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Democracy Day In Nigeria By Samuel Uwhejevwe-Togbolo EMAIL: mfyai@yahoo.com
May 29, 1999 a day, which mark our transition programme from Military dictatorship to a Civil rule, is a memorable day, a day that is predestine for the betterment of the nation. The day culminated the joy of the helpless citizen, a day that was seen as a day of liberalization, a day that is supposed to end the pains and hardship of a betrothed citizen full of anxiety and expectation. Democracy Day as it is called, most Nigerians see it as a remarkable day that is worthy of note. It is suppose to be a Day of celebration, the day in it self is a day that mark a new beginning in the anals of Nigeria, the giant of African excluding “South Africa” Yes I said so because South Africa is an African Country. Is more purposeful with good leadership quality, it is more industrialized with economic empowerment for its citizens, also their political structure is more effective and advance compare to our country Nigeria. There is less political thuggery and victimization; their social and economic life is an evidence of good living, a product of good governance with a democratic principle bringing out the beauty of democratic government.
Through out the federation, the three tiers of government celebrated what they called “Democracy Day” while to the entire masses there is nothing like Democracy Day in Nigeria for now, is a day to mark their reckless rule and celebration of their success in plugging the citizens into more hardship, suffering and agony. It will surprise us to note that the poor masses did not celebrate after all what is there to celebrate. The Government has no focus and no plans for the timid society; the poor are suffering, living in perpetual state of decay. It will only done on Nigerians if there are opportune to live among these less privileged people in our means.
The writer of this article has been opportune to live with the grass root people. All they (Poor) think about is how to get the next meal to sustain them to the next minute. While some group of person’s are thinking of how to en-mass at the expense of their fellow compatriots; some of them are thinking of buying fleet of cars changing cars as if they are changing clothes; where are we going from here.
Government officials in quote, those that are looting and benefiting from the looters are singing the songs of the bandwagon with a lot of encomiums to the glorified looters, giving the impression that all is well, all is not well. Nigerians should have a clear cut of what is happening the government should akin to the plight of the lead, equity and fair play should be the bullet of the Government. Only recently, the federal Government accuses Switzerland of disobeying its Supreme Court order for the release of Late Gen Sani Abacha’s Loot while Nigeria was also guilty of the same offence at home. The federal government is doing same at home by disobeying the Supreme Court judgment to release fund for the newly created local government council in Lagos state; he who comes to equity must come with clean hands and he who wants equity must do equity. That is the main principle in this matter.
If I may suggest there is nothing to celebrate come May 29 every year, our democracy is attaining the height of doom, guided by miscreants without human sympathy. These so called miscreants who are our leaders claim to know the problem militating against our human and political existence as a nation. However, they refuse to acknowledge the fact that they are the problem truncating our blessed and beloved country. The quicker they understand this philosophy, put behind them their self-interest we will continue to live in the state of economic backwardness and reckless to the detriment of our future generation yet unborn. It is getting to a time where everybody will carry their cross and face the reality of life; this will lead to a revolution in the country. There is a common slogan by student activist, “Aluta Continua, Vitoria Acerta” which means struggle continue victory is certain.
We cannot celebrate in a nation where there is out right hunger and starvation, an economy where eventually every thing is raising up in the market day by day, a country where the rich gets richer and the poor get poorer. The common commodities for which the poor find solace and easy to purchase is sky rocketing in price yet the government is talking of reform programme. The reform programme is not encouraging to the poor masses and even the average Nigerians are complaining, must we die in the name of reform before the Government will look for an alternative reform policy. Please Mr. President save our soul, most especially for the poor in our midst, your subjects are dieing, have mercy on us we pray you. May 29 tagged Democracy Day is for those in Aso Rock, their family members, Government Officials and their beneficiaries and not for the generality of the public. When it comes to a time where we will all celebrate even the birds in the air, the green leaves and all living creatures will join hands to celebrate to a more purposeful Democracy Day in the future and not this rhetoric’s of May 29 called Democracy Day. To the writer of this article is “Demonstration of Craze Day”. However, as Nigerians we believe one day there will be a messiah that will liberalize us from our present political doom, economic oppression and social destruction to a paradise a place full of milk and honey.
Movement for Youth Actualization International (MYAI) a Non-government organization (NGO) in Delta State-Nigeria.
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