DEMOCRACY is intertwined with the foreign policy objectives of the United States; a cold war fixation that democracy implies freedom, which is defended by the United States, the leader of the free world; whilst competitive models imply tyranny and unfreedom, which are abhorrent to it; on account of which the United States arrogates to itself the role of the global defence, promotion, and enforcement of democracy, which gives it a platform to deal with non-democratic states of its choice, with a unipolar arrogance disdainful of the experiences of mankind at variance with West European and American values.
Nigeria’s democracy has become an Orwellian project with its drivers above society, whose tosses never fail as both sides of their coins are engraved with the same symbol, which makes them perpetual winners.
The unipolar enforcement of democracy is highly lucrative for the American military and industrial complex, which facilitates unending military engagements around the world, massive defence expenditure, and plunder of resources in states where democracy is defended or enforced.
Some states adopt democracy willingly; corrupt regimes domesticate it not necessarily for what it can deliver, but for the fear of the United States; whilst others contemptibly shun democracy unafraid of a showdown with its global policeman in defence of competitive models.
The American promotion of democracy has facilitated an embryonic democratic culture which led to the emergence of new democracies in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, including Nigeria’s 25-year-old democracy.
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Celebrating the anniversaries of democratic governance is no more than a public relations gimmick intended for West European and American audiences, and the multilateral institutions they control, which vouchsafe the acceptable conduct of the celebrating nations, which was observed in Nigeria on 12th June on its Democracy Day. As for the people, the supposed beneficiaries of democratic rule, they have become uninterested onlookers who are urged not to lose hope in democracy, have faith in the capability of the leaders to deliver them through hard times, and be more patient, since the more patient they are, the higher their chances to inherit the world.
The presidential address on 12th June by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was underscored by an emptiness of what to showcase as democratic dividends, which underscores the disconnection of government from the people. Corruption has enabled some of the executive cats in government to get fatter, whilst the impacts of neoliberally driven policies have made the people leaner.
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When perchance democracy brings substantial change in the lives of ordinary people, it becomes a people’s democracy; and when it exclusively improves the lives of its drivers, to the detriment of most people, it becomes an elitist democracy.
Senator Ahmed Lawan, former Senate President, was judicially crowned the winner of a senatorial primary election he never participated in, after losing the presidential primaries of his party. He ate his political cake, and had it again, because he was too big to lose. He isn’t the only culprit who ate his cake and had it again.
Democracy is perceived by its illiberal drivers as an end, rather than a means to ends; which facilitates the commission of atrocities by its high-profile executives, no less in developing countries than in advanced ones. A fallout of the perception makes Nigeria one of the most corrupt democracies in the world, which facilitates unimaginable thefts of public funds, so that leaders could retire into opulence, whilst the people are condemned to hell on earth.
As the latest threat to American democracy emerged from its highest democratic office, threats to Nigeria’s democracy also emanate from its illiberal drivers at high executive and legislative levels, who have become more daring since 1999.
Former Nigeria’s president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, selfishly wanted a tenure extension beyond constitutional limits. It is ironic that someone who never struggled for democracy, but was only circumstantially thrusted into it, should seek to truncate it with a personal ambition, which could have taken a dangerous toll on Nigeria’s democracy.
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Nigeria’s democracy has become an Orwellian project with its drivers above society, whose tosses never fail as both sides of their coins are engraved with the same symbol, which makes them perpetual winners.
Since illiberal states which threaten the hegemony of liberal democracy are dealt with by the United States, those who illiberally drive young democracies along dangerous trajectories should through judicial and political means be effectively sanctioned if democracy is not to be flung down the cliff by its Nigerian drivers.
Senator Ahmed Lawan, former Senate President, was judicially crowned the winner of a senatorial primary election he never participated in, after losing the presidential primaries of his party. He ate his political cake, and had it again, because he was too big to lose. He isn’t the only culprit who ate his cake and had it again.
Some of the governors who lost in the presidential primaries of their parties were also too big to lose, who ate their cakes and had them once more; by judicially manipulating the outcomes of senatorial primaries they never participated in, or whose proxies resign after winning the primaries, to pave the way for the defective senatorial ambition of their principals.
These scenarios can only happen in a democracy at the mercy of powerful individuals who manipulate state institutions to personal ends. These make the democratic project inequitable, and driven along a dangerous trajectory, which could be buried in its contradictions.
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Governments which are offshoots of transparent elections, which could not smell power under the pre-2015 electoral regimes, have become paranoid of transparent elections, who compromise elections by the use of force, vote buying, and purchase of electoral officials, which lamentably undermine democracy, and make it fragile to undertake its burial.
As if taking cue from the United States, Nigerian high-profile democratic drivers cream off the goodies of democracy and punish ordinary Nigerians with its bitter pills who earn less, eat less, sleep less, laugh less, and agonise and cry more, because of the bleak moments, and the fearful future before them.
Since illiberal states which threaten the hegemony of liberal democracy are dealt with by the United States, those who illiberally drive young democracies along dangerous trajectories should through judicial and political means be effectively sanctioned if democracy is not to be flung down the cliff by its Nigerian drivers.
The Republic of Sudan, Southern Sudan, Somalia, among others in Africa, have been flung down the cliff by corruption, banditry, lawlessness, etc, with a high possibility of reproducing their fate in Nigeria due to corruption, lawlessness, banditry, judicial, executive and legislative impunity which overwhelm the nation.
The United States has instrumentalised democracy into a powerful weapon of oppression, which is used to punish what it calls rogue states.
As if taking cue from the United States, Nigerian high-profile democratic drivers cream off the goodies of democracy and punish ordinary Nigerians with its bitter pills who earn less, eat less, sleep less, laugh less, and agonise and cry more, because of the bleak moments, and the fearful future before them.
Only a democracy driven by humane drivers could tackle corruption, executive and legislative impunity, and enliven the lives of Nigerian people.
Jahun, a commentator on public affairs, writes from Dutse, Jigawa State capital. His column will henceforth appear every Wednesday under the title: ‘The Other Perspective’. He can be reached via email @: aminuhabibu58@gmail.com or WhatsApp: +234 703 903 8088.
