It is no news that the
gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Party in Kogi State, Abubakar
Audu is dead. It is such amazing to hear that he passed on shortly after the
election was declared inconclusive on November 22, 2015. May the Lord grant his
family the fortitude to bear the loss. However, this should be the beginning of
better health consciousness as medical sciences had advanced greatly.
Many people pay little attention
to their health because of their various pursuits. This is the basis of varying
health challenges that leads to early death, unfortunately, some of these illnesses
start early in life. There are a lot of habits that are cardinal to ill-health
in our days, elitist habits that leads to elitist diseases and this therefore
ruins successful families in few months.
When people are pursuing a
certain goal; the drive to attain that height would not allow them to consult
their physician neither would they stick to their routine if there was one
prior to that time. There is a delicate need to balance our drive and our
health.
Also, there are many hidden
illnesses that the body accommodates and it might not be obvious to the eyes
till the body finally gives in. Recently, there has been sudden rise in the
cases of hypertension and diabetics among people in their thirties because the
level of stress that they face in cosmopolitan cities such as Lagos, Abuja,
Port Harcourt especially.
Another challenge about people’s health
includes the unavailability or sparse availability of right diagnostic medical
equipment. This makes people travel from one vicinity to another to get
diagnosed of what their ailments they have or to see a specialist doctor. There
is a need to revamp the medical system of our country as a whole so as to stem
the tide of medical tourism.
People who thirst for political
power and material power but have health challenges should be interested in
managing their health if they intend to live longer. There are many ailing
people who assume that their health is secondary after power is acquired.
Ironically, it takes good health to enjoy a political office and make the best
of amassed wealth.
There are two methods that should
be adopted; there should be a health screening for people who want to go into
political offices. When the health status is ascertained; then they can contest
or occupy positions. People should not hold offices that their health cannot
stand. It was once honourable to a Kingmaker, Godfather or mentor to people but
now, everyone wants to take up the position themselves.
Equally, there should be a
retirement age for political office holders. The country cannot keep parading
frail people as the ones who would hold political offices. In the 2000s, we
have had a lot of people who had died in the course of ‘state-service’ which is
usually for personal aggrandizement. This frequency of deaths has shown that
the new generation is not being prepared for the future of this nation.
Currently, in our nation, we have
these categories of political office holders; the retirees, the children of
political parents, ‘second-comers’, the ‘anointed by the godfathers’ etc and
hardly would you find a fresh-entrant who is not constrained to a corner of the
political hierarchy, for those who want to challenge the status quo, they have
all been eliminated.
Death is imminent for every
mortal but our pursuit can be deadly when we ‘underrate’ our health. Our health
is the bridge to long life and great attainment. Equally, it can be the gateway
to early death and unfulfilled dreams. People who aspire for any position needs
proper evaluations before putting their feet forward for these offices.
Olutayo IRANTIOLA
23 Nov 2015.