A book titled “The State of Africa: A History of The Continent Since Independence ” written by Martin Meredith. He opined,” the hopes that Nigeria would be as a stronghold of democracy in Africa came to an abrupt halt on 15 January 1966. In a series of coordinated actions, a group of young army officers wiped out the country’s top political leaders.”

The questions are, after the assassination of these leaders did it change anything? Where is Nigeria today? If the purpose of the elimination is for democracy, where is the true democracy? When deception wants to establish a forever throne, she tends to start with a good vibe, at the end, it is for self-interest.

I have a sadness in my heart and it makes me weep for this nation. I have been thinking rigorously whether hope still lies here. Unfortunately, the more I think about it, the more awkward and backward everything seems. As a Young graduate with no connections, there’s a slim chance of securing a lucrative Job, yet the nation’s ministry of education produces millions of “unconnected” graduates every year.

This is just like a parable which opines that, the past is in the present, if the past is not sorted holistically, then, how would the present get prepared in order to tackle futuristic issues? As I put it in one of my articles titled “there was a country”.

https://purewords.co/2020/11/16/there-was-a-country/👇

“There is nothing working in that country. As a matter of fact, the line between the poor and rich is massive, you have to get money and connection in order to be at the abundance side. The most annoying part is, some people are above the law, howbeit, they preach what they can’t do. Is that a country? ”

As if glimpsing into a future we couldn’t see yet, the late Nigerian rapper Dagrin once said, is this democracy or crazy demo? The recent deployment of fully armed policemen to the lekki toll gate to stop another round of peaceful protest explains that we are in a government of stratocracy, not democracy.

Peaceful protesters were arrested because the supposed democratic Nigerian government wanted to reopen the Lekki tollgate meanwhile justice is yet to be served to the victims of the October 20th massacre, but the state government claims incapability to pay the concession staff. Would I be wrong to draw a conclusion from the actions of the government that, the lives of people who died at the Lekki toll gate in October 2020 is irrelevant? In Pidgin: Omo shey hope dey for this naija sha.

Hope is now the survival mode, when survival should be our hope. Shamefulness has become a popular thing within the hearts of our leaders, the zeal they had before assuming their offices has dropped so swiftly. I could see blood in those eyes without conscience, where is the innocent character they displayed in the prima facie? Where are the promises spoken, especially the ones illustrated in posters? Or have they forgotten so quickly? Obviously, the sugar-coated utterances made during campaigns were doctored to manipulate the masses all in the name of egoism and vainglory.

How about those hawking on the street? I admit that it is dangerous but they get arrested almost every day in their quest for survival. If stealing is not good, what alternatives have been provided? What employment opportunities are there? I am not saying that if alternatives are not provided, then, stealing should be the only way.

However, if X has only Y, will he or she permits Y to be in existence without assistance? What is the essence of a government? How about tribalism? How about political sentiment? How about religion? According to plato: he believes that conflicting interests of different parts of society can be harmonized. … The best, rational and righteous, political order, which he proposes, leads to a harmonious unity of society and allows each of its parts to flourish, but not at the expense of others. Is this type of government happening in Nigeria?

Furthermore, some individuals said, not all bandits are criminals. What a pity, there is a difference between education and illumination. It is possible to be educated and not be enlightened, this is what happens when a person is living with an antique mindset. The question is, are protesters criminals? I think these people don’t know who bandits are, if they knew this matter would have been handled with urgency.

In this case, is democracy feasible in Nigeria? In a journal titled, Obafemi Awolowo’s Mental Magnitude : A Panacea to Nigeria’s Rape of Democracy written by Paul Akwagiobe & Lambert Peter Ukanga. Published on March 31,2020.

” Mental magnitude is a philosophical doctrine which derives from a theory of mind and body, with the assertion that the mental is superior to the physical element of a person, and should take control over the emotions, desires, and actions of man. Indeed, the action of man now informs either the obedience to democracy or the rape of democracy here is concern with the dubious things our politicians do in the name of the so called staying in power.

A leader is to serve the nation but, in our case, the nation or the people are serving the leader. Democracy which supposes to be the government of the people, for the people and by the people, now turn to become a government where some individual want to stay in power till death. ”

In the aforementioned underlined and bolded journal the authors took these arguments further by quoting Obafemi Awolowo as explained below :
According to Awolowo, mental magnitude is a theory harps on a person’s ability to subvert the human desires that crave selfish interest and crass materialism. Basically, it is about good governance which is defined in terms of transparency, accountability, social justice, fairness, equity and selflessness. It says that leaders engage in corrupt practices and selfish acts because they lack complete education, which Awolowo links with the development of mind, body and brain, an embodiment of mental magnitude. It is the belief that leaders need to tame their appetite and emotion and embrace discipline as a value in order to achieve effective governance and development in society. It is in doing this that one can suppress the rape of democracy.

Although late Obafemi Awolowo was right, he omitted analyzing the type of education he implied. He should have cleared this vagueness because with the current situation on ground in Nigeria, I think the essence of education isn’t utilized judiciously. It’s definitely not by accumulating degrees. Because some degree holders still behave as if education is absentia in their lives. Howbeit that we are in a nation that the leadership seems to value cows more than human life.

In addition, In as much as I would love to express more, if possible express deeply I must also consider the audience so this article won’t result to boredom, howbeit, do you think the postulation about mental magnitude is realistic in Nigeria? Do you think Nigeria will get better or worse?

I have been hearing this phrase as far back as I can remember, “Nigeria would get to her promise land”, yet it seems to me that there is no signal of progress instead regression seems to be the economic and political order of the day, or am I the only one thinking that way? Is revolution coming soon? Many young bright minds that should be the future of the country, have left this country in frustration to seek for a better life and some have no plans on coming back home. We have hoped and believed but how many people are still holding unto a better Nigeria.

Could it be that the prominent assertion by Aminu Kano has prevailed which he said, “Nigeria will know no peace until the son of a nobody, can become somebody, without knowing anybody.”

Where can we get the son or daughter of nobody that can become somebody without knowing anybody? Has he or she been born? Who in Nigeria politics can assume a political post without godfatherism?

If we want to achieve a new Nigeria, I think we need to hit the reset button, there is no need to back the old folks and mannerisms up on Google drive. It’s time to start afresh.