June 12: Is Nigeria’s Democracy Worth Celebrating?

The Federal Government has declared Monday, 12th of June 2023, as a public holiday in celebration of this year’s democracy day.

This was contained in a statement released by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Interior, Dr Oluwatoyin Akinlade, on behalf of the Federal Government today.

In the statement, Akinlade said, “Nigeria’s democratic journey has, like in many other climes, encountered both stormy and smooth sails, but the ship of State, its institutions and most importantly, the Nigerian people have remained steadfast on the tenets of democratic governance.”

Nigeria celebrates 24 years of uninterrupted democracy amidst public dissatisfaction by the electorates. This comes as the recently concluded general elections were yet again marred by electoral malpractices and irregularities.  These irregularities have further heightened political apathy in youths who are expected to receive the baton of leadership in the coming years.

Wishing all Nigerians a Happy Democracy Day celebration, Akinlade said, “On this memorable occasion therefore, Nigerians and friends of Nigeria are invited to appreciate the progress that has been made, celebrate the milestones covered and look forward to a better future for the country’s democracy.

How Nigeria’s democracy can be fixed

Looking forward to a better future for the country’s democracy involves prioritising the security infrastructure of the country. It also entails ensuring that conflict triggered by political competition and communal, ethnic, religious or resource allocation rivalries are properly tackled.

More importantly, the country’s electoral system needs to be more independent and equipped. To restore the hope of citizens in the electoral process, leaders of integrity should be appointed to occupy electoral offices.

Also, elected leaders must do their best to lift Nigerians out of poverty by introducing policies that advance development. Furthermore, civil societies must be given adequate opportunities to engage with the government and advocate for change. All these and more are steps that must be taken to make Nigeria’s democracy worth celebrating in the coming years.