NIGERIA: KLEPTOCRACY OR DEMOCRACY?

When most Nigerians heard about the sudden demise of the former military ruler, Gen. Sani Abacha who died on the 9^th of June, 1998, they thought the end has come completely to their sufferings, pains, government infliction, bad governance and the likes and believed that soon, things will be on the right track because his death would give room for the long awaited democratically elected government, which is widely believed to be the best form of governance with numerous benefits. The whole saga brought about democracy in Nigeria and on May 29^th 1999, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was sworn in as the first democratically elected president of

Nigeria.

Thus, May 29^th of every year, will always be remembered by Nigerians as the anniversary of her democracy, the day when dictatorial, authoritarian and autocratic, punitive military rule that existed for over 30 years came to an end in the country.

Unfortunately, the high expectations of many Nigerians were dashed when they could not really enjoy the long awaited democracy they just found. Rather the whole system is saddled with corruption and selfish government policies that favour only the cabals and the likes making most Nigerians to live below the expected standard. And the big question out there is, Is it really Democracy or Kleptocracy?

A brief introduction of both words will help give answer to this question.

Kleptocracy is a form of political and government corruption where the government exists to increase the personal wealth and political power of its officials and the ruling class at the expense of the wider population, often without pretence of honest service. This type of government corruption is often achieved by the embezzlement of state funds.

Kleptocracies are generally associated with corrupt forms of authoritarian governments, particularly dictatorships, oligarchies, military juntas, or some other forms of autocratic and nepotist government in which no outside oversight is possible, due to the ability of the kleptocrat(s) to personally control both the supply of public funds and the means of determining their disbursal. Kleptocratic rulers typically treat their country's treasury as though it were their own personal bank account, spending the funds on luxury goods as they see fit. Many kleptocratic rulers also secretly transfer public funds into secret personal numbered bank accounts in foreign countries in order to provide them with continued luxury if/when they are eventually removed from power and forced to leave the country.

And on the other hand, Democracy is an egalitarian form of government in which all the citizens of a nation together determine public policy, the laws and the actions of their state, requiring that all citizens (meeting certain qualifications) have an equal opportunity to express their opinion. In practise, "democracy" is the extent to which a given system approximates this ideal, and a given political system is referred to as "a democracy" if it allows a certain approximation to ideal democracy

Also it is a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections.

Going by the two definitions above, it is explicit that what we practise as a country is more of kleptocracy than of democracy.

Nigerians have waited so long to have a democratic system of governance after long sufferings from military juntas but it is a pity that our leaders have replaced the demo for klepto and now as Nigerians mark today as their democracy day we are yet to truly see and observe the true dividends of democracy in the life of the people.

Nigeria has become an unhealthy model of democracy, which is supposed to be a government of the people, by the people and for the people. Hardly is this definition or perception of democracy seen as being applicable in our country.

It was former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who ruled Nigeria for eight years like an Imperial Emperor under the PDP platform who said that election is a “do or die affair.” Existing political parties have neither carefully worked out, implementable manifesto, programme or stipulated agenda for the development of our nation and the welfare or well being of citizens.

Our experience of democracy since return to civil rule seemed not follow the cherished dogma that democracy is the belief (practically) in freedom and equality between people or a system of government based on such belief in which political power is either held by truly elected representatives or directly by the people themselves.

Day in day out, the noises of massive corrupt practises are held over the land and although Nigeria is without any shadow of doubt one of the most corrupt nations in the world there has not been any high public officer in history who has been made to face the music for official corruption. And so, from fairly timid manifestation in the 1960s, corruption has grown bold and ravenous as with each succeeding regime, and our public servants have become more reckless and blatant.

As Nigerians witness another democracy day today, we are all living witness to the failure of helpless integrity to solve the problem of rampant corruption which threatens now to paralyse our country in every sinew and every limb.

Obviously this situation which has built up over the years will take some time to correct assuming it is to be done peacefully. But, until Nigeria finds a president who is ready to take a decisive step and summon up the courage of ridding his administration of all persons on whom the slightest wind of corruption and scandal has blown, the true dividends of democracy will be yet achieved and the big question still remains, Nigeria: Kleptocracy Or Democracy?