“It was about 500 BC that many cities adopted the Greek democracy, which was all together new in the history of the world. Their cities were small enough to enable the people to meet together and make decisions” -H.A. Clement (The Story of the Ancient World).
Sir: Lest we forget, this year, 2024 marks the 25th of Nigeria’s unbroken democratic governance, outside the iron-grip of military despotism. Ordinarily, we should have several reasons to celebrate such an historic achievement. That is, for those of us still lucky to be alive amidst the increasing challenges of blood-letting insecurity, economic hardship, the screaming storm of tribal sentiment and nepotistic appointments, and youth unemployment leading to the querulous ‘japa syndrome.’
Not left out of course, is the low quality delivery especially considering the critical sectors of infrastructural development, education and healthcare delivery. The source of serious concern, therefore, is whether these should be the “dividends of democracy” or not.
It is high time that we re-invented the political structure to favour the led majority. Put simply, the type of democracy we presently practise is not in our best interest and cannot propel the machinery of government forward. And that is because the government is not there as a protective and providing father-figure for those expected to be the greatest beneficiaries.
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, democracy is a state governed under a system of government by the people, especially the rule of the majority. It also means that it is a government, especially one in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation, usually involving periodically held free elections.
But as Nigeria spends its 25th year of unbroken democracy there are several questions literally begging for answers. Has the Human Development Index (HDI) vis-à-vis the quality of life of the average Nigerian improved or not over the past 25 years? Is he performing his duties under a safer operational environment? Has he access to more nutritious food and safe, potable water? Has he been able to provide such to all members of his family? Have the children benefitted from quality education and healthcare delivery? What, in specific terms can he point to as what the government has provided for him and members of his family over the decades? With the empirical evidences on ground is there guarantee for a brighter future for him and his siblings? Good enough, the answers to these questions are not far-fetched:
For instance, as at 1999 the poverty rate in Nigeria, according to the World Bank was 11.8 per cent but it has since escalated to 38.8 per cent in 2024. In the 2023 Global Hunger Index, Nigeria ranked 109th out of the 125 countries showing that the level of hunger that is serious. While the number of out-of- school children was put at 7.018 million two and a half decades ago, it has jumped up to 20 million, according to UNESCO. Unemployment which refers to the share of the labour force that is without work but available for and seeking employment stood at 3.90 per cent in 1999 but has gone beyond 5.76 per cent as at 2024.
With all these disturbing statistics, there is clear evidence that the impact of governance on the quality of life of the citizenry, especially the poor has been on the negative side. That is not to say that there have not been some achievements made to improve on governance by the past administrations.
It is on record that under Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, Nigeria rebased its gross domestic product for the first time in over a decade. It thereby became the largest economy in Africa by overtaking South Africa and Egypt. The Jonathan administration accrued over US$454 billion while in office from oil revenue. Proceeds from Nigeria’s non-oil exports rose to $2.97 billion by the end of 2013, up from $2.3 billion in 2010.
But how do we assess the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari within the context of the dictates of democracy and the current pitiable socio-economic quagmire being faced by millions of Nigerians? Time will tell.
Ayo Baje.
