“Democracy is dead” was the caption of the BBC. “It just never was” said my friend Jagila. What an intellectually sound reasoning they are!
The two-times four year term of Olusegun Obasanjo (from May 29, 1999 to May 29, 2007) was not a democracy (democratic dispensation); it was a transition period from the “military” to a “civilian” (Obasanjo himself knew that he did not have the spirit of democracy, though his pomposity made him to say or claim otherwise on almost all occasions).
For this reason, the world should judge Nigeria on the basis of this new era. Whatever judgment, it should be based on what(ever) Umaru Yar’Adua is going to deliver to the Nigerians as democratic dividends.
So, instead of saying democracy is dead in Nigeria, we should say democracy is brought to life again after Shehu Shagari’s government of the 1979 was ousted out.
With Yar’Adua is the beginning of real democracy whether he is able to deliver the so called “goodies” of democracy.
It is a truism that some nations have had their Heads of States/Presidents as retired army officers. But it never was, from the armed force to agbada (civilian). They must undergo some kinds of political tutelage, or rather start from a lower office, say senate, and gradually ascends to the office of the president. But, in Nigeria, even the office of the governor is small to a retired General, Colonel etc. I remembered Obasanjo once saying only a retired General can rule Nigeria. Aren’t rubbish? Behold a home breed politician is the president of Nigeria today, lets wait, see and pass our judgment as time unfold the outcome of this new epoch in the Nigerian History.
For this reason, the world should judge Nigeria on the basis of this new era. Whatever judgment, it should be based on what(ever) Umaru Yar’Adua is going to deliver to the Nigerians as democratic dividends.
So, instead of saying democracy is dead in Nigeria, we should say democracy is brought to life again after Shehu Shagari’s government of the 1979 was ousted out.
With Yar’Adua is the beginning of real democracy whether he is able to deliver the so called “goodies” of democracy.
It is a truism that some nations have had their Heads of States/Presidents as retired army officers. But it never was, from the armed force to agbada (civilian). They must undergo some kinds of political tutelage, or rather start from a lower office, say senate, and gradually ascends to the office of the president. But, in Nigeria, even the office of the governor is small to a retired General, Colonel etc. I remembered Obasanjo once saying only a retired General can rule Nigeria. Aren’t rubbish? Behold a home breed politician is the president of Nigeria today, lets wait, see and pass our judgment as time unfold the outcome of this new epoch in the Nigerian History.
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