By Onwuegbunam Jude
Introduction:
On 1st August, 1858, the 16th American president, Abraham Lincoln gave the definition of democracy at Gettysburg as the government of the people, by the people and for the people (2023 Lincoln’s Writings- 7/11/2023). This however has been made the most common definition of democracy right from the elementary stage of education, yet it seemed difficult to be understood as such both in times past and in present time. The above definition given by Abraham Lincoln, denotes in its meaning two essential element needed in any democratic federation and as the case may be, any political setting comprising of electorates and the government. This also would form the major part of this write-up. In this write-up also the story of a risen nation was examined in brief, the plight of the present day Nigerians and what is needed at this point in time, especially in the history of Nigeria as a nation. This is also an exegetical approach to the topic of the write-up, given the current situation of the nation in view.
The Rise of a Nation:
On the 1st of October,1960, Nigeria got her independence from the hands of the colonial masters. This elementary stage of the nation’s infancy was seen as the beginning of freedom but in the actual sense, it was the beginning of captivity, however, economic, moral and social depravity. It was the beginning of chaos and corruption in the nation though not seen at that first stage of her infancy as a nation. Hence, in the present day Nigeria, anarchy and all other anomalies have become the perfect order of the day. In recent times, we hear about the conflicts caused by terrorists, the mismanagement of public offices, embezzlement of public funds, collapse of the economic life of the nation, educational atrophy in the nation and the failure of religion to give the people the required indoctrination. These and many other diversities are being experienced by the citizens daily. What hope lies ahead?
After her independence, the nation ventured into national building and development but yet failed to settle the hidden puzzle among ethnic groups. Amongst the achievements were the establishment of a democratic system of government in 1999 after the military rule, maintaining a stable foreign policy, development in art and culture (Nollywood as the second-largest film producer in the whole world also afrobeat music). Nigeria is also known as the largest economy in Africa (www. Pulse.ng-7/11/2023) this is evident in Nigeria’s nominal GDP, and many other developments done within the nation’s tertiary institution, construction of roads and development of infrastructure, proper use of natural resources in the production of oil and other relevant improvements. The risen nation however, is not without anomalies, hence the contest of the next enquiry.
The Fall of a Risen Nation:
Despite these noticeable substantial development in Nigeria over the years, Nigeria continues to face a barque of challenges and vagaries of national focal problems. These were the backbone contributors of the fall of the nation. Within the interval of the past eight years from 2015 to 2023, Nigeria has experienced to its apex, confronting challenges as a nation. It was during this period that Nigeria experienced two economic recessions, which resulted in a 1.1% average GDP growth rate, hence since 2015, the per capita income has decreased by more than 40%. The Africa’s economic powerhouse in terms of GDP is said to experience therein an economic growth without development.(Ayokunu Adedokun, a write-up on Nigeria- 8/11/2023).
Furthermore, another pressing challenge faced by Nigeria, which is still invoked is the issue of domestic unrest and insecurity. These has been well-known issues, talking about these in the light of the rise of Boko Haram that ravaged the nation. Let’s talk about the cruel waste of lives done in some minute parts of the Southeast by some alleged group of terrorists called the Fulani herdsmen, the incessant killing by the Unknown Gunmen and the present rate of kidnappings that have plagued the Northwest. On the side of domestic unrest, consider the tautness between national security forces and the Indigenous People of Brafria (IPOB) resulting to sit-at-home on working days in the Southeast. This is not the end, the political section of the nation is getting stinking every day in corruption, political lobbying, nepotism and tribalism even at the smallest unit of government. The religious institutions and education phases of Nigeria are nothing in their real senses to write home about. All these deficiencies are evidence of fall of a nation, who in her independence thought she has got freedom in the real sense, not knowing it was an unforeseen captivity to national anomalies.
