Democracy And Protests – Independent Newspaper Nigeria

One of the interpretations of this oldest Greco-Roman practice called Democracy is that it “is a government of the people, by the people and for the people”. There is no doubt, as free people, any person may and can have his own unique and wildest perception of the term, either in theory or prac­tice.

To Nigerians that have contin­ued to believe in the system – in de­mocracy – representatives are vot­ed as ‘robots’ who read the script as we handed it over to them. At least this is what we ideally believe to be the principle of any sensible democracy, where governments formulate and implement policies according to the will and consent of the people.

I will give you an example because it’s directly connected to what I intend to discuss. The national debate about local gov­ernment autonomy is an embar­rassment as Shekau and any other past terrorist were to Nigeria.

Nigeria as at this year contin­ues to celebrate 63 to 64 years of uninterrupted independent coun­try, and a solid 23 to 24 years of democracy but to say throughout the culmination of the years that Nigeria became independent and democratic, 774 local governments do not have the prerogative to de­cide for themselves a local govern­ment chairman and among other issues decided at every level of government.

As such, the absence of this speaks volumes about Nigeria’s double standard, about democ­ratization, which has remained hidden to international commu­nity and international financial institutions.

Consequences of this fallacy, these local government author­ities have the largest number of workers that are starving and un­derpaid, with poor health system and working environment. In fact, I will challenge anyone to make a list of 100 problems of Nigeria, and see if 88% of those problems will not be in the 774 local govern­ments of Nigeria, with the great­est being insecurity, climaxing to indices beyond imagination.

Back in the beginning of every administration in this country, the campaign promises of most Presidents seem to be the pre­dicament of Nigeria. Nigerians brought them up to rescue this nation, but in first year of it all, you begin to realize that their zeal is not inspired by nationalism and democracy. And for this, you do not have to open your eyes to see or open your ears to hear.

If it is really about democracy and the people, in recent days, we have seen theatres of young and old Nigerians rising up in their clarion voice to reject the repel­lent cases of extravagant spend­ing amid pressing and boiling na­tional issues such as insecurity, hunger and starvation, inflation, high cost of living, unprecedented poverty rate. Yet the government does not listen or take measures to safeguard Nigeria from the tide of what is to come.

All this makes one want to ask questions about what on earth makes leaders in Nigeria that are voted through a peaceful and largely conventional democrat­ic process roll out on dozens of bulletproof Toyota SUVS, heavy military convey and artillery in­timidating and daring Nigerians in a performance of show of force thereby making it impossible for Democracy in Nigeria to create an environment conducive to peace.

Is it now safe to infer that de­mocracy in Africa and particular­ly in Nigeria is so low that ‘rule of law, peace and stability, safety and protection of lives, justice and fairness,’ even among civilian population, are enforced at the na­kedness of barrel of guns while open enemies of the state live in the safety of total crime against Nigeria and Nigerians in forests and mountains.

Consequently, this administra­tion, like the previous one, has brought Nigeria to a period where protest is now the epidemic ram­paging across African countries. What’s happening in the admin­istration of his Excellency Bola Ahmad Tinubu is so heartless that democracy has made Nigeria to be one of the easiest countries to exploit and commit every act of corruption without consequences. Nigerians are so industrious that majority of them do not rely on government to survive, and the few that do are either corrupted or exploited by high and mighty political class.

People make fun of me when I say, the closest people to God are blacks and Nigerians but present­ly God is tired of Nigerians ask­ing for leaders to save them and the result of what is to come from angry and tired Nigerians coming out to protest will be remembered one hundred years to come.

• Yantagwaye writes via aminu­aliyu149@gmail.com (07030751926)