I went towards the sea nodding in concordance to the perfect work of nature. My face was empty but my heart was crying. I could hear the melodious songs of the birds like those of the Rome choir in a cathedral during Christmas. Insects made their creaking sounds in a diplomatic tone. The rays of the morning sun penetrated through the spaces in the trees. The early morning dew stood on the leaves in other to display its pureness. Sea-birds showing love to one another by sharing preys. The sound of the sea mighty waves lures my heart to an imaginative paradise. The concatenation finally leaves cold tears of passion dripping from my eyes.
I have no premonition of writing. I am not here to cogitate on any issue that might be troubling my mind. I have no plan of coming to the sea side to commit nature into paper artistically. I am here to enjoy a solitary moment.
Just in a trance, the environment became less condusive: the cool breeze became hot like the air from a drier. The song of the birds turned cacophonous. The newly adopted malicious and excessive noise of the insects showed they’ve gone ballistic. The objects of my sight became the opposite of what I saw earlier. My thought became the antagonist of my mind. The sorrow I had tried to keep at bay resurfaced. The heavy heart gave birth to tears: tears of sorrow and pain. I have no choice than to give my thoughts life through the use of my pen and express the reason I’ve come to seek refuge from nature.
After the end of the colonial rule, the post colonial era has been one of a struggle for political arrangement, pragmatism in government, transparency, accountability and sustainability. Corruption has engulfed all government sectors. Nepotism has become a consistent manager of private enterprises. Bribery thread the street majestically in classy attires on a daily basis. Egocentrism became a consistent factor in identifying a true Nigerian.
It is disheartening that Nigeria has become a “work shop of democracy” where the mechanics chose to change the destiny and outlook of the vehicle (democracy) to suit their selfish purpose.\They took it to their workshop and called on the other self-acclaimed specialists and the task towards changing the destiny of democracy began. The democratic vehicle which was spacious enough to accommodate us and the generations unborn was reduced to a smaller one in the guise that it will move faster and cover the distance of achievemets needed as far as our country is concerned in a short time.
We become heart-broken upon realising the freedom of expression has been sacrificed during the panel-beating process. The new democratic vehicle doesn’t occupy the practical freedom of expression. The initial steering of the vehicle which makes democracy the government of the people was removed and substituted for an electric one. This makes people with visions for the nation flee in fear of getting electrocuted while people without purpose for the state were seen in their insulating gloves controlling the state vehicle.
The cushioned seat in the rear vehicle of democracy where the human right activists used to sit was changed for an iron one coated with spikes. This made the human right activists and advocates who wanted to see how the affair of the state goes alight from the vehicle after getting a sore back sides due to the sharp objects. We challenged them as to why a seat was coated with sharp objects and the reply they gave was that the determination of a good leader lies in the ability to endure hard times. In other words, telling us their inability to sit on spikes means they are not meant to be there.
The normal movement of the vehicle was substituted for a break-rib speed and the policies which are not yet ripe for execution were seen being enforced. The speed became too much that the on-lookers at the road side scream in terror of a potential damage to the vehicle. The tires of the real democracy vehicle was changed for an unusual iron type. Sadly, the crawling babies among us (innocents) who might be crawling while the mother is busy preparing the meal became crushed by the vehicle and as such the future appears uncertain.
They knew too well the destination they intended and made the vehicle without brake; they easily turned to the roads that suits them. Hence, when our few representatives who can still endure to stand in the vehicle calls their attention to good policies calling for a lift at the road side in a bid to help them, they claimed the vehicle has got no brake and as such those policies die at the road sides. The policies they bring is nothing short of searching for an honest man with a stolen lantern and their motive for the people is only understood by their fellow looters with a predetermined and similar agenda.
Our parents stands at the road side with loads of responsibilities on their heads expecting the vehicle to return, but the hope of its return diminishes on a daily basis. The weak among us became helpless with the loads and died tragically.
They’re never happy when the night is over. They prefer driving at night in a bid to satisfy their selfish interests. Our representatives demands that the head lamp be put on in a bid to see what lies ahead the dark destination, only to be told the lamp is in a bad stage and they threaten to throw out anyone who complains again and as such, the vehicle procceed on a dark and fruitless journey.
They threw cash on occassional basis to the road side and buy our conscience and reasonability, thus, the slightest murmur earn us a thorough beating by their roadside loyalists.
We seek refuge in protest, believing we have the government which recognises the rights and interest of the people, but lives were lost in a bid to express our grievances peacefully. We stick to the televison and got married to our radios expecting to hear news of redemption, only to be told “the pain is temporal”. The question is when did democracy become the government of temporal pain?
The destiny of democracy has been changed by the destiny mechanics. The colour it has now was given to it by the fate painters. The democracy we have in Nigeria is the shadow of democracy.
SEGUN IS A 500LEVEL LAW STUDENT OF UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN, KWARA STATE, NIGERIA.
HE CAN BE REACHED ON +2348169276283
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