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Wednesday, January 26, 2011

CONFRONTING VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA

BY VICTORSON AGBENSON

Sometime last year Nigeria was removed from the list of nations’ with human rights abuses relating to politically motivated killings, which meant that the nations’ international rating had improved. But in the same year, an act by a misguided young man in an attempted bombing of a US airliner on Christmas day precipitated our being placed on the terrorist watch list early this year. No doubt the challenge of this and other forms of violence are still CONFRONTING us. ABOUT Three weeks ago there was an outbreak of sectarian crisis in Bauchi. NOW it has moved to Jos again in a COMMUNAL AND religious conflicts that have claimed several lives and properties. The World Health Organization, W.H.O HAD always drawn the worlds’ attention to the rising cases and the effects of violence around the world. W.H.O regards violence as one of the newest threats to the continuous existence of humans.

According to its report, one point six million people die every year as a result of violence in every corner of the world including Nigeria. This means that over four thousand people die every day globally. Of these, self directed and interpersonal violence accounted for more than eighty percent of deaths. ACCORDING TO REPORTS, In Nigeria, over ten thousand people have been killed in various cases of violence since the return to democratic government in 1999. Some of the violence had pitched Muslims against Christians across different tribal and cultural divides. A report once pointed out that conflict in Nigeria had often been about access to scarce resources. But come to think of it, are resources really scarce in Nigeria? The problem is rather more about the equitable distribution of the vast resources of this nation. Government at all levels must do something TO REDUCE THIS HIGH level of violence. IT IS NOT out of place to say THAT our non-challant attitude to these flagrant abuses of human life MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO U.S ADDING OUR DEAR NATION on the terrorist watch list. The competition between those who see themselves as the true indigenes of an area and those considered as ‘SETTLERS’ is another source of frequent fight.
To rise above this, we must learn to live and let live in the spirit of brotherliness and a realization that we are all tenants in this world. Sooner or later we would move on. It is important to realize that for every person who dies, many more are injured and suffer from a range of physical, sexual, reproductive and mental health problems. From the large scale Boko Haram religious crisis that claimed over seven hundred lives in the Northern part of the country last year through the protracted but now subdued Niger Delta Militancy to the assassination of some journalists and other noble people in the country with no trace of the culprits, it is all violence wearing one dress or the other. We can no longer continue to think that nobody is seeing us as it IS now clear that we are dancing naked in a globalized world. Let us reflect on the sanctity of life. What has happened to the time tested virtue of forgiveness. Whether you are a Muslim or a Christian, GOD’S verdict on vengeance has not changed; human vengeance lacks foresight and vengeance belongs to God. According to the Indian statesman and sage Mahatma Ghandi “an eye for an eye leaves everybody blind”.

The other day a writer narrated how he saw a driver in a major city in broad day light confidently smoking Indian hemp and driving through the ancient city with reckless abandon and the smoke pouring out of his vehicle. These are signs of lawlessness and any society that condones such things is heading for destruction. Moreover, experts say there is a correlation between violent crimes and hard drugs. To take human life, takes a level of mental abnormality which these hard drugs induce. The challenge is therefore for parents to bring up their children in a culture of love and regard for human lives. Religious leaders must rise up to the challenge of teaching their followers the truth and shunning extremism. POLITICIANS AND OTHER FALSE LEADERS WHO ARM YOUTHS TO KILL AND MAIM MUST BE BROUGHT TO BOOK. IF THIS IS NOT DONE IT WOULD SEND SIGNALS OF COMPLICITY AND CONSPIRACY WITH AUTHORITIES.

IT IS COMMENDABLE THAT VICE PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN IN HIS NATIONAL BROADCAST ON THE JOS CRISIS STATED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S STRONG COMMITMENT TO BRING THE CULPRITS TO BOOK. WE ALL MUST resolve TODAY to save our society from violence.

Source: Recorded live from FRCN Comentary

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

ASSESSING DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA

BY: VICTORSON AGBENSON

OVER THE YEARS, THE TERM DEMOCRACY HAS BEEN VARIOUSLY DESCRIBED IN DIFFERENT TERMS, WITHOUT A UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTED DEFINITION; HOWEVER ALL ARE AGREED THAT THE END OF DEMOCRACY CAN BE ASCERTAINED IN TERMS OF SERVICE DELIVERY TO THE PEOPLE AND PROVISION OF DEMOCRACY DIVIDENDS. THE AFRICAN EXPERIENCE OF DEMOCRACY OVER THE YEARS HAS BEEN A CHEQUERED ONE. MANY IN AFRICA HAVE HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE, WHICH MAY BE AS A RESULT OF ITS INFANCY ON THE CONTINENT.


It is interesting to know that in 1863, Americans felt hopeless BECAUSE THE civil conflict WHICH THE YOUNG NATION WAS EXPERIENCING was dragging on and President Abraham Lincoln was worried about continuing support for the war effort by the people. It was indeed a dark period in America’s democratic journey AND THE MOOD WAS DEEPLY TROUBLING. But amidst that despair President Lincoln MADE HIS THEN FAMOUS SPEECH known as the Gettysburg address. In that one speech, Lincoln gave life to a democracy then in crisis. He underlined the importance of the electorate and inspired his nation to overcome internal strife and ultimately slavery. Today democracy faces similar threats in many African nations. But the very fact that true democracy anywhere is a beauty to behold everywhere should inspire us to strive to cultivate, nurture and develop a democratic culture. The emergence of Barrack Obama, a black man as America’s President is a shining example in this regard.
Today, elections are a common fixture in the African political process. This is a significant departure from a few years ago. Reports show that between 1970 and 1989 only 15 polls took place in sub-saharan Africa, and of these, only three were broadly free and fair. What this means is that the peoples participation in the political process at the time was almost non-existent. But this has changed as projections show that between November 2009 and December 2011, there are 15 Presidential and 8 Parliamentary multi party elections scheduled to take place across Africa. On the surface this looks impressive, but the challenge is that despite the use of the electoral processes to advance democracy, the electorate in many African countries continues to be disappointed by the governments that emerge largely because of electoral fraud. In Zimbabwe, Kenya and many other African nations this has often resulted in riots.

This ugly scenario seem to make nonsense of democracy in Africa. The temptation therefore is to look towards countries which have used their undemocratic forms of government to lift a majority of their people out of poverty. But regardless of the success these nations may have recorded, there is still the absence of a people centred democracy. THESE should not HOWEVER deter us. Democracy is not a destination but rather a journey. It is not so much about the politician BUT ABOUT THE PEOPLE. In a democracy, anywhere in the world, the electorate must be ACTIVE AND CONSTANTLY PROBING. They must drive issues and political debates. The people must never surrender to politicians or a political class. Therefore Africa must now focus on how to reposition the electorate to be the kingmakers and to take the centre stage. Also, the political parties which are the factories that produce candidates for various public offices must be held accountable to their constitutional mandates.

Electoral commissions must operate autonomously AND be financially independent. They should be manned by competent citizens WITH long standing records of integrity. It is a thing of joy that many African countries have made a start along this path. But it is also important to note that while the desire for a robust democracy is universal, each country is at a different stage of institutional and societal development. One cannot however expect that the electoral processes of newly democratic African states WOULD be as developed as established democracies like America and Britain. Despite this stark reality we cannot afford to abandon the process altogether because the road is rocky, bumpy and winding. Elections in Africa are worth the trauma and pains. Africans are on a journey much like the US was centuries ago and would get there.


Source: Recorded live from FRCN daily commentary