The dividend of democracy is power. Max Weber, the 18th-century German sociologist once defined power “as the ability to get others to act in accordance to your will”.
Today, if a Governor or president construct, dualizes or rehabilitate a road, they call it a dividend of democracy which makes one wonders what one would have called military government that constructed the majority of these roads in our dear country.
When President approve new universities, it’s called dividends of democracy, but what about a countless number of universities produced by the military?
The military masterminded electricity we use today, many of our refineries, airports inclusive. Should we call those things dividends of military government?
It’s as simple as this. A government of the people. A situation where people’s voice becomes a reflection of government decisions. Freedom of speech, association and movement.
Are we free to speak without arrest? Are we free to move without restrictions or deprivations? Are we free to associate peacefully without rancour?
Politics is all about power. Unlike tyrannical, dictatorial or oligarchical politics, democratic politics strives for less domination of power by, and the greater participation of the common people in governance.
It concerns itself not with the mere struggle for power, but the equitable distribution of power and wealth.
Equality/ equitableness recognizes that the people are the ultimate repository of power, whilst all officers of government are to operate in conformity with the will of the people.
Nigerians will have the dividend of democracy when this reality becomes the governing principle of Nigerian politics.
Presently, there is no dividend of democracy in Nigeria as officers of government remain scornful of the will of the people.
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has stubbornly refused to allow election results to reflect the choices of common people.
Nigerians will earn dividends of democracy when the elites submit wholeheartedly to their subjects and consequently, act by people’s will.