Yesterday, the 12th of June marked democracy day in Nigeria. It is on this day each year that Nigeria commemorates its return to democracy in 1999. This year marks 25 years since the return to “democratic” rule in Nigeria and it comes at a major inflection point for the country. The country is currently under the mandate of President Bola Tinubu, who came to power in a highly contested election as Nigeria is currently facing likely the worst economic downturn in its history that has had catastrophic effects on the livelihood of Nigerians.
While in Nigeria we claim to commemorate “Democracy Day” it is important to acknowledge that Nigeria is not necessarily considered a democratic nation by various democracy indexes. Rather, Nigeria falls under the definition of being a “Hybrid regime.” Meaning a country that features a mix of democratic and authoritarian tendencies. This stems from an incomplete transition from authoritarian rule to democratic rule.
Nigeria’s history of authoritarian rule under various military governments created atmospheres of oppression, where corruption and exploitation managed to run rife throughout the regimes. The violent and oppressive nature of many of the military regimes has left its scars on the country. Extrajudicial killings, restrictions on speech, ethnic violence, etc., had marred much of the dictatorial rule of many of Nigeria’s military governments.
The political instability faced by Nigeria during this period resulted in a lack of proper long-term plans or visions for the country being forwarded, which has effects on us today. The fact that Nigeria today is in its fourth republic, exemplifies the instability experienced by our country for so many decades following independence.
Following the death of Nigeria’s last corrupt and oppressive dictator, Sani Abacha, in 1998, there had been hope that a democratic transition would improve the lives of Nigerians. The thinking was that Nigerians had finally learned from their past of military rule that democratic governance was the better alternative. The rampant corruption and embezzlement of billions of dollars worth in state funds that defined the Abacha administration, displayed the need for greater democratic reforms, which would supposedly lead to a better future for Nigerians.
However, 25 years on and so far the supposed transition to “democracy” has not been smooth sailing, and that better future that had been promised remains elusive. Millions of Nigerians today are destitute. According to the Nigerian National Bureau of Statistics, in 2022 40% of Nigerians were considered poor with 63% of those people experiencing multidimensional poverty. With this current economic catastrophe our country is experiencing currently, it is undoubtedly the case that the number has only risen.
Moreover, violence from armed groups operating in our country continues to be a major problem. Whether it be Boko Haram fighters operating in the North, violence between nomadic Fulani herders and farming communities, or the Biafra separatists in the South East, Nigeria has multiple armed conflicts it has to deal with within its border. The unfortunate reality is that ordinary Nigerian civilians especially tend to fall victim to the threats posed by these armed groups. In some areas, the presence of government forces is so elusive, that armed groups are able to essentially hold communities hostage to their whims.
Another major challenge faced by Nigeria is in its government institutions. Corruption and general incompetence are rampant throughout so many of our governments. It has had the effect of so much of Nigeria’s infrastructure that should be managed and operated by governing bodies has been severely neglected. So much so, that many Nigerians are forced to find ways of fending for themselves instead of relying on any kind of centralised power grid or water plant. Ensuring you are as self-sufficient as possible is an essential aspect of surviving in Nigeria today.
Nigerians have come to expect literally nothing from our governing institutions as they have shown time and time again that they are merely mechanisms for elites within Nigerian society to gain fortune and notoriety, while the needs of the constituents of these governing institutions are neglected.
Moreover, the freedom of expression of Nigerians has increadingly been put at risk by law enforcement forces. In recent times, we have seen the use of a cybersecuity law for the arrest of journalists, such as Daniel Ojukwu. Such attempts are aimed at silencing journalists from performing thier duty of holding members of the government accountable.
Likewise, we have seen the right to protest in Nigeria being significantly stifled. The recent protest orchestrated by the National Labour Council, saw protesters being threatened by government official with arrest and jail time for exercising their right to protest for higher wages. One cannot talk about the right to protest being stifled in Nigeria with mention the Lekki Toll Gate Massacre that took place when police officers opened fire on young Nigerians protesting against police brutality on October 20th, 2020.
However, the thing that should perhaps be most concerning for Nigerians as we mark this Democracy Day is the current state of Nigeria’s democracy. In the presidency today is President Tinubu, who took power after an election that has had its results called into question by large swaths of Nigerians.
Accusations of voter fraud have been fledged against the electoral process, alarms have been raised about instances of voter suppression taking place during the 2023 election and public trust in Nigeria’s Electoral Commission (INEC) is at an all-time low. Virtually no major opposition parties accepted the results of the election and sought to challenge the results. Likewise, there had been some concerns raised by international election observers who had monitored the electoral process.
The reality is that today we have a president in office who is widely seen as illegitimate by large swaths of Nigerians, which is terrible for Nigeria’s democracy. Faith in Nigeria’s democratic institutions is at a seriously low point and that trend does not seem to be shifting anytime soon.
The most unfortunate thing that may come out of this crisis scenario gripping our country on this democracy day is for people to lose faith in democratic institutions based on our experiences under Nigeria’s supposed “democratic rule” since 1999. That would be the biggest tragedy because it would be a severe misdiagnosis of the current issues facing Nigeria.
The remnants of Nigeria’s former authoritarian military regimes that had ruled in the past are the reason why things like corruption have taken root in our governing bodies. While the Nigerian government may seek to claim democratic legitimacy, there are still numerous reforms that need to be made for our nation to function effectively under true democratic norms and principles.
With all that said, I still think that commemorating Democracy Day is a good feat. It gives us an opportunity to reflect on our democratic principles and shortcomings that desperately need to be addressed. Moreover, it enshrines in the public psyche the importance of democracy and acknowledges democratic governance as the moral and just governing system that it is. So let us commemorate this Democracy Day while keeping in mind the greater democratic values and principles we must continuously strive for, to better our nation.
