Nigeria returned to democratic rule after long years of military rule on May 29th, 1999.
It is amazing to note that Nigerians have enjoyed almost 20 years of uninterrupted democratic experience. However, Nigerians are still being faced with tough economic problems. This list of economic problems include the seemingly unending legislative-executive feuds, widespread insecurity, massive corruption in the system, god-fatherism, and fighting political opponents with instruments and apparatus of government. There are also ethnic/tribal fights caused by the leaders, deplorable infrastructure and most recently, widespread agitations and killings across the country.
It is worrisome that these challenges have become the norm in our democracy at a time when we should have outgrown them and be thinking ahead for much more developmental trends; instead, we are still talking about how to solve these problems.
Countries like Singapore, Malaysia, and even smaller African countries like Ghana, Senegal and Rwanda that were hitherto behind or at par with us have left us behind and we seem to be racing against time to catch up.
Ours is a country with no respect for human life. Human life has become nothing of value and nobody is comfortable with governance anymore, except those benefiting from the system. And these, to a large extent, are the indices of a failing democracy.
As we celebrate democracy, there is a need for sober reflection on the many challenges facing us as a country. And how to start proffering solutions to them should be our focus going forward. It is a collective responsibility.
Although 19 years may be a small fraction in the life of a country, it is still enough for us to have fixed all the above mentioned problems if really we are a serious country. All that is needed is simply to put our act together by putting round pegs in round holes.
Those who fought and also sacrificed for this country to attain its democracy suddenly fizzled out thereby leaving the saddle to the self-centred, greedy politicians who do not know what democracy is all about. The result is what we are getting today.
It is puzzling to note that at this stage of the nation’s life, the country is still battling to fix electricity, unemployment, infrastructure, healthcare, education and even youth empowerment.
As widely affirmed, democracy may not give us all that we want but it is the best alternative as it is the only system that guarantees very viable options for any serious country to attain its potential. Only if the right structure and institutions are put in place.
It bears noting that for Nigeria to start getting impactful results in this democracy, we need to start looking at the system and structure that throw up our leaders. A system where leaders are been forced on the people, a system where there is total lack of a level playing field to attract quality and competent individuals in the polity will only throw up mediocrities and the result is all evident today. The structure that throws up our political leaders really needs to be critically re-examined and restructured because that is the only way candidates who will serve the people will emerge without let or hindrance from unseen forces.
Interestingly, President Muhammadu Buhari, in his Democracy Day speech, promised to sign the Not-Too-Young-To Run Bill. This bill, when signed, will extend leadership opportunities to the youths and also throw them up in the decision-making process of the country. The youths really need to reinvent themselves, especially as the electioneering beckons so as to take their country back from greedy politicians who have held it hostage.