NIGERIA AS A DEMOCRATIC STATE DESERVES A REVOLUTION IN THE ABSENCE OF POSITIVE CHANGE

NIGERIA AS A DEMOCRATIC STATE DESERVES A REVOLUTION IN THE ABSENCE OF POSITIVE CHANGE

Written by Ukekwe Augustine Chigozie

                                    INTRODUCTION

Nigeria as a democracy deserves a revolution since change had failed to come. Nigeria as a democratic state is a country where there should be rule of law i.e. supremacy of law over everybody in the state. Nigeria supposed to be a state where the leader serves the public, a country where the majority interest should be the focus of the leader, Nigeria supposed to be a country where the government should be the government of the people, by the people and for the people. This is so when looking at the true meaning of democracy that Nigeria is termed to be practicing.
 But in the case of Nigeria its not so and since 1960 we have been begging dreaming and hoping for change but a positive change it no way coming. what then is the solution, Revolution! it involves youth of strong heart with one ideology, people who eat to live and not people who live to eat.
But do you think revolution is possible in Nigeria when the only thing majority of the youths does these days is to eat then go on the internet and browse of how last for 1 hour (you know what i mean) while the country had been shacked by men of no conscience called our leaders.
I have a dream, a wish of a better Nigeria, a country where peace, unity and progress will reign. A country where there will be supremacy of law over everybody, a country where the people will be the priority of the government.  we need both mind revolution.

REVOLUTION INVOLVES PEOPLE OF ONE MIND AND IDEOLOGY

PEOPLE WHO CAN DIE FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN

             WHAT THEN IS DEMOCRACY NIGERIA IS CLAIMED TO BE PRACTICING
This is a system of government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or by their elected agents under a free electoral system. A state of society characterized by formal equality of rights and privileges.Compared to dictatorships, oligarchies, monarchies and aristocracies, in which the people have little or no say in who is elected and how the government is run. Though a democracy is often said to be the most challenging form of government, as input from those representing citizens determines the direction of the country. Nigeria as a democracy has failed and change is totally absent, we still stick by our colonial hangover. We have been waiting hoping for change, praying that one day the country will change for good but rather it is about who can pump in the most money and buy the most access. Cash is handed out to local leaders, bags of rice are given to women's groups, and promises are made about fixing roads that nobody really believes will be fixed. We need a country where Candidates will no longer merely hold colorful rallies, but will answer questions about important issues such as education, electricity and welfare at large.


                                                          CHANGE!
Change is considered as the only thing which is constant, according to the early philosophers like Heraclitus; ‘nothing is rather everything is becoming’, he postulated that you cannot step into the same river twice (change). Change means to become different in some particular way, without permanently losing one's or its former characteristics or essence, to lay aside, to abandon or make different and cause a transformation. Change is to exchange or replace with another, usually of the same kind or category.

Nigeria need a change and she has been changing since the end of military intervention in her politics in 1999.But the question is what kind of change we need because Nigeria has been changing every year from bad to worse. Even now the country is in a state of chaos, economic recession and hunger and the president is nowhere to be found. Nigeria has failed to change to what it ought to be (democratic state)

Why is the Nigerian polity so over-heated, and yet, it is apparently resilient? Could the Nigerian condition make a quantum transition to a worse condition, or maybe to a better reality, or could Nigeria simply stagnate forever. Is there any need to change the status quo in contemporary Nigerian politics? Are the rules of engagement in Nigerian politics overdue for drastic changes? How do we minimize the resultant entropy in the Nigerian political system? What are the most optimal and workable short-term solutions that can assure long-term resolution of Nigeria’s political dysfunction?

At the heart of all these are the economic fluctuations which have pulverized the nation. After fifty years of political and (economic?) independence, our economy has stagnated and the present office holders continue to blame the military for the country’s woes and hiding behind the toga of ‘nascent democracy’ which has been in practice for the past thirteen years. This is about the wellbeing of the population in the extent to which the economy successfully banishes poverty, want, ignorance and disease. It is, according to Dr. Mahmud Tukur, about success in wealth creation, prosperity for the broad masses of the people, security of life and property at home, at work, on the roads and in social harmony. However, a closer look at the performance of the politicians for the period covered leaves much to be desired. Billions upon billions of taxpayers’ money have continued to be siphoned through official sleaze. Corruption has become pandemic, executive impunity has become fashionable, and rule of law is only chanted at official gatherings without a dint of intention for its implementation.

Insecurity of lives and properties has become rampant in the country, which is a more reason why we ardently need a viable polity – that is a Nigeria in which there is free movement of people, goods and services and country in which residency and participation rights are guaranteed for all Nigerians wherever they may choose to live. This connectivity is important and has to be appreciated by elite which has the reputation of greed and selfishness.

