The sustainability of democracy in developed countries is based on different reasons. The first is the system because there is goodness, honesty and trust in the leadership.
Second, the system took many years because of the value of the government, for example, United States of America, where the star of democracy has been followed for more than two hundred years, the star has produced progress and development due to the sustainability of the Government activities over these years.
Not only in America but also in countries like United Kingdom, Russia, China, France, Germany and many other countries that follow their government system for centuries helping their communities to grow through sustained democratic system.
Here in Africa, we have countries that have gone far in keeping their communities growing in terms of economic development and progress due to the activities of the Government in those African countries whose slogan is, “government is a continuum”, which means government should be something that keeps on going.
Nigeria is supposed to be the giant of Africa but everything here in Nigeria has been against the democratic system since the beginning of independence until in recent years, 1999 to be precise, when the democratic rule came to stay but yet the democracy has not been able to improve the lives of the Nigerian people.
There is one thing to note, however, since 1999 when Nigeria returned to the rule of democracy, from top to bottom our economy has degenerated from bad to worse because a change of government always takes us backwards to a new beginning against the idea of “government is a continuum”.
Our focus has been so much on politics rather than progress taking after the “Let our own people lead” political sentiment of old which gave us a toxic political culture where every communities, tribes and regions become desperate to produce the next president, governor, local government chairman, councillor etc. solely to channel state resources to their own areas and to the hands of their cronies.
Keeping people out of poverty, empowerment, community development, security etc. are key points of development which our democracy in Nigeria couldn’t achieve since 1999 with each government coming and going with programs, goals, projects etc. that cannot meet up with the expectation of development.
The public service that ought to set things straight for government to be sustainable has become a tool for exploitation of our economy to laundering and plundering of our collective resources giving rise to sophisticated corruption with inequitable injustice including our ivory towers of learning which has been turned into notable centers for producing corrupt, nonintellectual figures that contribute nothing but liability to the country’s economy.
There are so many uncompleted projects everywhere, many discontinued programs, so much unaccountable government spending now diverted to personal pockets since nobody is asking about them.
Development demands sustaining government activities to continue where the last government left off so that wastage will be minimized and set goals will be achievable.
Personal interest, selfishness and greed must be dealt with decisively without any bias, prejudice or whether anyone is our own or not.
Laws must be enforced no matter whose horse is gored or else we will continue to rigmarole and merry-go-round without moving beyond the Nigeria of today where everything seems not to be working at all.
Government should not be about individuals but accountability, politics of interest should be jettisoned while people pursue a national interest that can bring progress and development.
Above all, governments at all levels will need to follow a roadmap designed for the development of Nigeria rather than bringing unsustainable personal ideas that takes us no where rather than backwards after so many years of our failing and ailing democracy so that every Nigerian can breathe a fresh air of a new Nigeria we all deserve.
For correspondence email femiores@katsinamirror.ng