOKHISER
I first read this book two years ago during the pandemic but I got bored (I mean sidetracked) and completely abandoned it. I finally read it (also because I was bored but I don’t regret it) and was immediately hooked.
The book is about Lincoln’s early life, struggles,how he began his political journey and the perks of his career. How many of us knew that Abraham Lincoln suffered through depression while leading a war(-spoiler alert!-)Lincoln suffered this and many more but that didn’t stop him from becoming one of the greatest presidents in the United States of America. LIFE AND TIMES OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN will give you something to think about.
This book tells the story of a freedom fighter, a political leader. Former president of the united states Bill Clinton, couldn’t have described the book better when he said “long walk to freedom is more than the biography of a great man”. Nelson Mandela whose birth name ROLIHLAHLA was replaced with NELSON by his teacher because it was hard for the colonial masters to pronounce African names tells the tale of a South Africa during the infamous Apartheid policy regime. From circumcision to truancy then Marriage, Divorce and prison life we get into the life of the great Nelson Mandela, walk in his shoes, read his story and just maybe learn from it too. The good news is that its also a motion picture (its on screen people!) Starring Idris Elba so for those of you that detest books but relish movies you too can tap in.
The Republic is a text that describes the importance of being just in the world. The Republic is a socratic dialogue, written by plato around 375 BC. It is a sort of political philosophy that places an interest in Justice, the order and character of the just state and the just man. I totally recommend reading the Understanding Pluto’s Republic by Gerasimos Santas it is sort of like a summary of the original work. There are several other versions of Plato’s The Republic which you can easily access in a public library.
Okonjo Iweala puts her economic expertise into writing. This book made me understand when exactly the Nigeran government started misbehaving -economic wise- it gave me an insight on how to view promises made by politicians (like, separating the unrealistic ones from the achievable). I was more determined to serve my country in my own little way. Politics isn’t rocket science people but economics is.
A lot of mistakes during elections are due to illiteracy and that is not a problem unless the fate of a whole country depends on it. Looking up political terms you do not understand will help improve your political awareness, term like gerrymandering, franchise, politics, voting and so on. Note that this is for people who haven’t had basic education or those who just don’t understand it. There is nothing shameful in this. Take your time, but not too much time though.
In conclusion, I hope you enjoyed my blog about 4 books to read before you vote. The Nigerian politics system is an active one, and I know how important it is for you to make an informed decision on who you are voting for. This blog post is here to help you identify books that will help you gain a better understanding of the Nigerian politics system. And most importantly GET YOUR PVC!
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