NIGERIAN DEMOCRACRY AT 15: By Umo-Udofia AmanamHillary As we celebrate today though not with much ado and fanfare but sober reflections on the many challenges facing our democracy. That does not invalidate that our democracy is 15 today. In 15years of uninterrupted democracy, weve not fared so well but weve made significant progress that can be consolidated upon. One thing remains a surprise - barely after 15years, Nigeria certainly cannot boost of practicing pure democracy in principle due to prevalent anti-democratic tendencies. Perhaps my government teacher in secondary school was wrong when he defined democracy as government of the people; for the people; by the people and with the people. In my country democracy is government of the few; for the few; by the few and with the few - or better refer to it as cabalcracy. The problem however is not just about bad leadership, but also perhaps most importantly, about bad, lazy, cowardly, lethargic followership across the nation. At the moment, the nation is held hostage by a small section of its youths who have made an enemy of almost every citizen in the name of religion. The have been on rampage killing innocent poor villagers, looting and burning their houses. From over 200 school girls abducted in Chibok which has attracted worldwide campaign to #BringBackOurGirls and the different bomb blasts in Nyanya, near Nigerias seat of power Abuja, in Kano, and Jos shows the length to which they are ready to go. They have perpetrated their ugly activities mostly in places where mixed-multitude of Nigerians are gathered in large numbers, leaving most critical minds to wonder who actually their enemies are, what actually they are fighting for, and how they hope to get it by killing innocent Nigerians most of whom have never seen Aso Rock Villa in their entire lives. The fact that the Boko Haram activities in the North Eastern part of Nigeria is the nations biggest challenge at the moment, also that, they are made up of young people (youths) who should be waxing their youthful muscles and putting their agile minds to work in building a better nation are the ones causing the chaos in the nation is mind blowing and quit confusing. More mind blowing is that, those who are supposed to be major participants in building the nation are now the ones tearing it down. Perhaps #GiveOurYouthsJob campaign must start. In science, when a particular phenomenon is not understood. The first step to unveiling it is forming a hypothesis, after which comes the experiment proper. Nigeria is in a tight corner right now, even as she celebrates 14 years of democratic rule. There is need to revisit the Nigerian hypothesis and see if the result of our national experiment is the expected outcome. This Democratic rule is one of the experiments Nigeria is undergoing and so far it has lasted for more than a decade. Nigerians are indeed happy that the gun barrels where returned to the arsenals for such a long time, even though the ones that stare at us at the moment shows no mercy. #Unemployment As a matter of personal opinion, Boko haram is an outcome or sum total result of the policy of abandonment and intentional neglect perpetuated by the entire nation, not excluding anyone. A policy that says the bus drivers, garri seller, Okada riders, carpenter, subsistent farmer’s son or daughter should go find something else to do, because, at the moment most public universities are becoming too expensive for them to afford while the private ones are a dream they must not dream. Considering our experience under military rule, every young Nigerian, even if not born then, who have read in books or heard the story will be expected to carry the mind-set or/even practically work towards keeping the guns far away from the street. But it baffles all well-meaning Nigerians to see the same youths on the streets carrying not just guns but explosives meant to terminate the lives of fellow compatriots. What pushed them into these heinous acts? - someone will ask. Well, I will rather ask what would have stopped them?. Did the society educate them to have value for human life? Were they given the proper orientation of seeing themselves as being first Nigerians before narrowing down to religion, ethnicity or any other bias that may arise? Did the schools they attended if ever they were privileged to attend any, inform their mind from the cradle of the indivisibility of Nigeria? An average American child believes America is God’s own country. That America does not negotiate with terrorists. I cannot remember my teachers, or most of my lecturers telling me anything good about Nigeria - the academic world where intellects should discuss Nigeria in the light of national development are carried away by parochial bigotry. The human mind carries a garbage in, garbage out system, my elementary science teacher told us, which means, if nothing is put in nothing will be found. This goes further to support the popular saying that an idle mind is the devils workshop. This cannot be less true under the situation. So many Nigerians will be fast to blame the President and the government but never themselves. Lets take a minute and consider issues from logical, rational, coherent, and common sense point of view. Who is to blame for the national palava we have found ourselves as a nation? For how long shall we be treated as beggers in our fatherland? Well, if am asked how long, I will say till a time when Nigerians will stand-up to their rights. I make bold to say that our elders have failed us. (I mean the Local Government Chairperson, the state governor, the directors in the ministries, the teacher, the lecturer, senior officers in the armed forces, the senators and every other Nigerian that is above 50 years of age. We have begged to live. As at various point we have witnessed governments use various agencies to trample on our rights and treat us like animals. If other of such incidents are in the far past, the NIS recruitment exercise by the Ministry of Interior is still fresh in our minds. Prominent among these agents of tyranny is the Nigerian Police Force who is known to maltreat the youths of this country at any given chance. We also beg to be educated and equipped for a future they say we are the leaders of. We have not forgotten ASUU went on strike and universities remain closed down for more than half a year due to the greed and insensitivity on both the side of the government and the lecturers. Are both parties not made up of our parents? I cannot forget to mention that Polytechnics are still on strike nationwide. I can go on and on, but that is not the core of our discourse. The attempt I am trying to make without being ambiguous is to ask one simple question. When will the Nigerian society and the Nigerian government stop playing lip service to issues that concern the youths? To say I am in support of the insurgents is to brand me inhuman and insane. For the records, I have never been in support and will never be in support of such inhumanity. But until the Nigerian society is able to take the issue of human development of it youths seriously, we will continue to have hob-nob with issues like this. It began with OPC, MASSOB, MEND and others in the South, now we have Boko Haram in the North East. Who knows where will be next. In the words of our dear President, Ebele Goodluck Jonathan on the occasion of the countrys 100 years of existence, he said: Finally, Dear Compatriots, as we enter a second century in the life of our nation, let us rededicate ourselves to doing more to empower the youth of our country. Our common heritage and future prosperity are best protected and guaranteed by them. We must commit our full energies and resources to empowering them to achieve our collective vision of greatness in this second century of our nationhood. That is the task before our country; that is the cause I have chosen to champion and I believe we will triumph. I do strongly agree with him. But it is not a Presidential problem. After all, the violence does not get to Aso Villa, does it? The Nigerian society must rise up to their duties. Parents must tell their wards that the way to getting up is getting down, getting down to hard work and dignity of labour. How many parents have created the time to teach their wards that Ferrari cars are not bought overnight? The task of national building must be collective and onerous; a task where all Nigerians are stakeholders. While we demand that our leaders take the right decisions and become proactive to the wishes and aspiration of Nigerians, citizens should begin to participate in decision-making processes. We must defeat this mutual suspicion which on the rise daily; we must rise above ethnic, religious and partisan bigotry to work for a united, prosperous and peaceful Nigeria. The challenges are daunting but together WE CAN OVERCOME. Godbless Nigeria. Happy Democracy Day!
Posted on: Thu, 29 May 2014 08:17:40 +0000
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