DEMOCRACY DAY: NIGERIA’S HALL OF SHAME

Nigeria is no doubt the most superstitious country in the World, how else so many people will flood the face book with the ‘happy democracy!’ wishes like it was a Christmas, and as if they really meant it. I mean, people with high intelligence, for instance, some friends who I trusted to give honest opinion always, and now they pulled this happy democracy stuff on me, how will I ever trust them again, how do I trust them enough to answer when they greet ‘good afternoon’ without first consulting my watch if it was indeed afternoon, or it is a ploy to keep me working late when it is already evening.

Na democracy be this? Se democracy le leyi sha? Is this democracy? This cannot be the same democracy which is the government of the people, but a counterfeit.

Nigeria is hopelessly enthusiastic, as you so happily exchange this regard, is there electricity supply in your area? Is there pipe borne water? Is the street road tar? Is there street light? Do you go to sleep without the fear of arm robbers? Are you not scared for your friends and family up North? Are you not concern about 2015 general election, as if it is a ticking time bomb?

In what kind of democracy will the freedom of life and property of the people up North be so violently denied, what democracy denies school leavers admission, just so the private university can exploit them, what democracy will deny millions of graduates job, what democracy will reduce three quarter of the population to abject poverty, when democracy itself is said to be the government of the majority?

Happy democracy day! To whom? If I may ask, definitely, not to the poor masses, maybe that will be more appropriate to President Jonathan, who gives the impression that he allows the oil subsidy thieves get away and vent the anger on us with the fuel price hike, maybe to the rogue that escaped with Nigeria crude oil and traded it on the high sea, maybe to the Boko Haram and their sponsors, maybe to the 33 state governor who ensured no local government election in their respective state for over four years, maybe to the politician that looted the treasury dry.

But if out of naivety I accept this regards, it will be a shame to the slain Harry Marshall, Rotimi William, who were murdered and our democracy ensured their killers were never found and a great injustice to the late Bola Ige, minister for

justice who never get justice after his murder.

What Nigeria deserves, I will adapts from a poem from the novel titled ‘weep not child’ for this purpose,

Weep not child for the counterfeit democracy

Weep not child for the slaughter dreams

Weep not because the darkness shall not always possess the sky

But weep today, because tomorrow a real democracy comes.

Oja kaikai writes from Akure, you can connect him on kaikaiojay on twitter.