Democracy Day Reflections: Citizens Struggle As Electricity Costs Surpass wages

Democracy Day Reflections: Citizens Struggle As Electricity Costs Surpass wages

Today, the Nigerian Government celebrates Democracy Day, now shifted to June 12 by former President Muhammadu Buhari. Previously, May 29 was deemed Nigeria’s Democracy Day, a narrative perceived by many as a fiction akin to Chinua Achebe’s classic, “Things Fall Apart”.

In a country where the presence of civil rule is questioned, the notion of having democrats seems elusive. It appears these democrats, if they exist at all, are microscopic, smaller even than amoebas, invisible to the naked eye.

Reflecting on May 29, 1999, it should perhaps be a day of national mourning. This was when hopes for democracy were seemingly dashed by military interference, which Fela Anikulapo-Kuti famously dubbed “Army Arrangement”.

While June 12, 1993, holds significance due to the annulled election, questions linger about the actual state of democracy in Nigeria today.

Former President Buhari, once criticized as an impediment to democracy, ironically predicted he would be missed once out of office. Now, many Nigerians find themselves longing for his era, when at least they could afford basic utilities like electricity on their modest incomes.

Regrettably, today many Nigerians, including myself, face electricity bills that surpass our entire earnings. Survival in this harsh environment often seems to necessitate engaging in corruption.