On youth restiveness

It is the belief of many that democracy should guarantee people good life. A stable democracy piloted by visionary leaders who possess the intellectual clout to see issues at their broader and more complex perspectives should ensure a strong, stable, vibrant, virile economy with an enabling peaceful and stable political environment. Under a condition like this, the citizens can benefit maximally and fully from democracy – good living condition, employment generation, security of lives, properties and equal opportunities for self-actualization.

It must be the quest for a society where every individual can pursue his or her own aspiration using his or her God given potential to the fullest that made many Nigerians take the battle for democracy with seriousness it deserved. But our democracy had been bastardized through bad leadership and non-challance of our leaders that tends to stay in power for the rest of their life.

Indeed, I don’t see any concrete reason why youths of nowadays will be canvassing people to vote for a 70-year and above old man into power, as they did in last year’s general election, while the youths of 40 plus roaming around the streets without job opportunities and which could not even have access to ordinary state house of assembly ticket, instead of National House of Assembly due to the high cost of nomination forms and financial constraint to pursue his/her political carriers.

Now, the consequence is devastating; hunger, disease and ignorance became the lot of Nigerians. Life became a thing to endure rather than enjoy. But with the birth of the democratic dispensation in 1999, millions of Nigerians were imbued with hope, hopes that at last, beautiful things were about to happen to the country that their sorrows and distress would soon be the thing of the past and come to an end totally. What with the avalanche of promises made to the people by the democratically elected leaders.

But after 21 years of transition programme, the democratically elected leaders are yet to make the people see the difference between this civilian regime and the plundering military junta that for long held the nation hostage.

Although, it is commonly said that the worst civilian regime is much better than the best military administration, Nigerians will want to see this betterment in very concrete terms and forms. Nigerians will want to see food on their tables, have access to effective health care delivery system, good roads, potable water, etc. There must be a remarkable difference manifestable in the quality of life of the citizens of this country.

Life becomes harder for the people, people are committing suicide by jumping into the rivers and hanging themselves for the fact that they cannot meet up with the present situation of Nigeria’s economy, no more middle class; it is either you are rich or you poor, corporate beggars become the order of the days, no one is now feeling shy to beg for money. Please, what sort of democracy are we practising?

Ademola Orunbon,

Ogun State.