DEMOCRACY @10: Success or Failure?

A DECADE SINCE THE RETURN OF DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA : Success or Failure?

Day in, day out, a wise man says that a year is just akin to (like) a day. It is now a decade for the return of civilian and democratic rule or government in Nigeria and simultaneously the incumbent president, Alhaji Umar Musa Yar’adua, is now in his second year in office after stepping into the shoes of the former president Mathew Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo who spent a complete good eight years steering the mantle of leadership in Nigeria as its number one citizen from 1999 to 2007.

It is now desirable for Nigerians, especially those at the grass roots level, to look back and cogitate over this period of decade of democratic rule in Nigeria on what dividend or developments do they achieve or experience. Though they have since expressed their dismay over the catastrophic conditions they had found themselves during the eight years of draconian rule of Mr. Obasanjo.Those conditions/situations of unemployment, high cost of living, melting down industries and factories, e.t.c during those eight years of Obasanjo were some of the reasons that necessitated Nigerians to come out during the 2007 General elections (in order) to bring changes and thereby find a lasting panacea to their worries. Unfortunately for them that dream and wishes has just ended a mirage.

Few Nigerians expect that there could be a meaningful change on the ground of the mannerism of leadership of Yar’adua at the inception or assumption of office by trying to legitimatize his government to the Nigerians in particular and the whole world in general. This is clearly because he is fully aware that the election that brought him into office was characterized by an unprecedented election malpractices in the history of Nigeria . Respect for the rule of law, independence of the judiciary, unity government, zero-tolerance to corruption, and the like, are some of the reasons why some Nigerians welcomed the Yar’adua’s government. He (Yar’adua) actually delivered the goods with respect to the independence of the judiciary. This is corroborated from the fact that he remained mute when the election Tribunals and Courts were busy nullifying the elections of P.D.P candidates at the various level of government on the ground of electoral malpractices. Yar’adua has, without any iota of doubt, shown a sense of maturity in that respect which was not obtained in the Obasanjo’s era.

The recognition of the autonomy of the judiciary and that of the other branches of government by the Yar’adua’s administration had crucially changed the minds of many Nigerians from expecting to the hoping that a new messiah has come to save Nigeria and Nigerians from the shackles of squalor and poverty which they found themselves in during the Obasanjo’s era. Up to now, one out of the so-called 7 points agenda has not been actualized, despite the fact that he has been in the mantle of leadership for two years the problem of incessant power failure which has been plaguing the country for quite a long time and which is one of the 7 point agendas is getting from bad to worst by day and many businesses have collapsed simple because one cannot cope with fuelling a generator. During Obasanjo’s regime, many committees were constituted to address the issue but with little to show. Billions of Naira have been spent fruitlessly. Yar’adua’s administration has also constituted the committees for the same purpose but with little or no success at all. Many problems are still deeply rooted in the country ranging from lack of potable water, defective health system, educational degradation, lack of security and agricultural backwardness, to mention but a few.

Yar’adua needs to institutionalize drastic measures to counter the current global economic crises that is currently affecting the globe. If care is not taken Nigeria like any other under-developed countries is going to be affected negatively this can be seen from the sharp increase in US dollar against Naira and in the fall of price of oil in the world market, looking at the value of Naira in 1999 which is 120 Naira against US Dollar compared with its value today which is 163 Naira against US Dollar one can simply conclude that Yar’adua administration is nothing but a set back. Nigerian stock exchange is also not looking good and there is the problem of unemployment in the country. Yar’adua should as a matter of agency address these issues once and for all to avoid further escalation of the problem. It is very unfortunate that despite the vast natural resources that God in his infinite mercy endow Nigeria with, the resources are mismanaged by a very few and the masses are left in squalor and poverty. The national cake is being looted and squandered by few out of Whims and Fancies to the detriment of the majority.

In some instances the money is spend not in the right way as in the case where dogs were transported into the country at the price of 2 millions naira. What a madness! Now the question is what is the benefit derivable from the Nigerian democracy, is it a dividend or a loss? Infact there is nothing tangible to show which Nigerians can be said to have been benefited in the fast ten years of democratic rule. Indeed the poor remain poorer and the reach remain reacher by day. This is therefore a challenge to the Yar’adua’s government to do something concrete before the remaining two years elapse and it then become too late to cry.