The Next Level in Nigeria is a "horriffic idea', a dangerous doctrine of destruction'. The whole point of dictatorship is to have absolute government. Meanwhile , Punch newspaper has reported that an APC ruling party Chieftain who has just won the Senate bye-election in Bauchi State Nigeria has suggested that they would ''ammend the constitution to make President Buhari life President''. We are aware of a bill in the National Assembly sponsored by another Senator seeking death by hanging for free speech. There is this new Press Bill sponsored by the government. We have just witnessed the invasion of the National Assembly by the Department of the State Security Services in a bid to effect illegal leadership change of the Senate. We have also witnessed increased use of the government's anti-graft agency to 'criminalise, dehumanise and dethrone' political opponents. The president has just sparked a new controversy, during a recent annual conference of the Nigeria Bar Association. He told the country's judiciary that State Security is more important than the rule of law. This is another strong signal. According to Professor Wole Soyinka; "President Buhari's national interest comment is alibi to undermine judiciary". In his words; "the timing is perfect, and we have cause to be thankful for the advance warning, since not all rulers actually make a declaration of intent , but simply proceed to degrade the authority of the law as part of the routine business of governance".[Buhari's Remark on Rule of Law Playback Military Rule; Professor Wole Soyinka, Vanguard, August 31 2018] Our writings about the Mistake of Destiny has got more details about the state of the nation under the current government , click on this link to read more: http://www.theleadprojectfoundation.com/2018/02/today-nigeria-is-not-democratic-country_26.html . History tells us that many dictators rule with violence or force to avoid opposition, and in some places, anyone who opposes a dictator is killed. According to World History WW11 Text Book; "Dictatorships usually deny people basic freedoms. They control their citizens attitudes and beliefs". These are evident in today's Nigeria. Click on this link to read about comments from home and abroad on the state of Nigeria today: http://www.theleadprojectfoundation.com/p/blog-page.html. Dictators are self-proclaimed messiahs who claim to possess monopoly of wisdom to solve political and economic issues in their country often using violent repression of civil liberties including killing to maintain absolute rule. They are very divisive, always hating ethnic minorities and promoting identity politics. They thrive on confusion, control and conflict making their people afraid and manipulating them to believe that they alone can fix the society's problems and bring prosperity. They resent opposition and make their citizens to blame opposition as the cause of their own misfortune.
They invest in security to assert absolute control. In the words of Professor A.C Grayling ; "If a civilised society, that looks after its people, is to flourish, it must reject authoritarian leaders.
Our experience so far must help us to re-think the idea of encouraging authoritarian rule. We must not repeat the 'Mistake of Destiny'. Democracy needs leaders who know how to manage diversity, inequality and stagnation. The golden age needs effective leaders who have genuine vision, people of expertise and experience to manage modernity- restructuring and believe in democracy. Committed democrats are the future. Let's reject the Next Level- totalitarian rule by voting against any political party that presents a dictator as their candidate for President. Furthermore, Schaeffle warned us that "Dictatorship must be seen not only as a coming evil that must be forseen and prevented, but as a present evil from which we must cure ourselves". Dictatorship is not the future we want. Lastly, in the words of Michael Gove, UK's Ex-Justice Minister and current Minister for the Enviroment, "History tells us that if we fail to act against evil now, then we will only end up paying an even higher price later. if we do not learn from history, then we will inevitably be condemned by it". The Next Level is a level of might, a danger for the whole of Nigeria. Thinking needs to change. How does it sound : "those who feel they have another country may choose to go", that's the whole point; early warning signals. Abuse of power is a national plaque that must be overthrown at the next election in 2019 to lift people out of poverty. The barbaric events of the last three and half years is a constant reminder not to fall for vain promises of politicians seeking a return of the society to the primitive state. People should not let themselves become 'the useful idiots' of a totalitarian government that is yet to understand that the world has changed. There is no mention of Restructuring the country in their Next Level Agenda so what magic are they offering?
Uche Okeke is a Social Entrepreneur, the Founder of The LEAD Project Foundation and the Author of Nigeria's Democracy And Its Crisis Deliberate, Avoidable-'Bribe & Bullet'. What Can Be Done About It.
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