Click-click-click-click-click-click-click-click-click is the loud, weird, grinding vroom reviving up the engine as the in-coming class captain turns on the ignition key of Nigeria’s bus, in readiness for his May 29 voyage. Another voyage, another time, different driver, same old bus.

By any reckoning, this May 29 is different: eight years ago, on May 29, 2015, there were massive expectations and excitements in the air, a Cathedral -size hope inspired by the 63-point agenda of the outgoing captain. Many Nigerians are now feeling conned that politicians took them to cloud 9 by an airborne parachute and dropped them in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean where everyone is struggling to swim out without a life jacket.

This May is carrying multiple pregnancies: anxiety and uncertainty, hunger and anger, probabilities and possibilities. Most citizens have lost hope, only a few have synthetic hope in the capacity of the political elites to walk their talks. Whenever you see the military repeatedly issuing warnings and threatening to deal decisively with some faceless enemies, rest assured: all is not well. This is a dangerous junction for any country to find itself at a time when the world, too, is going through The Great Reset. However, in 1861, America looked exactly the way Nigeria of 2023 looks. On the eve of Abraham Lincoln’s inauguration as America’s 16th President on 4th March. 1861, America was on the brink just as Nigeria is today. There were no visible signs Abraham Lincoln could seize the moment. As Nigeria’s 16th president gets sworn- in on May 29, 2023, will Nigeria’s unpromising start begets a promising future? A deeper interrogation of the presidential elections of February 25th revealed an unusual voter apathy with only a 20% turnout. Turkey's May 14th, 2023 Presidential election recorded 86% voter turnout. Meanwhile, in a democracy, there is strength in number- forming a quorum strengthens legitimacy, which begets confidence and confidence begets peak performance.