2027 Election and the Metaphor Called Davido

By Dr jalarth Uche Opara

I have said this several times: the kind of leadership we have been getting in Nigeria is, to a large extent, a reflection of our collective attitude towards elections.

The masses’ compromise has been one of the greatest Achilles’ heels of our democracy. We have repeatedly tolerated leaders whose visions and missions are not genuinely driven by the interests of the people.
The people have remained largely aloof, leaving active politics, electoral participation and the protection of their votes to those whose primary interest is to massage their own selfish ambitions.

But no political force is more powerful than a well-coordinated, determined and politically conscious mass of people who are willing to sacrifice for what they believe in. No institution is more powerful than an intentional and deliberate people who are determined to demand good governance.

This brings me to what I call the Davido metaphor.
The victory of Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, in my estimation, was 30 percent his performance, 10 percent family connections and perhaps 60 percent the Davido metaphor. Remove the Davido factor, and he may have struggled much more to win or perhaps even lost by a narrow margin. Was there a Tinubu factor in the victory? For me, it was largely imperceptible.

From the controversies surrounding EFCC actions and the freezing of accounts, to the massive mobilisation of APC governors and political heavyweights to Osun to campaign against him, and the violence that reportedly claimed lives, the political machinery appeared determined to wrestle power from him.

Yet, somehow, the Davido metaphor stood in the breach. What do I mean by the Davido metaphor?
It is the metaphor of a citizen who refuses to remain silent in the face of perceived injustice.

It is the courage to speak when silence is more convenient. It is the willingness to deploy one’s time, talent, influence and resources in defence of a cause. It is the deliberate and calculated strategy of saying: if we perish, we perish but we will not surrender without a fight.

Davido, therefore, is not merely a musician in this context. He represents a phenomenon. He represents the power of influence converted into civic engagement. That is the lesson Nigerians must learn before 2027.

Imagine having ten Davidos in every senatorial district not necessarily ten musicians, celebrities or billionaires, but ten citizens with influence, courage, resources and conviction, willing to organise people and defend democracy.

Imagine these citizens mobilising communities against vote buying.
Imagine them standing against electoral violence.
Imagine them educating voters about their rights.
Imagine them monitoring polling units, documenting irregularities and demanding accountability. Imagine them using their platforms to expose intimidation and corruption rather than negotiating with them. Imagine thousands of ordinary Nigerians deciding that their votes are not commodities to be exchanged for a bag of rice, a few thousand naira or temporary political patronage.

That is the real Davido metaphor. It is not about personality worship. It is about citizenship with courage. Nigeria does not lack people with ideas. We do not lack intelligent people. We do not lack professionals, intellectuals, activists, religious leaders, entertainers, business people or young Nigerians with enormous influence.
What we lack is a sufficiently coordinated critical mass willing to convert influence into civic action.

The 2027 election should therefore not merely be about who wins the presidency, governorships or legislative seats.
It should be about who owns the election.

The political class has perfected the art of mobilising the masses during elections and abandoning them afterwards. Perhaps it is time for the masses to perfect the art of mobilising themselves before, during and after elections.

Because democracy does not end at the ballot box.
It begins there.
The question for 2027 is not simply:Who will win?
The more important question is:Will Nigerians finally rise to protect what they vote for?
If we can produce a Davido metaphor in every senatorial district, every local government and every polling unit citizens who will speak, organise, sacrifice and stand against electoral manipulation then perhaps Nigeria will begin to understand the enormous power that resides in its people.

The greatest political party in Nigeria may not be APC, PDP, LP NDC or ADC.
It may simply be the organised Nigerian people. And when the people finally understand their power, politics will no longer be something done to them.
It will become something they do for themselves.
The power the masses poseses is so enamous if well coordinated,no tsunamic power of selfish and corrupt politicians would weaken .

Jarlath Uche Opara
jarlathuche@gmail.com