By Okechukwu Nwanguma
Democracy, we say, is the government of the people, by the people, for the people. But do we, the people, truly grasp what that means—or have we reduced democracy to something others must deliver to us?
It bears repeating: democracy is not the exclusive duty of leaders. It is not a performance we watch from the sidelines, clapping or groaning depending on the actors on stage. It is a system that requires active citizenship—an everyday exercise of rights and responsibilities. A democracy cannot grow without democrats. And that includes the people.
Yes, Nigeria is experiencing democracy. It may be flawed, turbulent, or imperfect, but it is democracy nonetheless. We must say that loudly and firmly, lest apathy erode the gains made by those who fought hard and paid dearly to restore civil rule—heroes like Chima Ubani, Beko Ransome-Kuti, Gani Fawehinmi, and many others who laid down their lives for our political freedoms. There is no perfect democracy anywhere in the world, but democracy provides the space—the platform—for democratic growth. Lose that space, and you lose the very means by which progress can be made.
Democratic growth does not occur in a vacuum, and it does not happen on its own. It is not solely the product of good leadership. The fixation on failed leadership, though valid in many instances, often becomes an excuse for collective inaction. Chinua Achebe was right when he said Nigeria’s problem is one of leadership—but he never said that the people are absolved of their responsibility.
Apathy is growing in Nigeria. Citizens are disengaging, disillusioned, and disappointed. But democracy is not sustained by hope alone; it is sustained by participation, vigilance, and accountability. Citizens must stop seeing themselves merely as victims of bad governance. They are also the stewards of governance.
“By the people” is not just a phrase—it is a mandate. Citizens must govern, not just by voting every four years, but by:
– Vetting candidates carefully, not based on tribe, cash, or coercion, but on competence and character.
– Holding public officials accountable not just with criticism but with consistent civic engagement.
– Being ethical in their own lives—in offices, markets, schools, and public spaces—knowing that corruption at the top is sustained by complicity at the bottom.
A school principal who demands a bribe to release a student’s testimonial is failing in their democratic duty. A cashier who treats customers with disdain is eroding democratic values. A citizen who evades taxes, cheats customers, or exploits public goods without conscience is undermining the very society they expect to work for them.
Democracy is not a gift. It is a job. It demands labour, patience, sacrifice, and integrity. And that job is not just for politicians—it’s for every citizen. If the people do not govern through vigilance, accountability, and participation, then others will govern them through force, fraud, or fear.
And that is how democracy dies.
So let us stop waiting to be encouraged. Let us stop waiting for perfect leaders. Let us stop reducing our role to complaints and hashtags. If Nigeria is to experience democratic growth, it must be because the people have chosen to grow democracy themselves.
Democracy is a government of the people. By the people. Let the people begin to govern.
Mr Okechukwu Nwanguma is a human rights activist in Nigeria and the Executive Director of RULAAC.
