Recent events ongoing in the Nigerian polity culminating in the constitution of a committee by President Goodluck to oversee a possible national dialogue have left me wondering what the future holds for our dear country.
It was in 1999 that we returned to democratic rule and Nigerians expected nothing but a new and better lease of life. Of course democracy with the resuscitation of the legislature was meant to guarantee freedom and equity in the distribution of the wonderful and enormous resources we have. With these pool of resources, there is no doubt that decision making regarding how best to distribute welfare and our interactions with other nations can only be handled by a few who are recognized and determined by the rights and obligation of citizens.
More than 14 years after the return to democracy, we are still lamenting on what ought to comprise Nigeria, what ought to be, and what is right or wrong!!! We have continuously experimented a multi-party system of democracy that would present an array of several alternative candidates for election based on the rights and unanimous decisions of the people. Since 1999, we have at different times, elected people into executive positions and a host of others to represent us (entirely) in the different tiers of the legislature.
But we lost faith in our leaders when they started getting it all wrong. I don’t blame us; we inherited this loss of faith from the long reign of military reign in which we were never considered in decision making.
However, times have changed and we need to listen to the different style of music being played in Nigeria… the so called retired generals are also listening attentively and already dancing to the new rhythm. Why then do we continue to form lack of concern or indifference? Perhaps it looks like a dawn of civilian dictators referred to as godfathers manipulating us like powerless pawns on a chess board having taken over from their cohorts during the military reign.
With my little knowledge of democracy and how the legislature works, I feel ultimately that the legislature was designed to deliberate on virtually everything that affects us a Nigerian people. That is why as soon as the generality of Nigerians believed that there were loopholes in the rules that guide us and keep us together as a federation; the legislature began consultations on filling these holes – the constitutional amendment process. The turn of events however showed the enormous ignorance of Nigerians regarding their rights to happy living. I was present in a public hearing on constitutional amendments, the North Central venue where people from that region were meant to gather to present their agitations. The venue incidentally played host to a large number of groups, associations, institutions (both public and private) and individuals. Although, the agitations presented were tilted more towards states and local government creation as well as autonomy of the last tier of government, a variety of other issues including the indigene/citizenship debate topped the agenda. The constitution review process under a democracy therefore presented Nigerians with the ample opportunity to define once again what determines Nigeria; how best do we go about administering our resources; what exactly do we want; what is the hope for generations yet unborn?....
But we lost it again! For instance, legislators consulted their constituents on several issues; obtained their decisions; brought them back to the National Assembly and voted against the people’s desire. Incidentally nobody is saying anything about it. Perhaps nobody even sees anything wrong with it. But a certain group of people were knowledgeable enough to invite their Senator who voted against their wishes! That is what I call democracy in practice. I actually anticipated that line of action would precede an entirely new direction to our democracy – evaluating our representatives.
Today, those are the helm of affairs have begun clamoring for a national conference/dialogue. The same conference the people demanded for when they felt they were not been consulted during the military era. It was only natural that a military regime that displayed little patience with the people will want to listen to their agitations and translate those they wished into decrees. In the contemporary Nigeria state, democracy has taken over military dictatorship and a national dialogue no matter how it seems like an amicable solution to a society that constantly demonstrates divergent views, ways of living and upholds federating units becomes unfamiliar or better still is not recognized by any form of law.
What then did the people who gathered in various sections of the country during public hearings on constitution review converge for? Is it because, sittings allowances were not paid and it was organized by the legislature? Truth be told and reality checked once more. What is the purpose for a national conference? To discuss the way forward apparently. Can’t the legislature at various tiers discuss the way forward given its statutory mandate? - make laws for the peace, order and good government of the people. These and many other questions continue to challenge the legality of a national conference and its eventual decisions. What are we going to do with the decisions from such a dialogue? Publish them as a communiqué in national dailies or ratify them as laws in the legislature. Will the National Assembly keep existing and allowances/salaries paid while a national conference is going on and delegates are been paid and cost of conference catered? Is the national conference usurping the powers of the legislature or contemplating it? Time shall tell!!!
Ironically, Senator David Mark, the Senate President of Nigeria’s distinguished Senate is a core proponent of a national conference. So you ask yourself, what is really the way forward and which do we prefer, National Confab or Nigerian Legislature?
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