Despite having a democratic government since 1999, human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Mike Ozekhome, argued on Thursday that Nigeria is not truly practicing democracy, as elections fail to reflect the electorate’s wishes.

Ozekhome, speaking at the 22nd edition of the annual Bishop Mike Okonkwo Lecture in Lagos, emphasized the urgency of addressing Nigeria’s current challenges, stating that the nation is in turmoil.

Former presidential aspirant and Professor of Political Economy, Pat Utomi, also expressed concern about the deepening divisions in the country, warning of potentially grave consequences.

Ozekhome, discussing “Nigerianization of Nigeria: A Look Inward,” traced the erosion of political governance in Nigeria back to 1966, highlighting the numerous military takeovers until the emergence of General Olusegun Obasanjo as a civilian president in 1999.

He stated, “This marks 24 years of uninterrupted democracy. However, significant national issues still threaten the nation’s stability.”

Ozekhome stressed that no nation can develop without fielding its best leaders, but in Nigeria, he lamented that “we put forward our worst 11 players.”

He further explained that political actors at the national and state levels have taken control of Nigeria, making decisions without considering the will of the people.

“Nigeria is still searching for nationhood at 63. Can we genuinely claim to be experiencing democracy? Nigeria is a country where cows are more valued than human beings. It’s even a nation where vehicle owners wait for cows to cross the road,” he remarked.

Ozekhome characterized the political process in Nigeria as “electionocracy,” where people choose their leaders, but their votes often do not count, leading to a lack of democratic dividends for the populace. He argued that Nigeria needs a new, citizen-influenced constitution to move forward and advocated for the removal of ethnic and religious considerations from politics, emphasizing the necessity of a credible election process.

Meanwhile, Prof. Utomi noted that Nigeria’s political class appears unconcerned about the country’s growing divisions, adding that in contrast to other countries where leaders build strong institutions to protect democracy, Nigeria seems to be heading in the opposite direction, resembling a “criminal enterprise.”

Bishop Mike Okonkwo, in his remarks, criticized some politicians for undermining the country and urged Nigerians not to blindly follow divisive ethnic and religious ideologies. The annual lecture, which focuses on national issues, celebrated the cleric’s 78th birthday.

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