The diverse effect of this national mismanagement and decay, may provoke one into thinking about one’s nation, hence, the question may be; when did the problem of Nigeria begin?, what could be the major factor behind the problem? In his book, Because I Am Involved, Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu makes it clear and asserts that the problem with Nigeria began with her independence. Thus he says; ‘the true problem with Nigeria is that she is fully embroiled in an identity crisis. The source of the problem is rooted in our fear of unity, this disunity has stultified every developmental effort undertaken by government. Therefore, no matter from whatever direction, no matter the focus of our perspective, everything which we see bears the frightful aspect of a dichotomy’. (Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu 1989)1. This is the fact that as long as the fear of unity is not eliminated, and unity not actualized, progress would not be a reality in Nigeria because, everybody is vouching for his/her own personal good rather than the good of the nation at large, denying each other their required personal good.
Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread (Mt 6:11):
When we tell the bitter-sweet story of our nation Nigeria. The sweet-soar tales of our origin, our mouths clamor for help, it shouts out for safety from the hands of our predators. The sweet glamour of painful love we had for our nation, our hopes for the future is despairing, left in the hands of no order, we however say with sober ‘give us this day our daily bread’. This famous biblical aphorism, evident in our Lord’s Prayer (Mt. 6: 11), offers us an ocean of reflection on the present devastating and deprived state of our nation in this trying moment. This could imply an inevitable plead for help, it could be a form of request of giving one what is due to him or her as in ‘our daily bread’. However, for instance, in Nigeria political system, where the executive veto-power is being used unjustly and unfairly, the cry of the citizens is now ‘give us this day our daily bread’.
This now becomes a tribute of change and amendments to Nigeria political leader. As a follow up, give us this day our daily bread means that the government should make effort to restore peace in the nation by offering everybody equal right and same opportunity to all ethnicity in the nation, hence ensuring equal allocation of seats in the federal executive and legislative level and warding off monopoly of economy. It also implies reviewing and upholding to the tenet of national constitution, ensuring that the judiciary is free and independent to administer justice. Our daily bread also denotes making things in the market affordable to the people, it means also reducing the cost of transportation in the nation. Give us this day our daily bread entail that the government should make effort to protect lives and properties in the nation, by empowering and fortifying security in the nation. reviewing the just concluded general election, one would consider as practical depiction of what the Nigerian Poet Gbemisola Adeoti in his poem, Ambush said, “The land is a giant whale that swallows the sinker, with hook, line and bait aborting dreams of a good catch, fishers turn home at dusk, blue peter on empty ships, all Peters with petered out desires”. (www. Literaturepadi.com.ng-9/11/2023). The aftermath of the election was a hope shattering one. Consider what the people went through during the cashless policy, what the people are still passing through in this period of PMS (Premium Motor Spirit) recession. Government should channel the nation revenue into good and developing adventures that would foster growth in the nation. Therefore, it’s high time we took the bull by the horn and further this call for national justice. As Mahatma Gandhi says, ‘Be the change you wish to see in the world’.
Conclusion:
It is necessary once again, to question the democratic nature of Nigeria, to know if it is truly a democratic state. However, one may say, after considering the present occurrence in the nation, that Nigeria is nominally democratic. Being democratic in the real sense, requires reviewing Abraham Lincoln’s definition of democracy as the government of the people, by the people and for the people. Hence, it implies that government is first and fore most of the people. It is not for personal purposes or gain. In a more explicit way, it is a government possessed and owned by the people and not government owning the people. Secondly, the definition depicts that democracy is a government by the people. That is, it is by the dictates and the mandate of electorates, not of any alleged political group or personae. It is a government conferred by the people. The last is that democracy is a government for the people. It entails a government on behalf of the people, a delegate sent by the people to represent them in the national level, entrusted to manage the affairs of the nation for the good of all. A perfect cognizance of the above would do the nation a great help. With hopes high for the betterment of our nation, it calls for a positive adjustment in the fore wall of Nigeria political system, beginning from the local government level to the federal level.
ONWUEGBUNAM JUDE. Philosophy Two Bigard Memorial Seminary, Enugu.