By Emma Asie anipr (MR E)
Erudite scholar, teacher and forensic psychologist, Dr Law Mefor, has opined that democracy as is being practiced in Nigeria currently is useless to the country if it does not meet the the country's developmental needs.
Dr Mefor stated when he featured this as a guest on Alpha Radio 106.5fm' s Political talkshow "Political Heat" anchored by Emmanuel Asiegbunam (Mr E on the Mic)
According to him, Nigeria is yet to practice true democracy and as such cannot fault that system of government. He stated that democracy is like any other form of government but it has greater potentials to bring about all encompassing development at the grassroots if practiced in its true form. However, Nigeria s democratic experience has not yielded the desired dividends hence the people are yet to feel the impact of the representative government. In his words "it's only when we practice true democracy as it is being done in United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and the United States where we copied from, that we can access if democracy is really working for us or not and can then talk of trying something else. But in a situation where we abuse and corrupt the system of government that has developed other countries, we should not blame the system for not working for us." Dr Mefor opined that most people are only waiting for the opportunity to plunder the nation's commonwealth in the name of National Cake due to the culture of impunity and corruption prevalent in the country. He divided Nigerians broadly into "the ruling wicked and the waiting wicked".
The veteran journalist and best selling author who was also the Special Adviser on Media to the former senate president Sen Ken Nnamani during the early years of the fourth republic under then president Obasanjo, cited John Locke's social contract theory that governments exist to protect the rights and guarantee the wellbeing of citizens, to buttress his assertion that any system of government that cannot do these, is not worthy of being practiced. He faulted successive administrations in Nigeria of thwarting the collective wills of the people and foisting self-serving unpopular policies upon the country in the name of democracy. Describing democracy in the eternal words of Abraham Lincoln as "government of the people, by the people and for the people" he enumerated the characteristics of a true democracy to include "periodic, free, fair and credible elections that reflect the will of the people; judicious observance of the rule of law; true federalism as against the current pseudo-federalism being practiced; checks and balances to curb execeses especially from the executive; accountablity and responsibility as well as active participation of the people" He also expressed support for state police as one of the key features of a federal democracy.
Dr Mefor while congratulating Nigerians for attaining twenty five years of unbroken civilian rule, urged both the political class and the people, to "allow the spirit of true democracy to take root in the country so that Nigerians can feel the real impact of democracy as against mere civil non military rule that we have now".
To watch the interview on Facebook, pls clink on the link below
https://www.facebook.com/100088686260445/videos/1141886393716545/?app=fbl
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