Nigeria: A Militocratic State By Mayowa Odewoye

Nigeria: A Militocratic State

By Mayowa Odewoye

What characterizes a Military Era? Force, supremacy of a Military Head, dictatorship, autocracy, coercion, suspension of constitution, trial of civilian leaders, and abuse of human rights. One man dictates and his dictate is final and cannot be challenged. He is the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. He performs all the government functions with absolute power. Power is in the mouth of gun. 

Our country is gradually graduating into the unpleasant past where it used to  be. The abysmal system in practice by our government is gaining momentum and  gravitating into the past where it was profound. The military practice in a democratic setting is leading us back to the Egypt we left.

We say we are a Democratic State but the rule of law is not entrenched; rather, legislators legislate laws to protect themselves. We call ourselves a  Democratic State but people cannot stage a peaceful and harmless protest without being teargassed out of their convergence points. Ask the convener of BBOG campaign, ask the Adekunle Ajasin University students. The police by the order of their superiors stop peaceful protests. They put mechanism in place to stop people from airing their opinions and views. They regulate the press and its activities,  now they will start monitoring text messages and calls. 

We claim to operate a democratic system in the book but on the street our government practices a military style. The Government claims to fight corruption but a selective one. He fights corruption from his opposition and anyone who speaks against his injustice and the impunity that reigns in his government. His selective anti corruption campaign is so effective that everybody in his camp is a saint. You want to eradicate corruption, yet you are surrounded by corrupt elements. You want to eradicate corruption, yet you enjoy immunity. How do you tackle corruption when you enjoy immunity (a shield over corruption). The President approved 496million dollars from the Excess Crude Account for the purchase of aircraft without the approval of the National Assembly; an act of military regime where governance is done without checks. 

Alas! Let he who sleeps wake up! Let he who slumbers be awake for our government is retrogressing to the past where impunity and dictatorship was. If we do not rise to rescue our Nation, posterity will blame us.