LIBERAL DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA?

Let it not be the case that I am very tired of my country because from time to time I must say one or two things about her. Perhaps they may not be the truth although they are not in communion with the being of lies. I have always suggested that we leave talking about the future of this country and face other issues. But the fact remains that Nigeria is my country and I have that social duty to put in my quota in her good. Recently, in one of my discussions with a friend of mine, he said that Nigeria will definitely attain liberal democracy sometime someday. At first the statement was not taken seriously, but when my body departed from the venue we were discussing the issue my mind could not allow my body to rest as it started to grapple mentally with that statement.  When it comes to the issue of whether Nigerian will become a liberal democratic state, it is very good to come to terms, perhaps a full terms with the terms here; for clarification of terms sets a better stage for any discussion with a foreign clothing.

The term liberal democracy as can be seen seems to be a combination of two concepts or terms namely; Liberal and Democracy. Whoever thinks in this manner is not far from the salvation embedded in the understanding of the matter at hand. Liberal means projecting liberty. Liberty from its etymology simply means to be free from external constraints. For Ogbue Charles in his encounter with his Long Essay, Liberty can be said to be a moral and political principle that identifies the condition by which human beings are able to govern themselves, to behave according to their own free will, and take responsibility for their actions. Democracy on the other can be wholly be said to be a form of governance whereby the mind of the members of the society are heard and consulted on matters. But what of theWhy and How of Liberal Democracy?

 

The answer is that the proponents of liberal democracy have realised that the expected “good” democracy ought to be doing is far from being real; for it is doing more harm than good. This is because it was projected that democracy will provide, maintain and sustain the liberty of the members of the society; however, it turned out to be that in some democratic states, what they have is just the tyranny of the majority; a situation whereby only the greatest number will always be heard on issues discussed, while the poor minorities will never see their voices enter the kingdom of consideration. Even when there is a promise that it will be accepted, we all know the majority are all liars. In this situation, we find out that while some members of the society are fully and by every aspect are regarded as human beings, some others are only present in the society for the sake of being in the society. It is to avoid this kind of distinction and segregation which strips the victims of their liberty that that political situation/governance that will cater for the needs of EVERYBODY in the society, allowing for the wider participation all members and the respect to the contributions of the general public is developed. This is no other but Liberal Democracy. One of the salient natures of liberal democracy is that it has Liberalism as its brother.

Liberalism can be said to an attitude, philosophy or movement that has as its basic concern the development of personal freedom and social progress. It is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles.

But generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, free and fair elections, human rights, capitalism and the free exercise of religion. As related to Liberal Democracy, Liberalism is so much interested in the expansion of democracy. Simply put, the mkpuru ihe of Liberalism is the widening of democracy in terms of stringent application of its principles so that more people especially the minorities will have their say on any issue in the society. Liberal democracy aims as projecting the Respect for human dignity of all the members of the society, harnessing the best use of human freedom to attain great development, promotion of justice in the society especially economic and social justice, encouraging sensitivity to the needs of others, avoidance of cruelty and ill treatments on people, peaceful and harmonious co-existence in the society and all these will ultimately lead to living a meaningful life in the human society.  

Some of the features of this political Ideology is that it encourages majority rule in as much as the voices and inputs of the minority have been made. It encourages free and fair regular elections, Equality (equal opportunity to develop potentials, equal opportunity to have a say in Government, the strict application of Rule of Law, Freedom of speech, Association, Movement, Religious group; Political pluralism etc. All these and many others are the features of a Liberal Democratic society.

From the foregoing, I was able to further my critical reflection on the matter. When I started looking at the features of the Liberal Democratic society and compared my society with it, I realised that to say that Nigeria will become such a society will be true only after the non-liberal democratic societies in the world attain such height. I believe that before you count two, one must have been counted. Drawing from that, societies that are said to be Liberal Democratic societies were once democratic in nature. It then means that the extension of the existing Democracy brought about Liberal Democracy. And so, if Nigeria wants to be a Liberal Democratic Society, she must first of all become a democratic society. And unless this is the case, we cannot say that we will jump to six without counting from one to five.

Nigeria is said to have practiced democracy for up to thirteen years and yet we have seen little or nothing about the features of Democracy. Yes we have been having periodic elections at various levels and this is a sign of democracy. But what becomes of an election when the flaws are well pronounced such that the little children in the streets begin to question their parents on what they went out to do since they themselves were asked to do the same thing in their various schools. Yes we may not have a very free and fair elections, but I think that sin can be committed without causing scandal or a very little in the worst case. When it comes to Nigeria, what we see is sin committed in the broad day light and yet people say that elections have been credible. One good thing about democracy is that it encourages freedom of religious worship. But I believe that you my audience will agree with me that Christians have not known peace in this country just because they follow Christ against Mohammed. Have we forgotten that the Church in the Northern part of this country have had great martyrs? 

Democracy places everybody before the law. But what happens when the rich and wealthy are involved in criminal offences? We all know that the Judges who have heavily received bribe will continue to drag the case until Oblivion befriends such a case. The case will only be different when some judges never received like others. I want to say that Democracy is yet to be practised in the country and as such we cannot progress to Liberal Democracy. In the thoughts of my revered Philosopher Sir Richard Rorty, he says that Liberal Democracy is aimed at safeguarding the interest of the minorities and giving them respect and dignity. He further says that his own liberalist utopia is a society whereby everybody will be sensitive to the needs and sufferings of the other. And by extension, we shall be able to say no to cruelty to anyone in any form since the person is one of us. Will Nigerians live up to this stage. I strongly doubt. Why you may ask?

The recent flooding in the country kept people homeless and thanks to Governments who tried to provide for them. In Delta State, the man taking charge of one of the refugee camps was removed because he converted these refugees’ goods to his. What wickedness? I will remain ever grateful to Delta State Governor who never allowed that dangerous beast to be in-charged more a second he heard the news. Ordinary Democracy we have not practised and we think we can get to Liberal Democracy. How can our Goodluck Jonathan, Namadi Sambo, Okonjo-Iweala. Joseph Sanusi and co. say they want our good when in the early hours of 1^st January 2013 they removed the fuel subsidy if at all it was ever there? After the Nigerian Labour Congress had reached an agreement with them, what has been the result of the 50% removal which took place then? Finally, because they think that the ₦5, ₦10, ₦20 currencies were never seen around them, they want to keep them in blessed memorial in the name of coins whereas these currencies are the hope of the poor. How can you say that these people are sensitive to the needs of the common Nigeria? If Democracy promotes the rights of the majority most often, why did Sanusi and Co. not listen to the cries of the General Public who cried out against the ₦5,000 note? Thanks to our Big Brother OBJ whose statement and influence stopped that doom.

Liberal Democracy is been practised in some nations like USA, Britain, etc. These Nations have grown politically and socially to the extent that they understand and practised to the 99% stage the principles of Liberalism. Yes, no Ideology is free from problems. But I think that only the excesses of Liberalism make it harmful to an extent. Nonetheless, its advantages are more than the ugly side. Human dignity is respected and the Rights of the common man over there are respected.

My Beloved country, her leaders and everybody, I wish to say that Liberal Democracy will be practised in Nigeria when everybody is more concerned in the use of his/her freedom in such a way that the freedom of others are respected too. Locke says that adding sweat to the natural property and then converting it to a personal property is never a problem except when that is done at the expense of others. Our leaders have failed. We are failing in as much as in the way we live our lives we do not respect others in their rights and dignity.  In all these how can Liberal Democracy exist in Nigeria when the foundational Democracy is still in thorns?

Nwanyanwu Chris