We owe it to ourselves and future generations to elect good leaders

Happy New Year! At last, we can sigh with relief as we turn over a new page in time. An opportunity to reflect on the challenges occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic has come. It has been a tough time for many globally, a season only comparable in hardship levels to the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic.

Only today do we have arguably better scientific technology and health systems to cushion us from the extremes of a global health pandemic.

Our being here today is testimony to the resilience and determination of our forefathers to self-preserve. Thus, that leaves us with an obligation to put in place and advance systems upon which future generations can build and sail through pandemics.

Sufficient grace

That said, we have lost livelihoods, good health and our loved ones. We owe ourselves sufficient grace as we start the New Year for making it this far.

However, the most crucial thing we can do is take stock of our losses and gather the tough lessons the harsh times have forced us to learn. There's no doubt each of us has a story of our lives, which can help us in making progressive life choices.

Being an election year, we are confronted with a greater collective responsibility to see to it that we elect human-centric leaders. You probably found no drugs or medical staff when you visited a hospital because of poor leadership, and not lack of skill or requisite resources. 

In recent times, our political choices have been driven by clientelism. People bearing mouth-watering political promises offer us quid pro quo, usually in the form of handouts in exchange for our political support.

This leaves us without the power to demand better for ourselves and future generations from elected politicians. We only realise it when we need to meet our pressing financial and health needs.

There will be too much political razzmatazz after today, and I hope we stay afloat amid political noise and make sober choices. Happy and Prosperous 2022.

The writer is a risk and insurance consultant at Half-moon Africa Holdings