Of the many political jingles which captivated me prior to the 2015 general elections, that of Senator Ben-Murray Bruce stood grandiosely. The creativity in his campaign jingles would inundate anyone to just want to vote this “White Nigerian Man” whose words enkindle hopes and redemption for an already broken Nigeria.

Like many, I never expected Ben to run for the 2015 general elections, until I saw the campaign jingles on his TV platform, The Silverbird Television.

Although, he has been a public figure because of his tremendous achievements in the entertainment industry and the pageant which he took to limelight in Nigeria leading to Agbani Darego winning the Miss World in 2001, and equally served as the DG of NTA between 1999 and 2003 prior to starting the Silverbird television which was a strong element to the growth of the Nigeria entertainment industries, I never envisioned him to join politics.

In furtherance to my unexpectedness of Ben’s political storm, and drove by curiosity, I later found out that he had ran an unsuccessful campaign for the Bayelsa governorship election under the platform of the PDP in 1999. It was indeed long coming for Ben.

After been elected into the upper chamber of the legislative house, Sen. Ben started “The Common Sense Revolution”, a platform used in propagating ideas and visions to the general public, and also a means to inform Nigerians of his role and what he hopes to achieve in the house during his tenure.

It was by far one of the most notable achievements of any serving public servant in this present dispensation, judging by the vast inefficiencies that has characterized the government so far. Although it was received with missed-feelings, it was never lacking in substance and the mission it was invented to achieve.

Many argued that he was being pretentious and had his own platform, the silverbird television, hence it was easy to appear on tv proclaiming ‘RUBBISH’ commonsense. Others argued that he was silent during former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s tenure; a point which I totally agreed on.

Perhaps if GEJ had had a constructive criticism from a brother like Ben, he would have done even more exceedingly well than he tried doing. But then, there is never too late a time to rise in defense of our great country, NIGERIA.

Should we stop eating beans just because it makes us frequent the toilet? Should we crucify Ben for not talking during GEJ’s tenure, when it he is saying now is still relevant to our development.

While many pondered about Sen. Ben-Murray Bruce’s vocality against the government and his unachievable (at least many not within the confines of the government policies), but factual solutions, he took to twitter, and made his vocality more voracious and reachable. While it was easy for Ben to propagate his Commonsense revolution on television without much criticism, the twitter platform was greeted with greater resistance by dogged overloads and zealots of the governments who saw him as a member of the “Wailing Wailers”.

First, it was the overlords and their fans who felt threatened by his active presence on twitter and his growing number of followers.

Second, it was the fact that the social media, particularly twitter, has become the platform where informations are circulated fastest. Third, it was easier to engage more intelligent people on twitter and have a constructive, sometimes, not so constructive, arguments with people. Ben saw this, I took advantage of it.

Ben would pick a pressing Nigerian problem on each of his commonsense section, dissect it and proffer solutions to them, although some of the solutions are unimaginable to achieve, at least, they showed hope. Ben would give us an insight into some government inefficiencies, making us understand why the government should be more responsible in piloting the affairs of our nation.

Ben would beg us to help grow the nation, by #BuyNaijaToGrowTheNaira and would also lead by example. In fact, the social media become Ben’s home, and he was tagged “The Twitter Senator”.

Once there was an issue of national importance, many would call on Ben. In fact, Ben became a senator representing all Nigerians and not just Bayelsa East Senatorial district. A lot Nigerians know Ben, but do not know the senator representing them.

But many did not like that he was growing popular on twitter, with his followers doubling everyday, and just logging in on twitter to read his commonsense tweets. He gets double retweets in 10 minutes and has more participants on his tweets than his “Self acclaimed enemies”. He was a growing influence, and some saw it as a threaten to their own popularity.

Their arguments was that he was a HYPOCRITE, that he spent more time on social media than in the legislative chamber and accused him of not contributing meaningfully in the chamber, that he cannot manage his own business, the Silverbird group, which has stood the test of time and has grown all over Nigeria and even outside the shores of Nigeria, with over a thousand workers.

On a closer look at these accusations, are those who do not know the senators representing their zones, are those whose senators could not engage the people whom they are representing on their contributions in the chamber, and those who thinks they are loosing relevancies because the “Twitter Senator” has taken over. Some of them spend their whole time on twitter spewing vilifying tweets at him, and even posted dubious articles targeted at him.

For Senator Ben-Murray Bruce, I am neither a fan, nor a hater. But one thing is certain in Ben’s approach to governance: For All Nigerians.

If many government officials are as smart as him, and engage people like he does, achieving our collective dream as a nation would just be near. Accusing Ben of Hypocrisy just for speaking the truth or criticizing the government is hypocrisy in its self. Criticizing the government is not an exclusive preserve of some overloads, everyone has the right to, including Ben.

Neither should anyone be called a wailer when they complain about government’s inefficiency. The “wailer” tag is an insult on any Nigerian, and should as a matter of fact be made redundant, hence it wails back come 2019.

If only we could have as many Ben in our legislative chambers, if only our senators could have more presence on social media like they did during the elections, if only our senators could be more objective when it come to national unity and equity; but no, they are all too busy for us, and the social media is only a tool for campaigning.

Since Ben-Murray Bruce have made himself available for us, why not we all just let him be. He may not be all perfect, but let us keep him and pray that other legislatures joins the party; engaging us in the daily affairs of governance as the present administration try to set us on a part of change. A senator engaging us actively on social media is also a CHANGE.

Change has visited us on social media, let’s call other senators to join the social media train as we direct them on the right path to a positive CHANGE in Nigeria.

Here we are again, everyone should relax, and let’s talk commonsense!

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Op–ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija

Opinion article written by Tony Mbawuike