*DEMOCRATIC DESPOTISM*
_(My June 12 democratic address)_
by Justice Chukwubuike Aninworie
_*"Democracy is not by turns or waiting for it; democracy is by intense opposition to despotism wearing the garb of democracy."*_ -Juspoet
Today, 12th June 2023, as in June 12, 1993, Nigeria faces the greatest threat and tyranny to Democracy.
Democracy has been hijacked again after a fortuitous walk to it. And, once again in the hands of despots who determine for the people, as for the people, and as by the people. Riding on the back of democracy to crucify all that democracy stands for.
Democracy was given an eternal definition by Abraham Lincoln at the Gettysburg address on the 17th of November, 1863 as "Government of the People, by the people, and for the people. " That simple definition of democracy for the assimilation of all men of whatever mental cognition was what was typically aborted in Nigeria by the erstwhile government of General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida in a dastardly executed silent coup which only brought Democracy to the threshold and murdered it; midwifed it, and mortified it, enthroning in its wake a government reincarnation of itself in changed garb, hyping a false hope of democracy. On February 25th, 2023, the Nigerian Government, a lingering lethal force of the changed garb of 1993 took it to a new height. It raised the hope of the ordinary Nigerians with diversionary promises and reforms hawked in dubious throts around the globe; it midwifed true democracy, and again mortified it with experienced ease and dexterity it has perfected over the 3 decades it held sway. It enthroned itself in changed garb.
We are talking about a government of the cabal which has turned Nigeria between the People and the Government. The Government, being select self-styled heroes of democracy struggle and oligarchs. The People are the Constitutional ordinary Citizens to whom belonged Power to chose by whom and how led in a majority. The government of Babangida determined the fate of Nigeria for the People, and flunked the will of the People aside. In the same vein, the wholesomely dependent Independent National Electoral Commission of Nigeria has again flunked the will of the People aside, crowned the people of the government, by the government and for the government, for the upteenth time. And, that's what we are forced to holiday in celebration.
Today, the people rue in holiday, while the government celebrate. It is the celebration of the few over their onslaught on the People.
The biggest damage to Democracy in its celebration on June 12 in Nigeria is the use of everything undemocratic to celebrate democracy. The Civic Academy defined Democracy as that system of government that allows ordinary people a decisive say in who governs a country and how they govern it. In this celibate celebration going on in Nigeria today, the ordinary people, to whom right and power to determine who and how Nigeria is governed have been ordained to the backwaters of bystanders who must listen to uncouth hominies and professionally written delusions on days like today, peremptorily poisoned with threats that send tremours to the very foundation of democracy. Democratic salvos come off podiums to threaten civil protest, rule of law, judicial actions, and majority good.
Democracy is not democracy because our leaders broadcast it thus. Democracy is founded on these principles in the least:
They are:
1) Respect for basic human rights,
2) A multi-party political system paired with political tolerance,
3) A democratic voting system,
4) Respect for the rule of law,
5) Democratic governance, and
6) Citizen participation
It is not the abridgment of garb-change of leaders on 29th May that abridges democracy. It is the abridgement of basic citizen's rights, intolerance for multi-party parliament, a sacred democratic voting result legally transmitted and unmutilated by hijacked electoral umpire, respect for Judicial self-correction through rule of law, democratic governance, and citizens participation that not only abridge but also abort Democracy and leave it a tragic comedy.
Today, the Elections held to enthrone democracy has emasculated it. The majority of the People are held in contempt by the minority of government. National milestones are reminders of despotism that has robbed them of their right to legitimate leadership. Today, the Courts see themselves as scapegoats rather than blind determiners of rights that has remedies. Today, state broadcasts are crafted by flocks of bigoted minders of tribal interests than national justice who mock the vanquished on an alexandrian Bucephalus.
Two lessons come out of June 12, today as in 1993.
One: Enemies of Democracy can never produce Democracy. Those who take the People captive for the government can never release the people on Democracy day! They are eternally incapable, lacking in moral and intellectual ability to midwife democracy. Nemo dat quod non habet. They cannot give what they don't have. No matter how their broadcasts, self-claims, and their gilded vaults are tailored, they can never culminate in a relief-sigh solution. IBB lavished so much goodwill and national wealth in a bid to enthrone a Government of the People, by the People and for the People, and despite the patriotic stands of Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, hevended up in a reincarnation of his kind. A still-water-that-runs-deep chairman of an Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mamoud Yakubu galvanized unprecedented patronage in the People's participation in a Government of the People, by the People, and for the People. He spent national treasure in trial, but ecause he is a chip of the old block, he lacked the moral capability to deliver. He dashed the historic destiny of a whole Nation without bathing an eyelid.
Secondly, as President Bola Tinubu rightly prophesied, June 12 was our 'second independence' to return to democratic governance. It is championed by those who take turns in reaping from their struggle. The ordinary People, Nigerian Youths, or Majority of Nigerians must rise and take Nigeria from those who turn democracy to despotic sharing and determination of government by government, for the government, in a 'Third Independence' from democratic tyranny where the powerful select leaders and determine how the country is run in defiance to the will of the People. Democracy is traversed when strongmen build bridges that cross the Niger and land on strongman's doors, while the People wallow in the mire of whitewashed sepulchre on which democracy is painted on National colours, but whithin which democracy has been interred. The People achieved so much in the 2023 election to let go. Those who end up their speech urging or begging the government of the Government to live up to expectation, turn a new leaf or support democracy are like angels urging hell to throw up its captives. Democracy is not by turns or waiting for it; democracy is by intense opposition to despotism wearing the garb of democracy.
-Justice Chukwubuike Aninworie (Juspoet) is a lawyer, Author, Poet and advocate for political and social rights and Justice in Nigeria.
