A kind-hearted man wanted to support some beggars to become productive instead of just begging. He gave some of them sums of money to start up small businesses to sustain themselves. After a week, he saw two of the beggars begging again in some kilometres away from their initial location. They had saved or spent the ‘business-capital’, and relocated to another spot to continue their usual business of begging. After this encounter, this man became hesitant of helping beggars, who sit down waiting for the dividends of democracy.
Listening to Nigerian electorate reveals a high level of passivity that can only perpetuate looting and underdevelopment in Nigeria. “The former governor built some roads, streetlights and hospitals for us, the other one gave us light, water and Mall. So, we are waiting for a governor that will build roads, give us 24hours-light, share money and food for us. We are waiting for the dividends of democracy from our leaders, and that is all we ask for.” Statements like these show why Nigerian electorates are deceived by politicians like false prophets who promise them heaven in exchange for votes.
What is democracy? Democracy is classically defined by Abraham Lincoln as “a government of the people, by the people and for the people.”[1] It is a government in which the supreme power flows from the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections.[2] It is founded on the belief that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.[3]
Pursuing full measure of happiness is a constant activity which humans undertake every daily. It is the state of fulfilment that comes from a person’s self-actualization in a society.[4] The individual actualizes himself by developing his potentials to discharge specific tasks that distinguish him in the society.[5] By discharging the roles for which he has developed his potentials, the individual obtains financial reward and other benefits. Because he has developed himself to contribute meaningfully, he is respected as a responsible member of the society.
To pursue a full measure of happiness, the individual firstly requires proper education to develop his potentials for gainful productivity.[6] Second, the individual requires proper opportunity to engage his developed abilities in a gainful production of goods and services. Third, the individual requires security of life and private property. The development of potentials, the engagement of ability in production and the security of life and private property; these are the enabling factors for people to pursue a full measure of happiness in the society.
What is the dividend of democracy?
The dividend of democracy is thus, the access to education, opportunity for gainful productivity and security of life and private property.
What do some Nigerians currently see as dividends of democracy?
The average Nigerian’s view of dividends of democracy can be inferred from the promises of victorious election candidates in Nigeria. This inference is drawn from the assumption that people vote for a candidate who has promised to meet their expectations.
So, since the last decade, candidates win elections by promising a monthly 5,000 naira to unemployed youths, food for school children, provision of light, roads, infrastructure and undefined employment.[7] These promises fail to address the main issues of development and opportunity for citizens to own and use their mineral resources to produce what they need. They are like damage-control measures or placebo for distraction from the requirements for pursuing full measure of happiness. They appear like giving people fish, instead of teaching and giving them access to rivers for fishing.
What should be the expectation of Nigerian electorates?
Presently, there is a huge industrial and infrastructural deficit for which Nigerian governments keep taking foreign loans. Unfortunately, after borrowing, the funds are paid back to foreign firms for the infrastructure, goods and services that are still distribute on the infrastructure. Nigeria borrows to import fuel and agricultural machineries, to build roads, hospitals and other things. But Nigerians have lots of mineral resources as well as engineers who should use the mineral resources to produce what Nigerians needs Instead of enabling Nigerians to grow and process their resources for production, Nigerian government sells the resources to highest bidders, [8][9][10] mostly foreigners.
Nigerians must decide whether they are ready to work hard for productivity using their resources or to wait for handouts. Those who seek fulfilment from their productive contribution to the society may begin to demand something different as dividend of democracy. Instead of demanding food, money, finished goods and foreign-installed infrastructure, they must demand ownership of their resources for production. They must demand proper education as development for using their mineral resources to produce what they need, otherwise they will remain beggars who depend physically and mentally on handouts from politicians, foreign firms and charity organizations.
There must be a change of the beggar-mentality, who is waiting for the dividends of democracy in the form of finished goods. The dividends of democracy are raw seeds that must be planted, watered, weeded and nurtured to grow. They are opportunities to find fulfilment and happiness by contributing the best of our human ability to building and developing our society. The dividends of democracy are not already-made food, water, money, roads, light, palliatives waiting for us to enjoy, instead they are opportunities and support for self-actualization.
No president, governor or lawmaker can give us the true dividends of democracy if we are not ready to take charge of our lands and resources. The dividends of democracy are therefore, the freedoms to pursue our full measure of happiness. We are the ones to pursue it, and no one will catch it and give to us. For those who are asking for a government that will provide light, roads, food, hospitals, water and all others, no government can provide these things for them more than they can provide it for themselves when they collaborate for productivity and trade with other people in the society.
[1] Abraham Lincoln, http://www.democracy-building.info/definition-democracy.html
[2] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/democracy
[3] Cf. Barack Obama, First Presidential Inaugural Speech. 20th January, 2009. https://www.aol.com/article/news/2017/01/19/president-barack-obamas-first-inauguration-speech-full-text/21657532/
[4] Cf. Joseph Omoregbe, Socio-Political Philosophy and international relations (Lagos: Joja Press, 2007). P.vi
[5] Cf. Ibid. P.VI
[6] Cf. Joel Feinberg, “Freedom and Liberty”,Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Version 1.0, ed. Edward Graig, London: Routledge.
[7] Vanguard online News: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/05/what-buhari-promised-nigerians/ on 28th May, 2015
[8] Nigerian minerals and mining act 2007 act no. 20, chapter 1, Part 1, Section 1, paragraph 2
[9] Nigerian minerals and mining act 2007 act no. 20, chapter 1, Part 1, Section 2, paragraph 1
[10] Nigerian minerals and mining act 2007 act no. 20, chapter 1, Part 1, Section 1, paragraph 3