By Ganiu Bamgbose, PhD
Bias is a tendency to prefer one person or thing to another, and to favour that person or thing. You will observe that the definition has two parts; the first being the tendency to prefer someone or something, and the second being to favour that thing or someone. While the first part of the definition is natural as all humans will always have preference, the second part makes you a biased person. If someone is biased, they prefer one person or group of people to another, and behave unfairly as a result. I wish to share in this piece one of the moments I had to choose between protecting my bias and being unbiased.
As a final year student in the university, the president of the Department of English appointed me as the chairman of the electoral committee to conduct the election into the executive and legislative offices of the student body. I had had my preferred person for the office of the president even before I was appointed the chairman of the committee. The young man was the choice of my friends and me.
Perhaps because we were young, I couldn’t really hide my bias for my choice even as the electoral chairman. The other candidate expressed his worry about my ability to conduct a free and fair election and asked that I should be replaced. That was not granted by the president who, at that time, had absolute power to appoint the chairman. That worsened his situation and tightened his chance of ever winning the election. He didn’t have the chairman and of course he had also lost most of the 400 level students who considered his call for my substitution a disrespect. But he had got the form so he would have to go to the field to embrace his failure.
But there was a but. I had my bias but I was determined not to be biased. I wished, wanted and even canvassed in my little way for my preferred candidate, but I had told myself that I would not rig the election. I would announce as winner whoever emerged whether or not it would go in my favour. I was almost sure my preferred candidate would win anyway. He was after all the candidate of us elders.
It however didn’t go as we had thought. The other candidate won. I was displeased. I was unsatisfied. I was with the power to do as I wished but I was not going to be biased. I would not distort the people’s mandate. Grudgingly and unhappily, I announced the winner. Even he could tell that I was unexcited about announcing his victory.
Days went by and the president-elect approached me. He wanted to know how exactly he won the election with all the forces again him and I told him I had my bias but was determined not to be biased. This was 14 years ago but Yemi Martins, the candidate that I didn’t want but that God ordained, still said to me in a chat this week: “That my election time, I no like you one bit. But you changed/ my perception by ensuring the process was fair. That singular act will stick with me forever.”
I dared to be good. I had my bias but I didn’t let it guide me. I feel you too might have these to learn from this story:
1. It is human to have your biases but you must dare not to be biased.
2. You can create a lifetime of positive impression in others by daring to do the right thing.
3. When you dare to do the right thing, you’ll live to enjoy the peace forever. I imagine Yemi Martins’ comments in its opposite. The rest of my week would always get ruined anytime he revisits it.
4. Think of the days ahead when you are in position. If you can’t be checked today, you certainly can be mocked after your reign.
5. My preferred candidate didn’t and doesn’t hold it against me because he knew I dared to be just and fair. No matter how people feel about you today, they would have a positive picture of you sooner or later if your actions are genuine, just and fair.
It is human to have biases; it is humane not to be biased. Would you not rather be unbiased?
Ganiu Bamgbose writes from the Department of English, Lagos State University.
Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose, PhD
Department of English,
Lagos State University, Ojo
[email protected]
