Nigeria: A Litmus Test for Nationhood

Every once in a while a nation faces a critical test to determine how qualified and determined they are in claiming to be a nationstate. One way of demonstrating this qualification is the ability of the geographical entity concerned to manage their affairs without recource to foreign or external assistance and intervention. The other way is the ability of the country to adequately cater for the majority of their citizens in terms of their health, education, protection and general well-being. There is also the tiny issue of the ability of the nation to successfully conduct its national headcount without, as one commentator stated, including cows and other domestic animals as human beings in the census figures.

Well, one other criterion for nationhood is the ability of a country to successfully organise and conduct elections without alienating the greater majority of their citizens through acts of intimidation, fraud and bare-faced robbery or usurpation of electoral results. Put in simple language: the ability of a nation to conduct elections that are both free and fair.

From all accounts, the last elections conducted in Nigeria were neither free nor fair. What with allegations flying around to the effect that while some voters were still queuing up to cast their votes in some constituencies, the results of the seats being contested in those quarters were simultaneously being announced by electoral officials. In fact, in some states, the ruling party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), was so 'successful' that it controlled all the legislative members in the houses of assembly. This state of affairs is nigh impossible in any multi-party state were the elections to be free and fair. To further compound the problems, there were allegations of some of the declared results being more than the number of registered voters in some constituencies.

The forth-coming elections therefore will provide a litmus test to the Nigerian nationhood aspirations. The ability of the country to galvanise her citizens and conduct free and fair elections, as well as to transfer power to the newly-elected leaders will impact heavily on the preparedness of the country to attain nationhood.

A smooth transition of power however is not the whole story. Some searchlight must be beamed on the character of the emerging leaders of the country. Before now, the political class is peopled mainly with characters whose integrity and motive for entry into politics is questionable. The result is that while a majority of Nigerians are wallowing in poverty and hunger, the political class constituting a minute minority, are lining their pockets with as much public loot as their greed and selfishness can tolerate. Nigeria is the only country in this planet where people look at politics as the shortest (and, some people say, safest) means of acquiring money. Unfortunately, this money is looted from public treasury, or from awarding bogus contracts and executing white-elephant projects.

One hopes however, that the issues of accountability and probity which are the hallmarks of true democracy would someday constitute features of governance in Nigeria. Yeah, let the looters continue for now; but the day must come when the leaders must give accurate account of their leadership. That day will only come if the country keeps the democratic traditions alive.
God bless Nigeria.