Democracy is in deep trouble everywhere, Noam Chomsky and others declare. They can say that again! The goings-on in the strongest, biggest and oldest democracies attest to that. The coup in Niger is a testament too close to home.
The strongest democracy is threatened by Trumpism. Trump nearly toppled it on January 6, 2021. It isn’t yet Uhuru. Maureen Dowd of the New York Times thinks America didn’t put the coup behind it. Hear her: “The fact is, we’re midcoup, not postcoup.” America’s democracy is characterized by disfunction, corporate greed tyranny, elite domination, white supremacy, racism, inequality, partriachy and more.
Modi’s turning the biggest democracy, India, into an “ethnocracy”, an intolerant Hindutva apartheid where Muslims and other minorities are increasingly feeling unwanted, threatened, silenced and marginalized. BJP, the ruling party, has turned India into a two-caste society. Hindu caste and Muslim caste. The former, privileged, superior and more human. The latter underprivileged, inferior and less human – sometimes lesser than cows.
In the United Kingdom, characters like boring Boris Johnson, British clone of Trump, according to Joe Biden and Nigel Farage who according to Chris Bryant, Labour MP, “is rapidly becoming the Berlusconi of Britain” and their ilk are making the oldest democracy feel like hell for blacks, immigrants – especially nonwhites – and the masses.
The supposed models of democracy are failing the people. Breeding so much discontent. They’re becoming uninspiring.
And if the models of democracy are this bad, African democracies, including Niger’s, are way worse. Good governance is in short supply. Corruption, wanton looting of public treasuries, brazen theft of public assets, nepotism and all things bad define African democracies. The people are fed up and are losing faith in democracy.
Niger is one of the poorest countries in Africa. Illiteracy is widespread. Hunger and malnutrition affect virtually every household. Life is unbearably hard for the common folks. And an ominous Islamists insurgency is increasingly threatening the territorial integrity of the landlocked country. Things aren’t right.
Sadly, systemic sleaze supervised by our democratic leaders worsen everything. Elected leaders are taking us back to the state of nature. The people are not satisfied. And the opportunistic putschists take advantage of this dissatisfaction.
But military rule isn’t the solution. Neither in Niger nor Nigeria. Past Nigerien military dictatorships didn’t fare any better. They’re worse. General Seyni Kountche – who toppled Hamani Diori, the first civilian leader – Ali Saibu, Baare Mainasara and Dauda Malam Wanke achieved nothing in their long military rules. General Abdurrahman Tchiani would be as bad or worse.
The cost of the coup is too high. Foreign aid, which is very critical to Niger, has been withheld. Crippling sanctions are biting harder. Insecurity has worsened. Attacks by Islamist insurgents are increasing. A former Tuareg rebel leader is threatening to start a civil war. The worst is yet to come.
Enough is enough. The putschists have made their point. They must return to the barracks and restore democratic rule. It’s in the best interest of everyone: the putschists, Nigeriens and we, their brothers and neighbours. It’s idiotic and reckless to risk war with ECOWAS and NATO if France’s involved. They will die.
Democracy is still unquestionably the least worst form of government. Yes, democracy might be in trouble. Perhaps double trouble perhaps. But the trouble is with the players not the game. There’s no better game. We must stick to it and get good players. Messi-esque players. Not troublemakers like Trump, Modi or the fantastically corrupt African rulers.
Lastly, democratic leaders in Nigeria and Niger must shun corruption and prioritise the welfare of the people. Entrench good government. Government that governs in the interest of the people, not just the leadership. Only good government can save our democracies.
Saad, a lawyer is the Acting Chairman of APC Publicity Committee, Bauchi State and former Director-General of BASEPA.