We have been promised dividends of democracy, only to end up witnessing unprecedented looting of the nation’s treasury. We were promised good roads, healthcare, electricity supply and good governance, but Nigerians are still ‘suffering and smiling’ as they travel through the most pot-holed roads spread across the country; as for healthcare, the least said about it the better as people are on daily basis being eliminated by common diseases (such as malaria) which other nations have since forgotten about its existence. Electricity supply is near zero and Nigerians have become depressingly hopeless as to when the problem is going to be addressed.

Nigeria need a revolution in absence of a better change. We cannot continue dreaming, we have to stop playing it safe. For me peaceful resolution may not be accomplished,so let’s do it the other away round. The fascist believed in war as a form of settlement of dispute.Nigerians have lingered too long in vain in the hope that the leopard will change her spots. Nigeria deserves a revolution.


                                                  NEED FOR REVOLUTION:

Revolution is a fundamental change in political power or organizational structures where the people rise up and revolt against the government, it is open resistance to a government or authority. Revolution is a rebellion that succeeds in overthrowing the current government and establishing a new state.

According to Aristotle there are two types of political revolution which are a complete change from one constitution to another and modification of an existing constitution.Revolutions have occurred through human history and vary widely in terms of methods, duration, and 9motivating ideology. Their results include major changes in culture, economic and social-political institution and all these results are what Nigeria really need.

Nigeria is faced with a static nonviolent change in the social and political structure of our society and a colonial legacy where man’s inhumanity to man has become the order of the day. There is the need to embark on total revolution since the discontented groups in society have been unable to improve their circumstances by peaceful and legal means, we have to embark on revolting against the deaf and dumb society. The desire to establish a new society in terms of political, economic and social structures represent a radical break from the previous system and a break from the past. Freedom mostly if not only comes by revolution.
Revolution does not necessarily have to be violent but only becomes violent when those in control of the existing government forces its will upon those who would chose to be free from its dominion. Though some revolutions are characterized by warfare and violence such as the American Revolution 1775-83, In the case of America’s founding, power transferred from Great Britain to the individual States of America, The French Revolution 1789 and the Russian revolution of 1917, but after such revolution there are clear difference in the economy, social and cultural situation of  these states. though revolution causes hatred, somethings takes those who headed it. In whichever way revolution is what Nigeria need because it is going to establish a new state with a new constitution, new form of government and less corrupt state.

                 KARL MARX AND FREDRICK ENGELS VIEW OF REVOLUTION:
Karl Marx was hated and demonized by the ruling classes of Europe because he was above all else a revolutionary. He dedicated his life to revolution. A genius from the ranks of the bourgeoisie, Marx and his family led a life of great poverty and destitution so that he could devote all of his energies to the movement for the liberation of the working class.

Marx brought forth a new theory of revolution. That's why he was hated. And because so many workers from China to Russia to Cuba to South Africa have upheld the banner of Marxism as they overthrew oppressing classes, Marx and his theory of revolution continue to be the focus of great hatred by the bosses, bankers, landlords and land owners everywhere.

Marx and Engels disapproved the concept of capitalism in the manifesto of the communist party, they see the dictatorship of capitalism as an obstacle in the struggle for the survival of socialism. Marxism-Leninism is the ideology of an ascending class, the ideology of the new society, the ideology of peace and friendship among peoples.
The central socioeconomic task facing the socialist countries is that of satisfying the peoples growing material and cultural requirement and improving their living and working conditions. In the socialist countries, the bulk of all incomes 70-80 percent is distributed among working people in accordance with their labour contribution to socialized production in the form of wages. At the same time, society takes care of those who cannot make their own living. These include children and old-age pensioners and also invalids and those not working temporarily through sickness or because they have to look after the sick. A centralized social security fund has been set up for their maintenance to pay old age and disability pensions and pensions for the loss of the breadwinner, sickness benefits, maternity benefits and regular aid to families with dependent children.


                                                    CONCLUSION

Aristotle postulated that there are two types of revolutions which are complete change from one constitution to another and modification of an existing constitution.

For example The U.S. Revolution was not a social revolution because it did not change the existing property forms. The slave owners were still the slave owners after the revolution. In fact, they led the revolution. And the slaves were still the slaves.

It was a political revolution in the sense that a new form of government was created. The British colonial government was replaced by a new coalition government of slave-owners and a new merchant class or bourgeoisie.

But to the type of revolution which Nigeria need is what I called total revolution, politically, economically and socially.

I have a dream of a better Nigeria, a country where peace, unity and progress will reign. A country where there will be supremacy of law over everybody, a country where the people will be the priority of the government. And revolution is what we need to achieve these.
In absence of change Nigeria as a democracy deserves a revolution.
I look forward to better Nigeria through revolution.





REFERNCES

Oxford English dictionary, democracy, change and revolution.

The communist manifesto, capitalism/ socialism.

Wikipedia.org.ng, need for political revolution.

Mary Wollstonecraft, W 1790, a vindication of the right of men.

www.news24.com.ng, democracy in Nigeria, trends and major challenges.

Huntington, P 1968, political order in changing societies.

Vlaimirlenin 1917, the state and revolution.