18 January 2011 By Hamisu Gumel For a good decade now, democracy
has been for sale in Nigeria.
It has been for sale as development, as freedom, as
political liberty and as human rights, but never has
it been proffered as insecurity, dictatorship,
human
rights abuse, impunity, political
rascality and failure of leadership. We have been
inundated and rattled by glittering superlatives on
democracy to the extent that if some one would suggest
an alternative system of life and governance, swift
condemnation and denunciations would rain on such
person describing him as primitive and undemocratic.
Indeed democracy, as a term, has become an imposed
deity to be liturgically worshipped by all. But in truth and essence, what
benefit can we say this democracy (the way we are made
to see it in Nigeria) brought to the general populace,
especially the poor Nigerian masses vis-à-vis it's
much touted benevolence? We have been promised
dividends of democratic rule by the rulers, but, like
a mirage, we have seen nothing to that effect save
insecurity, poverty, closure of schools, absence of
infrastructure and mass killings, abuse of citizens'
rights by the security operatives and, recently, a
spate of bomb blasts across the country. With the recent explosion of
bombs in some places across the country, including the
Federal Capital Territory, the writing is now boldly
on the wall that Nigeria is making a descent into an
anarchic situation, a failed state. In other words,
this is a clear sign of breakdown of law and order in
the country where now governments at all levels failed
to carry out the basic function of protection of the
lives and property of the citizenry. And, the most
worrying thing is that the government is not showing
serious concern about this dangerous situation of
absence of security in the country where poor,
defenceless citizens lost their lives on almost daily
basis as a result of one form of violence or another,
beyond the issuance of condemnatory statements. This,
also, is an obvious indication of the government's
lack of respect or regard for the lives of her
citizens. We are saddled, in this country,
with irresponsible leaders and politicians that in the
face of dangerous situation the nation is in, they
carry on with their usual manner and ways of doing
things for the satisfaction of their selfish interest.
Yet we are supposed to be operating a democratic
system, a system which is adjudged the world over to
be the best system of governance that offers people
freedom and prosperity. Today, everything in this
country has changed to the worst, as political
marauders and buccaneers take charge of our affairs
exhibiting highest degree of irresponsibility. Their
ultimate aim is attaining power for the sake of it and
nothing more. Now as the 2011 general elections are
around the corner, you see them busy planning for what
each one of them could be able to grab of the juicy
leadership positions while the country boils and is
heading toward a precipice. They are bent on grabbing
power and spare no effort employing all forms of
dastardly scheming through whatever means available to
them (including violence and election rigging) to see
to the realization of their aims. And we still call
this democracy! It is unfortunate that the
current Nigerian government is still running about
singing democratic
principles and rule of law. From 1999
when this set of civilian rule was ushered in to this
day, the level of poverty in the country has plummeted
to a highest decimal point thereby further pauperizing
the citizenry and jeopardising our existence. Thanks
to our civilian rulers who hide behind the toga of
democracy and rule of law and perpetrate the highest
crimes against the nation while at the same
time coming around to proclaim the virtues of
democracy and civil rule and condemning the military.
But are the military men now not better than them? At
least, the military, despite its suppressive nature,
did not perpetrate such kind of corruption and
thievery and the security situation wasn't as pathetic
as the present. Deception has been the habit of the
supposedly elected leaders. And, perhaps, it is this
habit of theirs that emboldened criminal groups in the
country, who are currently holding the nation to
ransom, to have their field day at our collective
expense. Yes, this is the feature of our
shallow brand of democracy sanctioned and celebrated
by our brand of leaders. They never stop promising us
juicy dividends of democracy, and every while the
citizens looked with new hope. But that hope always
withered and washed away like sand on the rock blown
away by the wind, as the promise turned to be a
gigantic tomfoolery. They promised us security of
lives and properties. But what we see is an
unprecedented rise in armed-robbery and kidnappings
among the major insecurity situations in the country.
As the armed
robbery, kidnappings- for-ransom and
bomb explosions take their terrible tolls on our dear
nation, our security operatives continue to stroll
around in their newly-acquired armoured vehicles in an
apparent display of power. Instead of hunting down the
criminals, they end up killing and harassing the
innocent citizens. We have been promised
development. But what development have we seen than
the development and flourishing of corruption and
impunity in the corridors of power. The much-coveted
mantra of rule of law is now a historical relic.
Multiple examples abound: the case of former corrupt
governors now straddling the corridors of power with a
ridiculous hilarity; the James
Ibori shielding scandal; the Siemens and
Halliburton cases e.t.c. – they are all swept under
the carpet and forgotten. And the culprits are still
there roaming the corridors of power with utmost
impunity and a sense of arrogance. They promised us political
freedom and choice. But when last did we have a free
and fair election where our votes (not their selfish
choices) really counted? In place of elections, it is
now a selection process. A democracy without
peoples'mandate! "We have made our selections for you,
so just follow," they seemed to be saying rather
ridiculously. Therefore, since this system of
civilian rascality we pretend to be calling democracy
has failed to deliver us to the promised land, and in
fact, is the very bane of ours, why then can't we
reject it and adopt the way to our total salvation and
emancipation? How can we continue to delude ourselves
with the outdated thinking of "democracy is the only
option" or "it is our own on the saddle, so lets
support him," following a cabal of elite who don't
mean good to us as they continue to milk the country
dry to the chagrin of all of us? A government that
fear the anger of foreign countries more than sparing
the lives of its citizens is not a
responsible government. A country that
continues to pauperize her citizens and celebrating
the corrupt and criminals is far from being
democratized. It is now for us to unite on a
collective stance to save our collective destiny from
being ruined by unpatriotic elements. We must shade
our minds of that blind followership mentality and
make sure no ruler whose hands are wet with the blood
of innocent people or the one who wasted our resources
and years without anything to drive home with, return
to power in 2011 as a start. This we shall do by
standing up to our rights and protecting our votes. Comments 💬 التعليقات |