On the subject of the President’s media chat, some say they found his declarations “dictatorial. So, allow me to play devil’s advocate and ask: Is a good dictatorship better than a corrupt democracy?
In asking this question I’m reminded of an article “Dictatorship, Democracy and Development by a political scientist, Mancur Olson where he points out that studies show no large group has ever been able to reach a voluntary agreement to ensure law and order. Is law and order in everyone’s interest?
The honest truth is that it isn’t. Nigeria is a prime example of this. Those who have looted public funds go abroad and see how things are done but it is not in their interest to develop Nigeria or to give us the sort of schools, roads or healthcare that exist in other climes.
With their short term mentality and lack of creativity, what businesses could they start which would give them the sort of instant, wild returns that public office does? Many of those accused of corruption could not survive if Nigeria had a level playing field with opportunities for all.
Talented, brilliant Nigerians abound who would quickly displace the political class were the gates to be opened to them and their contributions. Democracy and openness is not man’s natural state. It isn’t what lays the foundation for law and order either.
Strong men, those with the same frugal, disciplined nature as Buhari, those are the sorts who demand that the law be unwavering and apply to all.
The PDP has incredibly positioned itself as a defender of a would-be democracy.
But in effect, what it has supervised for 16 years is a kleptocracy where certain groups saw it fit and found it incredibly easy to take from Nigeria and give nothing back. Kleptomaniacs are described as people with an obsessive desire to steal. This corrupted form of democracy has not benefitted Nigerians. With Buhari, I believe there is another way.
Dictatorial experience
Typically, it is said that dictatorships enable faster development (decision-making is streamlined) and instill discipline and order. It is interesting then that our military rulers installed and perfected kleptocratic government rather than develop Nigeria.
Indeed, one factor was missing in our dictatorial experience: the love of country. Or if you’re more cynical, the understanding of simple economics. None of our military rulers seemed to understand (or care?) that there would be more money to be made for themselves and their proxies in a state where things work and Nigerians are empowered enough to purchase goods and services which could have been offered by them!
How do monarchies work? The whole of Britain, in essence, works and exists to pay the royals a salary. Why have the Emirati or Saudi monarchies never been toppled?
They provide health care and education, these governments have given their citizens not just the basics, but empowered them with enough spending power to conveniently ignore that the same individuals have been in control of their destinies for centuries.
Dictatorships work: except in Africa where unfortunately, there is no national cause, no sense of purpose, love of country or greatness to strive for. President Buhari is definitely not a dictator (a dictator would not have been able to resist the temptation of throwing Olisa Metuh, Ayo Fayose or Femi Fani-Kayode in jail for the insulting, inhumane comments they often make) but if by dictator his critics mean someone who will do the right thing no matter whose interests are at stake, or someone who won’t listen to groups who come to Aso Rock to “beg for one guilty man or another, then please, let Buhari keep on “dictatoring.
Singapore achieved an economic miracle in an impossible time frame: Lee Kuan Yew, a “dictator of sorts, a man who knew right from wrong and kept enemies of social order and collective prosperity at bay, stabilised his country completely.
So, if today young Singaporeans can even aspire to more rights and freedoms, it is because of him. Without order and an end to the sort of reckless stealing we in Nigeria have witnessed, there can be no development, no freedoms.
If we would stop clamouring for the liberty of accused individuals to keep killing us with impunity, we would realise that
Reckless stealing
Buhari’s federal budget for instance, which favours health and education (the back bone of any democracy) for the first time in years is not just a game-changer, but the motivation Nigerians need to eschew our differences in the long term.
In a country led by kleptomaniacs, there has never been any incentive for Nigerians to produce: our non-oil exports are laughable for a country as large and as rich. To use a metaphor from the article I previously mentioned: past governments were wolves preying on unsuspecting elk. Buhari is the ranch owner who makes sure his cattle are protected and given water.
Some have criticised the President for his comments on Dasuki’s trial. The President said: “If you see the atrocities these people committed against this country, we can’t allow them to jump bail. What of the over two million people displaced, most of them orphans whose fathers have been killed? We cannot allow that. I wonder how these purported activists can claim to be pro-people while they defend those accused of killing Nigerians. Justice, the concept of fairness is universal. Unfortunately, in its application by human beings who are of course fallible and prone to monetary persuasions, temptations and corruption, the law or rather lawyers and judges, can fall short of justice.
In such cases it is morally justifiable to ignore them. After all, slavery and the holocaust were once legal and those who assisted Blacks or Jews were outlaws. Margaret Thatcher regrettably once called Mandela a criminal.
So, that some courts granted Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) movement, a group with violent, separatist tendencies, bail and that government refused to release him because they believe him to be a threat to public order, is fine.
Nigeria cannot afford to operate like it once did. We are at war, a war against corruption, a war to keep this country together. Those who are proven menaces to the successful waging of said war, which is in the interest of Nigerians, those who have proven themselves to be enemies of the state cannot be allowed to walk the streets freely.
If they are, what will they do if not use their stolen wealth to fight back, to fight not just government, but the average Nigerian, using our own money to further kill and oppress us?
True leaders don’t allow separatism, ethnic hate to thrive or greedy elite to knowingly harm their citizens. If that makes Buhari a dictator then let him “dictate right from wrong all he wants.
Labaran Maku
As a people, we are incredibly fond of speaking after the facts. The former minister of information has called for the removal of the immunity clause for elected officials from the constitution.
Interestingly, he didn’t push for such measures while a political appointee. The Attorney General of the Federation must prosecute the real dictators.
The former Chairman of the EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu presented a report to the National Assembly in 2006 detailing corruption cases and indictments involving 31 former governors. The sort of individuals who use public funds meant to develop the poor to fulfill their own selfish whims, they are the real monsters who have supervised the killing of the masses.
Rich kids of Instagram
Pictures of Smart Adeyemi (a former senator)’s daughter’s £19k gold wristwatch (like former FCT Minister Bala Mohammed’s son’s luxury cars) have sparked much debate on social media as to the provenance of the funds used to purchase it, amidst allegations that American reality TV stars dated oil magnates rumoured to be connected to former Petroleum Minister Diezani Madueke. Is it suicidal for politically connected persons to flaunt their wealth in the Buhari era? Time will tell.
VANGUARD
END
Be the first to comment