I wrote this article late and that was because I had to wait to see if President Bola Tinubu had something new off his sleeves given the hype that preceded this year’s celebration of Democracy Day on June 12.
In the end except for the president going to the National Assembly to give a State of the Nation address and awarding national honours to Nigerians who in truth gave so much that our country would be steadied on the path of democratic governance, perhaps one may add keeping the military off an an event that in the first place ought to be purely a civil affairs the rest was routine. We saw the president giving a lengthy speech harping on his vision, policy outlays, hiccups, expected or anticipated gains, nothing was very significant
The premise for everything that happened confirmed the position that we don›t give enough thought to whatever we want to do in the country. The choice of June 12 as Democracy Day is wrong. President Muhammadu Buhari’s government gave us that not because it was right but for the reason he needed to improve his legitimacy bank.
IF it were to be about entrenching a political landmark June 12 by any stretch of imagination could not have been the country›s day for immortalization of the practice of democracy. The circumstances surrounding the date aren›t tidy, they bring no credit to our memory of good and effective reasoning neither is it associated with excellent political brinkmanship. It was about amateur political display by a few military narcissists who did not have full grasp of what governance is all about and yet had the misguided effrontery to shoot their way to the commanding heights of power in the country›s history. The date is symbolic of treason and ought to be treated as such. The right thing should have been that the overthrow of civil governance remains a crime even when the coupists succeed, whenever their tenures end they should be rounded up and made to face trial.
Everyone is afraid so the line of thought appears out of order. The best we would have done with June 12 is approve it as MKO Abiola Day. Some of us have chosen to overlook his very costly mistakes so we could accept he made personal sacrifices enough to push further the democratic frontiers from what it was before his unfortunate death in detention. He deserves the honour.
Now I have heard analysts talk as if our country›s romance with democracy began 26 years ago. Some of us asked what progress we have made in terms of growing democratic pillars in the country easily without sparing a thought to properly evaluate things but point to «uninterrupted practice» of democracy for 26 years as big achievement. A few add «peaceful handover of power from one government to another» in the said period as huge success worth celebrating .
What has held us down and brought the country down is leaving substance to celebrate shadows. It is true countries like individuals do grow on the ladder of perfection but it is equally very true that where experience and historical lessons abound, the journey to perfection ought to be faster. It must be said that our country›s movement towards the ideal has been abysmal to say the very least.
On and about democratic practice, it has been like we took a concept that is totally antithetical to our culture and peculiar experiences. One of my friends said at a public forum last week: «Who said we must take everything foreign and have it implemented hook, line and sinker, we took the American version of democracy and implemented it fully, are we Americans?»
He said we ought to have sat down to look at democracy in the light of our peculiar experiences and from there fashion out democratic principles and practices suitable to our make up and needs. He elaborated further, it is possible we would have a college of presidents representing different zones rather than one very strong one with so much powers. The regional governments built on the recognized six zones would have made power contestation for the centre far lesser than what it is currently.
Regarding our elections, we ought to have come out with cultivations and processes that would have made our elections a non-issue but today contesting elections in the country is akin to one going to war. Public office has become a pathway to undeserved honour and personal aggrandizement.
Our experience has been the case of democracy without democrats. We have enough laws and over the years have tried to beef up the legal provisions for electoral contests yet each successive poll has turned out worse than the one preceding it. Rules are subverted by new antics introduced by men who harbour deviancy in their veins.
After 26 years of democratic practice the political culture doesn›t in any manner inspire joy. Rascality and bad behavior have become the norm. Many citizens talk of introducing technology that took time to pull through the National Assembly and even after whatever gains that were made were taken away by a decision of the Supreme Court sitting as election tribunal for the presidential election which said the power to choose the method for the conduct of polls rests with the electoral umpire.
Yet credible polls hinged on the sanctity of people›s vote remain at the root of true democracy. Some of us are of the view that most challenges of the country wouldn’t be if we had a credible electoral process in place. And the question is: What is so difficult about having a sanitized electoral process in place? Is that rocket science also?
Rule of law, separation of powers, protection of citizens rights, transparency and accountability are crucial components of good democracy. Do we see that fair and impartial legal system matter the most especially at the commanding heights of justice dispensation? Should courts replace the electoral umpire in announcing election winners?
On separation of powers, are we happy with what has become the state Houses of Assembly and the National Assembly? We have heard a former governor say: “ I bought all the forms for all the members of my state House of Assembly, they are under my control”. Is this trend healthy?
Presidents and governors get to office and begin to implement programmes the people never took part to produce. Every government across the three tiers are doing roads and clapping.
Yes, oads and payment of salary are great but are they the real factors that can move a backward society from Third World to First World country?
The plain truth is that Nigeria harbours the largest concentration of black people anywhere in the world. This nation was given by God for the glory of the entire black race. Until our country develops properly, the dignity of the black man will remain in jeopardy.
What is to be done? Very simple, there is need for a new resolve to live as one and to fashion out a vision for the country. When there is no vision everything and everywhere looks like it. Without vision people perish. We have seen enough of this already. It is ironic some leaders still pursue primordial desires in a world that has since grown very sophisticated. This is destabilizing. There is need to relegate ethno-religious sentiments and embrace fully challenges of the 21th century. The human element must be cultivated. A constitutional review done by way of generally accepted national conference is imperative.