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Naturally, a shift from the worst form of government,
military despotism, to the supposedly best political system, democracy, was
exhilarating to most Nigerians. It elicited expectations from the people -
high, but somewhat confused expectations. From democracy, they expected all
that were absent from military rule. The last set of military leaders was
disgustingly, nauseatingly corrupt. They ran the country aground, ruined every
public institution and brought untold hardship on the people. So, from
democracy, the people anticipated a resuscitation of the country's institutions
left comatose by military rule, the revamping of the economy and a
conspicuously palpable improvement in their quality of life. Normally,
democracy should offer much more than these mundane.
Acting either out of their own ignorance, or disingenuously
exploiting the confusion of the masses, the ruling elite are trying to equate
this enrichment of the people's lives expected from democracy to the dividend
of democracy. So, for the dividend of democracy, they reel out statistics and
TV footages of their administrations' successes in infrastructural development
and provision of social amenities.
As there are very little in our daily lives that give the
impression that the politicians are genuinely committed to using this country's
enormous wealth to better the lives of ordinary Nigerians, one tends to wonder
if these statistics are doctored and the TV footages orchestrated. However, let
us believe that the statistics and TV productions are real. Then, is the
construction and maintenance of roads, building of additional class rooms and
maternity wards, laying the foundation stones for a new university or
polytechnic, provision of pipe-borne water, etc, the dividends of democracy? Is
it not obvious that we do not need democracy to have good roads, additional
class rooms, water, electricity, etc?
In the early 1970s, the oil proceeds were better managed.
Government policies were more generous and directed at providing for the needs
of the people and raising their standard of living. To a greater degree, we had
all the government is now trying to provide us as the dividend of democracy.
For example, there was a general availability of pipe-borne water in the
cities, and unlike now, the water was clean and unquestionably drinkable. The
cities were cleaner and their infrastructures better maintained. The supply of
electricity was more consistent. The schools, especially, the universities were
better funded and equipped. The teachers were motivated and academic standards
were higher. Paradoxically, the president then, Yakubu Gowon, was a soldier.
Were those the dividend of democracy under a military dictatorship?
It can reasonably be argued that freedom of expression is
the dividend of democracy. As the saying goes, "the root of bondage is
poverty and the root of poverty is ignorance". Invariably, no one bottled
up by the fetters of poverty and ignorance can exercise his right of free
speech. It means nothing to a man whose self-confidence, dignity or sense of
worth is so totally eroded by poverty and its attendant deprivations and
humiliations or to the ignorant that can neither read nor write. Therefore, the
foundation for freedom of expression is liberty from poverty and ignorance.
But a society does not need democracy to be freed from
poverty and ignorance. A benevolent dictator can allows for freedom of speech,
even if he chooses to ignore the expressed public opinions. He can also
institute liberal economic and social policies that engender general prosperity
that improves the lot of even the downtrodden man at the bottom of the economic
pyramid, and successfully makes education more accessible to even the very
poor. Then, that will be the dividend of democracy from an undemocratic source.
So, the dividend of democracy is not freedom of expression (even when it
presupposes the absence of general poverty and ignorance).
The dividend of democracy is power. Max Weber, the 18th century
German sociologist once defined power "as the ability to get others to act
in accordance to your will". Politics is all about power. Unlike
tyrannical, dictatorial or oligarchical politics, democratic politics strives
for less domination of power by an elite few, and the greater participation of
the people in governing themselves. It concerns itself not with mere struggle
for power, but an equitable distribution of power. An equitable distribution of
power recognizes that the people are the ultimate repository of power, and the
elected and government officials and every organ of government are delegated to
operate solely and totally in conformity with the will of the people. Nigerians
will have the dividend of democracy when this reality becomes the governing
principle of Nigerian politics.
Presently, there is no dividend of democracy in Nigeria
because the elected and government officials remain scornful of the will of the
people. For example, through that institutionalized agency of electoral fraud,
the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), they have stubbornly
refused to allow election results to reflect the electoral choices of Nigerian
citizens, as expressed through the ballot box. The People's Democratic Party
(PDP) political godfathers in their conclaves determine election results which
are then imposed on the populace by the INEC.
The $16billion earmarked for revamping the energy sector and
boosting its power generation capacities was stolen the ruling elite and shared
between themselves and their business and political associates. The Railway
contract of $8.3 billion reportedly was inflated by of $5.8 billion.
Undoubtedly, that excess of $5.8billion is for the pockets of some members of
the political class and their cronies. They steal funds budgeted for improving
health services in the country, and then, jet set to hospitals in Western
countries to treat even minor ailments. Are these and other countless acts of
excesses and arrogance, lawlessness and profligacy, greed and corruption, etc
of the ruling class not in defiance of the public will?
Nigerians will earn the dividend of democracy when the power
elite become completely subject to the powers of the electorate, and
consequently, act only in accordance to their will. Then, it will be impossible
for them to rig elections, steal public funds, or engage in any act that is
contrary to the legitimate aspirations of the people. And Nigerian citizens
will rise from pawns and stooges in the elite power game to become the focus of
the interest, concern and actions of their elected and government officials and
every institution of government. And these officials will be reduced from
haughty, crooked, selfishness, superciliousness, and money-stealing panjandrums
to public servants.
Tochukwu Ezukanma writes from Lagos, Nigeria
maciln18@yahoo.com
08035292908
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Posted by Robot| 04.07.2008 09:28