The secret of life," says Marcel France, "is this: When you hear the sound of the cannons, walk toward them."  The 2019 presidential race in Nigeria has begun. 

Needless to say, we are all sick of the leadership of Nigeria. Every four years we keep electing cowards, weaklings, morons, and empty-headed candidates who are bankrupt in ideas and thoughts, who can neither dream dreams nor see the vision. We keep on recycling used and badly expended candidates whose shelf life had expired even before they assumed office. 

The times are changing. Global youth leadership warming has warmed up our political climate. The youths presidential candidates for the forthcoming election are as diverse in political beliefs, thoughts,  outlook, philosophy, and vision as Nigeria. Though we've not seen or interacted with all of them, the ones we have seen and met, and the delicious rumor we heard of the ones still in the closet, confirm that the political sunset of the old, barbaric, recycled profiteers of the miseries of our people has come.
One thing is settled: We all yearn for a New Nigeria in 2019 led by a courageous president. Courage in a leader is a virtue admired by the people. All races and cultures at one time or the other have had courageous leaders. These courageous leaders have survived overtime to become heroes of subsequent generations. 

Omoyele SoworeSahara Reporters MediaThe president for 2019 must have physical courage as well as moral courage. Physical courage involves fear or risk of bodily injury or death. When an individual is compelled to do what he or she believes is right, despite fear of the consequences is called moral courage. Moral courage is the social courage and political courage displayed by Rosa Parks, Gandhi, Awolowo, Gani Fawehinmi, Mandela, Patrice Lumumba, Martin Luther King Jr., Thomas Sankara, Tai Solarin, Tunde Bakare, Femi Falana, Bishop Okogie, and the likes.

Aristotle believed that individual develops courage by doing courageous acts. Meaning individuals become courageous by being courageous. Omoyele Sowore, from his days as a student activist, community organizer, to being the publisher of the influential and authoritative online portal distilled and bottled as SaharaReporters, Sowore has seen it all: been there, done that. 

Sowore is courage personified. Unlike other armchair critics and bedroom Napoleons, no one of his generation like Sowore has given so much, even at the risk of his own life. He has been consistent, constant, dogged, resolute, loud, unfettered, and in the forefront of a political and social revolution to reshape, recast, and remake Nigeria. 

As he maps out his political global positioning system in the muddle, murky, and mysterious Nigerian politics, there's no shortcut for Sowore. So, run toward those cannons!

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