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DEMOCRACY OR DEMOGREEDY?

It is another democracy day! The special day in Nigeria that commemorates the transition from military to civilian rule in 1999 when Gen. Abdusalam Abubakar handed over the affairs of the country to the soldier turned civilian, Olusegun Obasanjo [now Dr. Olusegun Obasanjo].
A perfect definition was given to democracy by the late Abraham Lincoln that "democracy is the government of the people by the people and for the people".
Nigerian leaders claim our country is a democratic one; apparently, we achieved democracy on May 29 1999 but the question is: do we practice true democracy in Nigeria? I mean are we truly democratic? Having a system of government in which the three arms—executive, judiciary and legislature—are all represented is one of the basic attributes of democracy but does it end there?
Our executive arm of government has not been fully functional since 2006 according to my personal observation. The legislators are now in Abuja fighting over the dollars and members of the judiciary are all around the country committing miscarriage of justice because of money and handing justice only to those who can pay for it. Gone are the days when we had our inflation rate at minus! Yes! Around 2000 — 2002, inflation rate was at a minus figure and a Congo of gaari was sold for just ₦10! I hope you know what the streets say today. 
An average Nigerian politician now cares about their pocket and immediate family. In fact, "there was a nation" where special attention was given to education, sports and other sectors that focus on human capital development but reverse is the case these days.
Governments' actions and [or] inactions alone are not responsible for all the rots in the country today—corruption, padding of budgets, incessant killing of innocent people, terrorism and many more—the people have also contributed to the continual degradation and exacerbation of the degradation: it is not government that is responsible for the price of a lot of hiked commodities today, it is not government that litters the premises where bins are located, it is not government that supervise major activities in the grassroots today, these days, I hear a lot of people say the old should step aside for the young but it is not the old men and women in government that preside over activities of Students Union in our tertiary institutions where looting extravaganza, imposition, attempted compensation with elective posts and other injustice are committed, if we care and have ourselves in mind, the age of leaders simply doesn't matter; it is not government alone that has turned our democracy to "demogreedy", if you are out there doing the things that are not supposed to be done, you are culpable in the act!
If Nigeria's democracy is ever going to be restored, it would begin with rational ideas combined with Fairness, transparency, equity and right-thinking; government alone would never be able to make all things right so it begins with me and you right from the grassroots to the top. 
I look forward to a Nigeria that is truly democratic. 

*Kolade Chris*
400 Level AEB Student of AAUA, a contestant for NASS-SJC.

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