58boys about 20men
Democracy in Nigeria today has reach a milestone. In biological counting humans’ male of female are considered adults at nineteen having the freedom to make decisions for themselves either in their advantage or otherwise.
I like to chronicle events especially those of common interests to our (Nigeria) trajectory. On this day in the year 1999 the whole nation (and by extension the world) stood still with eyes glued to the square village witnessing the transfer of power from the second shortest serving military government of Abdulsalami Abubakar to the inflexibly elected civilian government led by Olusegun Obasanjo (a former military Head of State). This event marked the beginning of the fourth republic in Nigeria at the Eagles’ Square.
Today our parable is that of 58boys about 20men. In a few months from now our national colours will adorn the air in commemoration of our famed independence anniversary even though our issues remain with us. Our political leaders have giving us not too much to celebrate and today like one of those days history has some lessons to teach if we would be attentive enough. Let me quickly refer to the speeches of the two center characters of the 1999 democratic drama on 28th May and 29th May 1999 respectively.
General Abdulsalami in his valedictory speech defines democracy uniquely in the Nigerian context;
“There is nothing wrong in having differences. It is how we manage the differences that is important. Democracy, it must be said, is not a gathering of people with the same views. It is not about uniformity
of ideas, about the governance of the state. Democracy is about the resolution of differences that exist in society, in such a manner, that the state retains its focus and strength and is able to move
forward to attain greater heights. Democracy is about working for the people and respecting their will and the rights of others. Democracy is about accountability, about decency and elevating conduct. That is what democracy is all about.”
This definition exactly defines our current realities, with the underlying arguments of restructuring. It only goes to say that our issues have never left us they have only changed names to fit the times and persons who raise them. Of a fact, we have lived as culturally different people with the same national heritage. How did it take us this long to see what was coded in this speech nineteen years ago? This was at a time we had no idea of what democratic government what or its consequent peculiarities.
Olusegun Obasanjo in his inaugural speech also gives an insight for our observation;
“You have been asked many times in the past to make sacrifices and to be patient. I am also going to ask you to make sacrifices, and to exercise patience. The difference will be that in the past sacrifices were made and patience exercised with little or no results. This time, however, the results of your sacrifice and patience will be clear and manifest for all to see. With God as our guide, and with 120 million Nigerians working with me, with commitment, sustained effort, and determination, we shall not fail. On my part, I will give the forthright, purposeful, committed, honest and transparent leadership that the situation demands.”
This was directly addressed to the Nigerian people who had been severally abused by right and existence in the hands of successive Military Governments. This same rhetoric has plagued our democracy, as the plea for patience and sacrifices have become like a nursery rhyme continuously recited by those who serve us in leadership while we like devotees of their seeming sacredness continue to offer appeasements of perseverance to tolerate even their excessiveness. There are other references to corruption and ‘sacred cows’ contained in the Obasanjo speech that I will no bore you about because today is for relaxation and rest from the continuous stress that our country is now know for.
Summarily, I have decided to check these speeches because I in the potency of history as a cure to the forgetfulness of the present which is a human syndrome especially in Nigeria. I mean how can you think of digging up history when you are occupied with unanswered question of what to eat. Our recent consciousness about this long stayed issues is a dividend of democracy worth celebrating because for years as 58boys we never raised a hoot as we now do. The question of how it took us this long to reach here is a topic for another discuss, however I must say it is also a pointer that we are becoming men in our democratic practices which is about 20years now. For our leaders who have decided to stay on the part of the 58boys oblivion of times and trends I congratulate them on today’s occasion and for my constituency, the Nigerian People I congratulate you today for the feats you have achieved celebrating things needed to be celebrated at when due and forgetting them when needed because they no longer satisfy our longings this is the hallmark of being men and about 20 men I mean. We celebrated the coming of GSM and will continue to be grateful but to continue to dine in the euphoria of that is doom which we cannot permit. Once again I congratulate the Nigerian people today for being on the right track of manhood however young, we have become men in our approach to governance and I will end this with the closing remarks of Olusegun Obasanjo in the same speech quoted above;
“I shall end this address by stressing again that we must change our ways of governance and of doing business on this eve of the coming millennium. This we must do to ensure progress, justice, harmony and unity and above all, to rekindle confidence amongst our people. Confidence that their conditions will rapidly improve and that Nigeria will be great and will become a major world player in the near future.”
Did you see the word CHANGE there? Although I share the same views on the peoples side.
HAPPY DEMOCRACY DAY, fellow Nigerians.
