Nigeria's Democracy And Its Crisis Deliberate, Avoidable: 'Good news is no news'

It's now collectively accepted that the problem with Nigeria is the unworkable political structure. The ruling party has just released their committee report in this regard. This issue needs to be addressed urgently as pointed out by Governor Dickson of Bayelsa State, at least before the next-election in 2019. How this will be resolved is our collective guess. Even in liberal democracies, some governments are experts in falsehood, however this can help underscore the intergrity of this government, as they have enough time to implement their own recommendations.

There must be a change in mindset to move the country forward especially in changing times. According to Professors Anthony King and Ivor Crewe; the approach has been : "Don't bother to think at all. Decide first and think later"- [The Blunders Of Our Governments].

I have just read beautiful words of wisdom from Senator Iyabo Obasanjo, Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo's daughter, reacting to what she described as 'cheap tactic' to divert attention from issues raised by her father on the state of the nation.

In her words:  "I hope that Nigeria someday comes out of it's death spiral to become a leading nation in the world. It is trying to be part of the Nigerian conversation when there is no positive impact to it. I really do not want to be part of it as i have found over and over again that speech and words are wasted on people who have no understanding of the responsibility on us as black people on this planet".[Iyabo Obasanjo Slams Buhari Supporters Over Open Letter , Punch 28 January, 2018].

The truth is that unless we address this important issue of restructuring, it's not yet uhuru. It doesn't matter who wins the next election or the political party that wins, the problem will always be there. What is happening now mocks universal idea of democratic governance and questions our committment to it. Anyone who doesn't share their view is an enemy that must be attacked, but the country belongs to all of us.

Things have been wrong for so long. Now is the time to think different. "These shifts in thinking depend upon ordinary citizens. Our politicians would only move beyond gestures once there was a critical mass of informed citizens''-Professor Sir Paul Collier[The Bottom Billlion; Why the Poorest Countries Are Failing and What Can Be Done About It; Oxford University Press.].

Governor Wike of Rivers state has described the Governor El-Rufai panel report as a hoax, while Dr Junaid Muhammed , a renowned northern politician says the ruling APC party is toying with the intelligence of Nigerians over the agitation for the restructuring of the country. [El-Rufai Panel Report A Hoax, Nigerians Insist; Guardian , 28 January, 2018]

This is the time to establish if these people truly deserve to be in-charge of our collective future.



Uche Okeke.