By Edozie Okeiyi

As the greatest football fiesta, the world cup, came to an end recently, some important lessons can be drawn from Brazil, which if well digested, can strengthen our democratic experience. Of more than 30 participating Countries, only one eventually emerged winner. I have made an analogy between the recently concluded world cup in Brazil and the forthcoming 2015 elections. The following lessons can be drawn:

The first lesson that can be drawn is the importance of long term preparations. The German team which eventually won the Trophy started rebuilding in the early 2000s when German football came to all time low. In 2002 World Cup Germany crashed out after losing to Brazil in the finals. Germany went back to the drawing board and today they are world Champions. Similarly a political party involved in long term planning and preparations would have a competitive advantage over others. Fire brigade attitude cannot deliver electoral victory.

Another important lesson from Brazil is the importance of continuity and stability in a system. The victorious German Coach Low Joachim joined the German team in 2004 as assistant Coach to Klinsman. When Klinsman left in 2006 Joachim took over as head Coach. He continued the rebuilding process from where klinsman stopped. He took Germany to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa where Germany did fairly well and lost to eventual winners Spain in the Semi finals.

Low Joachim continued in his job after the World Cup and today the investment in time and patience has paid off. Teams that have been changing Managers frequently only had themselves to blame when they failed woefully in the Competitition. In the same vein continuity and stability is needed in our political system in order to lay a solid foundation for sustained progress. Therefore we need to exercise patience in the ongoing developmental efforts in Nigeria in order to nurture them to full potentials.

Another important lesson from Brazil is the need for the spirit of sportsmanship. All the participants competed for the one prize and only one team won it. At the end of the day all participants are joint winners because participation itself is an honour. Again tomorrow might be the turn of another team to win. In the same vein politics is not a zero sum game. It is not a winner takes all game.

If all the actors display maturity then they are all winners. The maturity of Dr Kayode Fayemi in conceding victory and congratulating his opponent in the last Ekiti Polls is commendable. Dr Fayemi deserves a gold medal and a national honour for his highly dignified conduct. We need more of Fayemis who can accept defeat in good faith without the usual acrimonies.

Finally another important lesson from Brazil is that teams built on the wizardry of one key player is doomed to fail and cannot stand the test of time. A typical example include the football teams of Brazil and Argentina. The Brazilian team lacked spark from day one but the individual artistry of Neymar saved them game after game. But unfortunately Neymar was injured in the game against Colombia. Without Neymar Germany thrashed Brazil 7:1 on home soil, the worse defeat in 100 years.

Similarly the Argentine team anchored on the Shoulders of one man, Messi. He carried them as far as he could but failed to deliver when it mattered most, in the finals. Compare this to the German team. The German team was a compact team. Every player contributed equally to the success of the team and there was no MESSI or NEYMAR yet they won. Collective responsibility would ultimately prevail over individual wizardry. I will liken the PDP to the German team and APC to Brazil or Argentina. The greatest problem facing the APC is that it is built on the shoulders of one powerful man who is a political heavy weight. But how far can an individual carry a party? What if he is indisposed by reason of sickness or death?

Like we saw in the World Cup, Messi could not singlehandedly deliver the Cup to Argentina.If APC is to be taken seriously by Nigerians, it has to rise above this one man band posture and make conscious efforts to make APC a party for everyone. Nigerians would love a party that is built on our national pillars without too much attachments to one man. At the moment if the godfather catches cold APC sneezes.

This is a shaky foundation that cannot stand the test of time nor deliver electoral success. PDP on the other hand , just like the German team, has remained successful in Nigeria because of the national and collective umbrella it has maintained. Although it has its own problems, but it cannot be said to belong to one man or be described as a one man riot squad.

If President Jonathan wins the 2015 Presidential election, as widely predicted, it wouldn’t be because he is the only person eligible to be President, rather it would largely be because there is no credible alternative. Nigerians would love to have a robust debate before the elections. Nigerians want a healthy contest. At the moment the opposition is inadvertently helping Mr. Jonathan to win. Nigerians want a credible opposition against the PDP, not a poorer version of it as an alternative.

God bless Nigeria…

Edozie Okeiyi

Director of Media and Strategy

Great Nigeria Movement