DEMOCRACY against Dictatorships and Followerships

President Goodluck Jonathan

Nigeria is entering another phase in its new democratic dispensation. After many years of dictatorships, an autocratic form of absolute rules by self-imposed military brigands, that were unrestricted by constitution or law, or other social and political factors; Nigerians are picking up the pieces of the political, social and the economic desolation inflicted on our nation.  In those abominable years, Nigeria was subjected to all kinds of nefarious decrees by a clique of oligarchy in military uniforms. At that time, the rulerships were by intimidation and when possible by arrest, torture and assassinations. The outcomes of dictatorships in Soviet Union, Germany, Zaire, Libya were devastating to the citizens and in many cases to the world.
Dictatorship in Cuba is no different with an economy frozen in time.  To Nigerians, the outcome of many years of dictatorships are evident by the present state of political, social and economic rot that was bequeathed to the present democratic administration.
 By divine, Nigeria was saved from a definite catastrophic implosion.   It is not surprising that a transformation to democracy may be too much a transition to many Nigerians whose social and economic standing have been traumatized and weakened by many years of dictatorships..
We are beginning to witness politics of 'follower-ship' in our budding democracy. This may be considered a normal and  a natural phenomenon from entrenched poverty of ideas and economic subjugation and a deflated national self esteem after many years of dictatorships.  Followership is an indication of a desperate class of people who will follow a leader for a bag of rice or a couple of naira.  These tokens of reward can earn an imbecile a follower-ship from brilliant and sound minds but economically poor men and women who are scraping to get by. These followership have been magnified by the charades of political defections. Followership is the willingness to accept someone as a leader by those who are unable to make independent decision either by law or protocol as we see in military formations; or those who are unwilling to take and accept responsibility for an independent decision. In followerships, the leader selects and or makes all the important decisions in the selection process to satisfy his ultimate goals and needs.

Followership is undemocratic

Followership is undemocratic and morally repugnant. It does not promote self actualization of inner strengths.  These political defections is a follower-ship; it is crude at its worst, and it is strange.  In Nigeria, we are seeing some elected officials running up and down the house looking for a political party to defect to or waiting for instructions from his handlers before making a decision.  Some families were even trying to create a phantom political dynasty with blind followerships.  We must consider this as a natural development in our young democracy.  These
defections have exposed the shallowness of several of our politicians.  Now we hear that Abubakar Atiku, one of the founding members of a major political party, is threatening to defect to the opposition out of selfish unfulfilled political ambition. Good radiance.

We welcome all these political defections and realignments as part of the democratic development. When all is settled, a more mature democracy will emerge.

At Center for Modern Nigeria, we want the opposition to get their acts together and form a credible opposition through informed ideologies and manifesto that put Nigeria first.  So far, we are not seeing any credibility in the APC that indicates their political seriousness and a dedication to Nigeria cause. Scavenging for political defectors may finally be its undoing at the ballot box.

We acknowledge that Nigeria is on her way to greatness with the ongoing transformation agenda with this administration. At every election, the electorates with dump any ineffective and non performing politician at the ballot box.

Our democratic system is not perfect; it is the best EVER..........