Democracy And Leadership Question

Democracy is one blessing that has happened to
the world. It is one of the best systems of government the world over, especially because its features are synonymous with those of development. Democracy takes into consideration the needs and aspirations of the masses. It presents and represents all shades of opinions.
It is many things except government by the few wealthy and affluent minorities, a system which takes from the society without giving back to it in terms of development, and a practice in which the common man has little or no freedom to air his view for fear of negative consequences that will follow.
Democracy should never be mistaken for a system that favours only the ruling party and its stooges; it should not be mistaken for a practice that encourages corruption of all kinds, a system that works against grassroots development as obtainable in Nigeria.
As I ponder on the nature of our nascent democracy,   I saw a discrete and clear picture of leaders, who have sworn to be anti-development agents. Leaders who think of the good of their families and relatives more than that of the nation’s; leaders whose consciousness and zeal is to see that the labour of our patriots perishes. They embezzle and amass wealth at the detriment of the masses; they delay or jettison legislation with national interest and prospects for development. Democracy can in no way strive in such atmosphere. If we want to see grassroots development as visible and realistic, our leaders must be transparent and truthful to their call and the oath of office they allegedly swore to uphold.
Democracy is not to blame, it is still same name and concept ever. It is rather leadership that has failed to work with the concepts to deliver its concomitants. Every sector of the economy has some unscrupulous leaders who misdirect the features of democracy. If you look discretely, you would perceive that they are men and women whom the constitution has bestowed honour and trust upon but their deeds are not honourable. They preach what they don’t practice.
If you take a survey of the presidency, through the governors to the national and local assembly men, you will be amazed to discover that not one of their children school in any of the so many universities in Nigeria and we have not bothered to ask why. The truth is that they do not have faith and trust on the quality of education in our dear country and therefore would not want their children to fail like the children of the common man. Yet, it is in their hands and will to effect the needed change.
It will be difficult for our leaders to effect change when they themselves are not changing for the better. When you take a survey of our leaders, from the local assembly men to the presidency, how many of them do make their clothes in Nigeria? They represent everything foreign. How many of them patronise our Nigerian designers. Yet, it is through them we expect the change to come. Imagine a situation where all the leaders in Nigeria put on clothes made by Nigerian designers operating in Nigeria. Imagine a country where all the leaders have their children attending Nigerian universities I think that will be the beginning of change and development.
If laws were effective in this country, it would have been seen that all the office holders, from the president through the governors, national assembly men, and state lawmakers, local government chairmen and counsellors all bridged their oath of office. The constitution which they allegedly swore to uphold should have brought them to book.
For our nascent democracy to strive, our law should endeavor to reprimand erring leadership, knowing that the growth and development of the economy is dependent on them. It should start from the grassroots where every counsellor will be educated and sensitised on the fact that their position as elected officials do not give them the license to deal fraudulently or seek only the good of their nuclear family to the detriment  of their wards in particular and the local government area in general. They should know that development funds should not be utilized for their personal aggrandisement.
The state and national assembly members should be conscious of the development needs of their constituencies and the nation as a whole. They should all create liaison offices at their constituencies which will make them accessible to their constituency members. Like the counsellors, they should seek to know the most pressing needs of the people by regularly or occasionally meeting with them. And most importantly, they must desist from embezzling funds meant for projects that will aid development in their constituencies.
Nigerians are way too witty; Nigeria is way too big and respected internationally considering her natural and human resources for her leaders to continually embezzle funds meant for national development or expend them by investing on businesses outside the shores of the country. If our laws continue to be toothless, then the extinction of our nascent democracy is imminent.
Leadership must sit up and lead with tact and example. Our laws must be made to work by punishing fraudulent leaders and disgracing them out of office. Only then will our nascent democracy thrive.
Solomon wrote from Ahoada, Rivers State.

Chisa Solomon