BORN OF THE MOMENT: WHY I STEPPED INTO POLITICS - Barr. Ken Kanma

“All the gang of those who rule us, hope our quarrels never stop, helping them to split and fool us, so they can remain on top.” 

- Bertolt Brecht, German playwright -1898 to 1956

Barr. Kenneth Kanma

I didn’t set out to be a politician. I was a lawyer, an advocate for justice, a real estate developer and a citizen who believed in service. But when the moment called, I answered—not for personal gain, but because silence was no longer an option.

In 2023, Nigeria witnessed something extraordinary. Young people—fed up with broken promises and failed systems—rose up. They organized, mobilized, voted, and demanded change. That energy, that fire, pulled me into the political arena. I didn’t come with a manifesto crafted in ambition. I came with conviction, with urgency, and with the weight of expectations from the youth of Delta North and galvanized by the Obidient movement.

The Obidient Movement wasn’t just a political wave; it was a generational awakening. And in that wave, I found my calling—not to lead for power, but to serve with humility simplicity and integrity.

The truth is simple: Nigeria cannot be left to career politicians and self-serving elites. We need leaders who are driven by purpose, not power. Leaders who understand that governance is about people, not positions.

We must build a country where laws protect lives, not privilege. Where health systems work because citizens matter. Where poverty is fought with opportunity, not propaganda. And where leadership is measured by service, not status or opulence. 

As I always maintain , a nation’s worth is not measured in cash, it is measured by how the nation treats its people. If we value lives, our laws will protect them. If we prioritize health, our hospitals will heal and not kill the sick,  as is often the case now in most of our public hospitals, where the norm is to have shoddy healthcare. If we fight poverty with intention, our streets will thrive. But none of this is possible under leadership that sees citizens as statistics, not stakeholders.

To Nigeria’s Youth I say, The Future does not start tomorrow, it starts now. You are not just the leaders of tomorrow—you are the architects of today. Every action you take, every voice you raise, every vote you cast shapes the Nigeria we will all live in. That is why you must remain engaged and not lose focus. The choice of who leads the country is the choice of the quality of live we want to live. The Obidient movement is the rallying point for all Nigerians who desire a much better Nigeria. Join the movement, encourage all well meaning Nigerians to join. We cannot afford to sleep or slumber until the Nigeria of our dream is birthed. 

The ongoing voter registration is not just a civic duty—it’s a declaration of intent. Register as a voter if you have not already done so. Equally important, mobilize others around you to register to vote and and register their  presence with the Obidient movement. 

Yes, our electoral system is flawed. Yes, our institutions are weak. But change doesn’t come from perfection—it comes from participation. We must engage. We must reform. We must reimagine what leadership looks like.

When the time comes you can vote and defend your vote. We must begin to demand accountability and refuse apathy.

Let’s mobilize and tell other youths to formally Join the Obidients movement—not because it’s trendy, but because its heartbeat is a better Nigeria. A Nigeria where your dreams are valid, your voice is heard, and your future is protected. A new Nigeria, the Nigeria of our dreams.

The youths are already  breaking the cycle of complacency, but the grounds covered in the past is not enough to deliver the desired change, so we must learn from the past and engage with greater dedication to the ideals of a new and better Nigeria. We must reject the politics of division and deception and pursue the enthronement of good governance with single minded dedication. 

I stepped into politics because I believe in a Nigeria that works for everyone. To the youths I say again, this Is your moment to work for a Nigeria that works for all Nigerians,  so rise, speak, organize, mobilize  in whatever way you can, wherever you are. Becausep the future doesn’t begin tomorrow—it begins now. 

Let’s build a Nigeria that works for all of us. It is POssible. 

As Brecht a German playwright and poet, once said, 

“All the gang of those who rule us hope our quarrels never stop…” But we must stop quarrelling and start building.

Thank you and God bless. 

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Kanma, lawyer, entrepreneur, and public servant, writes from Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State.