Representation, Authoritarianism And The Paradox Of Liberal Democracy
By Samuel Akpobome Orovwuje
LAGOS AUGUST 13TH (NEWSRANGERS)-The turgid gaiety and a frenzy of cross – carpet hysteria a few days to the 2019 general elections reminds me of the most morbid nationalistic fantasies and the darkest moment of our democratic journey. Nigeria remains a divided polity, although united in elite power- play above the national interest and the common good.
Only the willfully blind can ignore the shenanigan in the political space and governance arena in the last three years or so. The political atmosphere is very tense and unusual political realignment is taking place at the expense of citizens. Some of the infamous politicians are changing political parties and urging their supporters to switch over their support to their new parties. Given this development, governance and legislative representations suffers. Further, the mischievous statements and over drive of some political parties’ existential warlords in support of their candidates smother a prognosis of violence and chaos if caution is not brought to appear across the divide.
Indeed, it has been the telling of pain, poverty, brutality, murder, mass extinction, every form of venality and cyclical horror ever imagined in our nation building efforts. The sub- national political system that worked before and after independence was based on rules and traditions that promote social harmony, order and sense of community. The current presidential style winner- take – all method and dictatorial democracy among the so-called elites and the larger political class has made nonsense of social order and the sense of community ownership of the political system has become elusive.
Evidently, there is too much government, but too little in performance and result at the state and federal levels has created strong agitations which has always led to anarchy, tyranny and most times politicians, their cronies, jobbers and institutional representatives becoming too powerful and potentially destructive in their quest to cling to power at all cost. The existential illusion of progress inflicts a particularly damning strain of despair as we witness the disillusioning and undoing of triumphs of liberal democracy and rule of law in Nigeria.
Sadly, in the middle of our current atmosphere of political presentism bias of strong, but weak men and lacking in honour and morality to do needful in process engineering of check and balance. In addition, extreme narrowing of governance perspective, it is not merely difficult but downright counterproductive to resist the ahistorical panic by taking such a telescopic view — lucid optimism that may be our most unassailable form of resistance to the corruptions and malfunctions of democracy as demonstrated in the invasion of the national assembly and the use of institutions of state for serving narrow political interest.
In the main redeeming matter of incremental progress has been suspect since the return of civil rule in 1999 particularly with the Buhari led Government. The recurring metaphors and images reveal political fantasies for power and not for the common good as an ideology. This politics of gangsterism has always present, part of the twist and bark of political elite that are driven essentially by ego, greed and a myopic world view of nation building and authentic governance mandate.
Interestingly, the flight of the imagination of our nation as an entity existing beyond actual individuals should constitutes the fundamental political ideology of our time. As a people particularly with 2019 general elections, we must provide a collective solution in order to eliminate pathogenic microbes from within the body politics, thus removing the source of Nigeria’s disease and enabling the nation to survive beyond clannishness that pervades the landscape.
While the current movements across political parties are morally repugnant, we must constantly draw our attention to a fundamental theme at the heart of nation building, namely the human tendency to reify and idealize nation-states; to relate to our nation as if real entities that exist separate from the individuals who constitute them. Indeed, many are frustrated by the infighting within the APC government, the unending drama in the surrogate PDP and the implicit failure of the current leadership at the centre to take decisive action on its promises with regard to security, anti- corruption and economic prosperity. This has given the space to those appointed to various government bodies to make their decisions without clear direction.
Regrettably, the public perception is that the government is ineffective and not doing much, which in my view is an accurate description of reality. Opposition leaders on the other hand, are giving dire warnings about the betrayal of the country by the Buhari led government fill the media space with statements. There continues to be pressure on the government to follow rule of law in the management of its affairs particularly in the handling of the herdsmen wreaking havoc on innocent citizens without prosecutions make nonsense of the state responsibility to protect within municipal and international law.
Going forward, the best course for the government would be to improve on the executive- legislative nexus with a view to finding a common ground in political and social engineering. While democracy itself guarantees nothing. Nevertheless, it offers the opportunity for every citizen to succeed as well as the risk of failure.
For the avoidance of doubt, democracy is both a promise and a challenge. It is a promise that gives freedom to every Nigerian, working together, can govern themselves in a manner that will serve their aspirations for freedom of choice, social justice and indeed economic prosperity and on other hand, it is a challenge because the success of any democratic enterprise rest squarely upon the shoulders of the operators particularly the legislature, the media and vigilant citizens.
One of the most important hallmarks to democratic practice throughout the world has been the development of a system of checks and balances which is federalism and separation of powers with a view to ensuring that political power is isolated and decentralised.
Indeed, liberal democracy is more than the sum of its institutions. Therefore, as evolving democracy with an overhang of military dictatorship and charlatans masquerading as leaders, we must as a people and a nation cultivate a democratic civic culture, which is shape by freedom of choice to pursue various interests, exercise rights and taking responsibility for their own actions.
In contrast, to authoritarian regime being displayed by the executive branch that seeks to instill an attitude of passive acceptance, the object of sustainable democratic culture is to produce leaders and citizens who are independent, questioning and analytical of their government.
Conversely, we must recognise that contradictory political desires are healthy indicators and democracy in my view is in many ways nothing more than a set of rules for managing conflict. At the same time, political conflict must be managed within certain limits and result in compromises, consensus, or other agreements that all sides accept as legitimate.
The current overemphasis on the power – play of majority and minority in the national assembly and political equation between the APC and the PDP can threaten the entire political undertaking. Therefore, the executive, the legislative branch, and the political warlords need to accept the inevitability of conflict as well as the necessity for tolerance. Now, it is important to recognise that many conflicts in a democratic setting are not between clear- cut right and wrong but between differing interpretations of democratic rights and social priorities.
Lastly, as we move close to the 2019 general elections, Nigerians need the media to inform and educate us so that we can make intelligent decisions about public policy options. The media itself should constantly hold itself as the watchdog over the government by upholding to a standard of uncommon independence and objectivity, however improperly, the traditional and social media can expose the truth behind the claims of the various branches of government particularly the executive- legislative rascality and hold public officials accountable for their actions and inactions. Therefore, as a people we can get the government we deserve!
Orovwuje, is founder, Humanitarian Care for Displaced Persons, Lagos.
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Posted by News Rangers
on Aug 13 2018. Filed under Features.
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