OPINION: We Are The Problem, Not Democracy, By Segun Showunmi

On the mismanagement of our country, especially the suffrage of the people in a democracy, I have this to say, it always feels like the cheap armed robber is wise, invisible and smart until he gets caught, then when the mob hysteria starts, don’t you notice how quickly they become humble, disgraced and pitiful.

How can a situation where a large number of people in our society lose faith in the judiciary be in anyone’s interest, or how roguish chief executives hiding behind the mask of state power begin to act bravely while they bully their opponents?

Nigerian people are losing faith in democracy because of the ugly activities that steal their franchise during elections to such a point that people cannot be bothered to participate, how we don’t seem to see that a multiethnic, multicultural, multidimensional poor country with a large youth population is pushing her luck bests me.

The miser index in the country is so high right now, the dimming hope in the eyes of our citizens is palpable, the frustration in the voices of our people is loud, and the fringes of our country are like the simmering of an about-to-detonate bomb.

Democracy ought to give all parties hope, especially their followers and the larger society. when things are as they are in our country, you are bound to be very worried.

No one should assume that they can manage the anger of the people, if and when it blows over, it is not a pretty sight to imagine, how is it that on a similar set of issues, the courts are making contradictory declarations, in a country where some locations are more volatility than others, the one that inspires all towards a reasonable cause of action does so not out of weakness but out of sound understand of how a catastrophe of Titanic proportion is mostly difficult to salvage if the iceberg is not sighted on time.

Let the election bandits keep deceiving themselves till we all bear the consequences of our animalist behaviour. There is nothing wrong with democracy, we are the problem , a change of attitude and firm punishment as a deterrent is what is needed. Mankind has not invented a better government selection model never mind its flaws.

Otunba Segun Showunmi