Kwam 1 Presents Daughter to Lagos Deputy Governor Over Assembly Ambition, and Honestly, Nigerian Politics Has Never Been This Family-Friendly

Good news: a young person wants to serve. Bad news: the introduction came before the manifesto.

One is to join a party, knock on doors and kiss many babies. The other is to have a father walk into a room, smile, and say, “I would like you to meet my daughter.” Guess which one is faster. According to reports, Kwam 1, the famous Fuji musician, has presented his daughter to the Lagos Deputy Governor over her ambition to join the State Assembly.

Let us be fair: presenting someone is a very African tradition. We present brides, we present visitors, we present our children to relatives who have forgotten their names. So presenting a political aspirant is just a short step from presenting a plate of pounded yam. The only difference is that this one comes with a campaign poster.

Take Bisi, an aspirant I invented but whom you definitely know. Bisi has spent two years attending ward meetings, carrying plastic chairs and clapping at speeches that began with “Distinguished ladies and gentlemen” and ended with “In conclusion.” She has a manifesto, a good plan and a pen that works. Last week, someone asked her, “Who is your father?” She said, “A trader.” The man nodded politely and left to find a better question.

Supporters of the move will say there is nothing wrong with a young person aiming for public office, and they are right. Competence should matter, and many children of well-known people are capable. Critics will say that politics here has a habit of passing like a family heirloom, from one hand to another, with a nice speech at the handover. Both are correct, but only one of them has a chair reserved at the front.

Meanwhile, let us admire the diplomacy. A courtesy visit in Nigeria is a work of art. There is the arrival, the greeting, the long pause, the photograph, the “we are family,” and the statement that everyone leaves feeling hopeful. Nobody says what they mean, but everyone understands. It is the most efficient communication system in the world.

And let us not forget the party faithful, who watch these visits from the back, nodding as though they were consulted. They will, of course, be expected to attend the rally, shout the slogan and later ask why the roads are still bad.

The true test, as always, is the ballot. Voters can be fond of a famous name, but they also remember potholes, light and school fees. A surname can open a door; only work can keep it open.

Anyway, we wish her well. May the campaign be clean, may the speech be short, and may every introduction be followed by a plan.