The world over democracy when properly adopted as a system of government offers a good working political order for the modern state, leaving citizens free to develop while providing a safety valve and the chance for peaceful changes of governments.
This is so because it provides for an independent rule of law and a sufficient degree of tolerance against the creed or idea of legalism.
Put more succinctly, the creed of legalism in this context means using the law to implement the decision of the rulers rather than enabling it to be a means of challenging top-down authority.
This of course cannot be said of our democracy because since 1999 when the country re-opened its democratic corridors of governance, the system has steadily metamorphosed from sustainable to the enviable direction of competitive democracy.
This has been made possible by the openness of the system as epitomized in all the recently concluded party primaries and conventions to choose party flag-bearers for all the parties at both state and national levels which unarguably, were televised live.
We are all witnesses to this political evolution through the various elections and campaigns held in the country.
They were successful because of the shared vision and understanding of all Nigerians to build for themselves a great nation full of prosperity and hope.
It is against this background that one calls on all the stakeholders in the polity to be more committed to the discussion of issues rather than personality and also to be circumspect about their opinions and views about government and those in government not to overheat the polity.
The task before us is therefore to strengthen our democracy and re-affirm the greatness of our nation.
And like President Barack Obama of the United States of America pointed out in his inaugural address to Americans on his election in 2009, greatness is never a given, it must be earned.
Agreeably, our journey as a nation has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less, it has never been a path for the faint-hearted or for those who prefer leisure over work or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame.
Rather it has been the risk takers, the doers, the makers of things some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in fame who carry their country up the long-rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
Although, Obama was not looking at Nigerians, his fellow Americans nonetheless those philosophical amputates provide a strong lesson for Nigerians as we once again move to the centre stage of our politics which is the elections.
Our political space is large and as it is now, the ball is before the politicians to play according to the rules of the game by placing the interest of the nation above all personal considerations.
Indeed, all that is required is to build on possibilities and achievable promises.
Nigerians must be made by the political class to realize that they are not raw materials but part of the system.
And that they are entitled to enjoy the good life.
General elections offer us another great opportunity to demonstrate our love for our country by turning out en masse to vote for leaders who can shape a compelling vision that will further unite the country and strengthen Nigeria’s democracy.
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