Good morning, Mr President. I’m again from my recess. Throughout my recess, many issues occurred that deserved some feedback. First, my recess allowed me to pay my educational debt by delivering my professorial inaugural lecture. I delivered the 103rd Inaugural lecture of the Lagos State College. I employed the lecture to assessment the state of democracy in Africa within the context of the third wave, a world wave of democracy that started in 1974 with the tip of the Estado Novo regime of Marcelo Gaetano in Portugal.
That wave of democracy caught up with Africa within the late Eighties, a interval that Nzongola-Ntalaja, my buddy, has periodised because the age of democratic renewal. My evaluation revealed a blended bag of progress and decline, particularly enchancment within the democratic course of, and institutional and political tradition. It will curiosity you to know that Nigeria has but to cross the ‘two turn-over check’ electorally.
In line with Samuel Huntington, as soon as described by Professor Issa Shivji, a State Division scholar, a two-turn-over check is profitable when in a democratising nation, an incumbent is defeated by an opposition celebration that assumed energy, and the latter is subsequently defeated by the celebration in opposition in two electoral cycles. For instance, Ghana, and Benin Republic have handed this threshold.
Sadly, in Nigeria, regardless of over two and half a long time of democratic experiment, Nigeria has solely alternated energy as soon as, forcing the conclusion that Nigerian democracy has solely grown quantitatively and never qualitatively. Certainly, the Nigerian democracy displays 4 pathologies. Identification politics has endured to the detriment of the polity; elections haven’t been free and truthful; and corruption has been a serious scourge whereas the electoral course of is closely monetised to discourage women and men of goodwill from contesting elective positions within the nation.
We want statesmen who will strengthen our establishments and make sure the sanctity of the thumb. Maybe you’ll be able to play a pioneering function on this regard. The prevailing materials situations, if not improved considerably, our nation and the continent on the whole, can’t be taken off the trail of state militarism, often known as coup d’état. Mr President, please learn the total textual content of the lecture. It will likely be useful as you navigate the quicksand of our political setting.
Mr President, one other main concern is the management disaster within the Lagos State Home of Meeting. Whereas the matter has been taken to the judiciary for assessment, the disaster is underpinned by the problem of probity that can’t be wished away. The issue is compounded by your stance on energy distribution within the state.
The fundamental concern will be resolved by the legislators themselves, not by contrivances that search to undercut their powers, as the heart of democracy. In your sturdy opinion about energy distribution within the state, particularly the vacuum that the exit of the ousted speaker would create, there’s a method out.
Enable the beneficiary of the change, Rt. Honourable Mojisola Meranda, to serve out the 2 years left of their tenure, the stability of energy, will be restored after the 2027 election. This manner, you’ll not have damage the ego of the legislators who moved in opposition to the previous speaker. In different phrases, you’d have prevented alienating them. Don’t forget that you simply misplaced Lagos within the final basic election. The stakes can be greater in 2027 given the burgeoning opposition forces within the nation. A phrase can be sufficient for the smart on this matter.
Internationally, there’s a bull in a China store. The US, a number one international energy, militarily and economically, is presently being led by Donald Trump, a transactional chief, an imperialist, who believes in strong-arm techniques and a zero-sum sport.
The phrases of Jeffry Sachs uttered earlier than the European Parliament, are instructive. Sachs whereas providing his views on the Russian-Ukraine warfare, Sachs famous that it’s harmful to be America’s enemy and in addition deadly to be its buddy.
Nigeria must be pro-active as a number one nation in Africa to activate a suppose–tank to articulate for Nigeria, a blueprint to deal with the bully; it ought to look in the direction of multilateralism. It shouldn’t be enterprise as regular. Professor Bolaji Akinyemi has issued the primary warning: say nothing for now; keep away from a confrontational strategy.
The leaders of these international locations which have initially referred to as Trump’s bluff are all going to Washington with their tails curled behind them, for rapprochement. We have to weigh Nigeria’s curiosity vis-a-vis that of the USA. The Nigerian Institute of Worldwide Affairs, with Akinyemi as head of its Board, and Professor Eghosa Osaghae as Director-Common, my suggestion is realisable.
Finest needs for a productive new week, Mr President.
Akhaine is a Professor of Political Science on the Lagos State College.
