Princewill Odidi|1 October 2017
1. From all indications, it appears, our democracy was originally designed to fail. Governors spend and distribute state funds at will, yet nobody care to ask, from where is this money coming from? Was it budgeted or not? Democracy has failed us and those charged with oversight have disappointed the people.
2. The lawmaker whose responsibility should be financial oversight over the people's commonwealth has also turned to a benefactor at the largess of a benevolent governor. This democracy has failed us,
3. The lawmaker, these democracy has designed him and placed him in the pockets of the governor. A governor decides how much impress the House can receive or how much constituency allowance can be paid. House members have been made impoverished to depend on governors even for small projects they need to embark on. They have lost legislative independence. This Democracy has failed our people.
4. Both the legislators and judiciary have been made puppets at the hands of a sitting governor who now assumes the title of Emperor. This democracy has failed us.
5. Our law makers can easily travel to foreign countries to see how things are done and write reports of replicating same in Nigeria, they can easily subscribe to what they call international best practices and attempt to legislate on same, how many law makers I may ask have ever taken out time to visit prisons and report on the abuse of our inmates? This democracy has failed us.
6. How many lawmakers have ever visited a run down elementary school in their districts to understudy the how government subventions trickle down to basic services like purchase of chalk and exercise books for teachers notes, how many lawmakers care to know if local health centers have basic supplies, yet we legislate on matters that have no bearing to our local needs. This democracy has failed us.
7. Just as we condemn our executive branch of government, we should remember that a functional House keeps the Executives doing things right, that's the meaning of legislative oversight. To what extent is the legislative assemblies both at state and federal levels part of the problem in Nigeria? This democracy has failed us.
8. The courts are not spared. Judges have become recipients of bribes. Sometimes I wonder, is it poor salaries or mere greed? Justice has become a product for sale to the highest bidder. The poor that cannot pay for justice are left to languish in jail. This Democracy has failed us.
9. The justice system at the magistrate level in our local government are the worst. Prosecutors ask defendants for money to buy paper and pen or to buy stationaries. Executive governors deny impress even to the prosecuting attorneys in ministries of justice. Those detained and awaiting trial are left to their fate, they have to settle the prosecutor to charge them and settle the judge to rule on their cases. This democracy has failed us.
10. Democracy has created democratic dictators who lord over the people instead of providing leadership. Our governors are now lords who account to no one, our lawmakers can be ordered by chief executives with no independent minds of their own, our courts have turned to political parties delivering judgements to favor the paymasters, tell me why we need democracy or if democracy can solve our problems?
11. The civil service is not left out. If our civil service can be reformed to provide real development, over 50 percent of corruption in our country will be addressed. But when those we entrust our commonwealth to are also accomplices, then all hope is lost, maybe we need to look for another type of Democracy, because the one we knew since 1999 to the best of our knowledge cannot take us to the promised land.
This too shall pass away.
Princewill Odidi
Is a Social Commentator, writes from Atlanta
