12 Years of Demokrazy in Nigeria

12 Years of Demokrazy in Nigeria
The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is fascism - ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or any controlling private power. ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt
Everyday I wake up and think about how to move my beloved country (Nigeria) to a greater height. At times I do ask myself that are we heading to the right direction of making a better Nigeria? Its twelve years on that we practice democracy in this country but I also ask myself that are we really practicing democracy or demokrazy?
A democracy that can’t guarantee it’s citizens one-square meal a day, a democracy that can’t guarantee 20 minutes of electricity daily, a democracy that can’t afford to keep lecturers on strike for as long as it lasts, a democracy that can’t guarantee a free, fair and credible elections, a democracy that is standing on its head, a democracy that takes one step forward and three backward. Can this be called democracy?
It is twelve years of democracy, in which leaders emerge by money, mayhem and murder, by imposition and selection but never by election proper, can not by any means qualify as democracy. When the sanctity of the ballot is diminished to the superfluity of nothingness, then rascals rule over the righteous. It’s autocracy that rewards the ruthless and repress the resourceful not democracy. Nigeria’s twelve (12) years of systemic and sustained bungled ballots politics, has more then exposed our collective lies to being a democratic polity merely because we adjudged ourselves so based on the superficiality of existence of structures.
All eleven years democracy which brought unprecedented socio-political cataclysms, economic cirrhosis and cultural enema cannot by any means qualify as democracy.
It’s 12 years of bad leaders, of wayfarers as invaders, of illiterate of plunder, sinners from hell, meretricious saints, glorified thugs acting as messiahs, predators as philanthropists, false leads, moronic follower ships, Lies as sacrament, lascivious looting, ceremony of violence. Twelve years of ruling by Plunderers and Destroyers of Polity.
This people fool us daily with promises and demagoguery and believe us to be super suckers which is why they daily promise us good life but they’re inflicting economic hardship on us instead. Instead of delivering the dividends of democracy to us, they have been stealing our collective money to build mansions, buy expensive jeeps and add wives and concubines to their harem. Aren’t they aware that some day, they will discard their earthly cloaks and take their places in vaults? Then, their children may fight one another to death over the formula for sharing their ill-gotten wealth. Aren’t they, the architect of our woes the worst fools on earth?
Matters are worsened by the fact that even though we run a democratic system of government but free, fair and credible elections are far-fetched.
What have we gained for twelve years of democracy in Nigeria? No electricity, no security, no running water, industries are closing, education is collapsing, no good roads, kidnapping is rampant, stealing (mostly by the leaders) carries the day and all other vices and we call ourselves giant of Africa, On what level?
Leadership is Nigeria’s main problem and it is the only thing that is badly needed and the only thing that is sadly lacking.
Our democracy is in danger. That is danger has its roots in money, power, social structure and history.
Our democracy must be freed from the suffocating grip of an all-knowing typical African Big Man. Mko Abiola, Saro Wiwa, Rewane and others too numerous to mention did not die for us to have a civilian dictatorship. They died so that we can be free; they died so that we can reap the abundant benefits of democracy. Think of the names named above and others who died when fighting for our democracy. We spit on their graves when we let democracy slip away into the sewer of illegal money.
Nigeria is a country ready to be taken—in fact, longing to be taken—by political leaders ready to restore democracy and trust to the political process.
Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and senators and honourables and government officials, but the voters of this country. The government is us; we are the government, you and I.
We are very hungry for something new. I think we are interested in being called to be a part of something larger than the sort of small, petty, slash-and-burn politics that we have been seeing over the last several years.
Quotes

"Democracy" is one of the most important principles for a better world. In its truest sense, a democracy is a community in which all members have an equal say in the running of that community. Unfortunately in reality, democratic societies have fallen short of this ideal. Nevertheless, because of its very nature, once a democracy is established, its citizens can work together to make their society more and more democratic, if they choose to do so.
-- Robert Alan 

Democracy is the ultimate, positive revolution because it gives each and every individual the power to control their lives. And we can work together to create a just, sustainable world.
-- Bill Blackman

Democracy is not just a question of having a vote. It consists of strengthening each citizen’s possibility and capacity to participate in the deliberations involved in life in society.
-- Fernando Cardoso  

Everybody counts in applying democracy. And there will never be a true democracy until every responsible and law-abiding adult in it, without regard to race, sex, color or creed has his or her own inalienable and unpurchasable voice in government.
-- Carrie Chapman Catt 

The road to democracy may be winding and is like a river taking many curves, but eventually the river will reach the ocean.
-- Chen Shui-bian  

Democracy doesn't recognize east or west; democracy is simply people's will. Therefore, I do not acknowledge that there are various models of democracy; there is just democracy itself.
-- Shirin Ebadi  

I understand democracy as something that gives the weak the same chance as the strong.
-- Mohandas Gandhi 

To safeguard democracy the people must have a keen sense of independence, self-respect, and their oneness.
-- Mohandas Gandhi 

The spirit of democracy cannot be imposed from without. It has to come from within.
-- Mohandas Gandhi 
In true democracy every man and women is taught to think for himself or herself. -- Mohandas Gandhi

The spirit of democracy cannot be established in the midst of terrorism, whether governmental or popular.
-- Mohandas Gandhi 

"The freedom and human capacities of individuals must be developed to their maximum but individual powers must be linked to democracy in the sense that social betterment must be the necessary consequence of individual flourishing."
-- Henry Giroux

The media is absolutely essential to the functioning of a democracy. It's not our job to cozy up to power. We're supposed to be the check and balance on government.
-- Amy Goodman 

“We need to be activating deep democracy because democracy is fleeting through our fingers, and most people are unaware of it. Democracy is about dispersing power among the interconnected people. As a people, we need to rise to the level of forcing our leaders to abide by our stated principles - really exercise democracy, not only on our behalf but on behalf of the world. We need to continue, as part and parcel of the American experience created by the founding forefathers, and now the foremothers, to insist, "We want democracy to work, and that means every voice counts."
-- Dr. Azizah al-Hibri

Democracy is not something you believe in or a place to hang your hat, but it's something you do. You participate. If you stop doing it, democracy crumbles.
-- Abbie Hoffman

The death of democracy is not likely to be an assassination from ambush. It will be a slow extinction from apathy, indifference, and undernourishment.
-- Robert Maynard Hutchins