The systematic destruction of Nigeria: Is democracy blessing or curse?

By Sadiq Muhammed

Nigerian politicians have systematically ruined everything they come into contact with, from the economy to education, governance, and even the electoral process. It is embarrassing to witness professors highly regarded academics reduced to reading out obviously manipulated election results. The 2015 Rivers State election was a glaring example, and more recently, the Adamawa election exposed a professor of law in a similarly disgraceful manner.
Journalists, once considered the watchdogs of democracy, have not been spared. Many media outlets have been reduced to mere mouthpieces for politicians, parroting propaganda instead of holding power to account. Like a plague, these politicians corrupt every institution they touch. The police force, once intended to serve and protect, has been compromised beyond recognition. Now, even the military is being dragged into the web of political interference. The judiciary, the last hope for justice, teeters on the edge of total destruction as judges and lawyers cozy up to politicians instead of upholding the law.
Not even religious leaders have been spared. It is disgraceful to see some clergymen shamelessly defending President Tinubu as though they were his special advisers or personal assistants, rather than spiritual guides for the people. The corruption of civil servants began as early as the First Republic, making them the earliest casualties of political rot.
Beyond institutions, politicians have destroyed the very fabric of society. They have turned young men and women into political thugs, arming them with weapons and hard drugs to unleash violence on opponents. Instead of investing in the future of the youth through education and employment, they exploit them as tools of intimidation, leaving them trapped in cycles of crime and substance abuse.
Given this bleak reality, we must ask: Is democracy truly a blessing, or has it become a curse in Nigeria? What tangible dividends has it brought the common citizen? Should we begin to consider an alternative system of government one that prioritizes competence, integrity, and the welfare of the people over the relentless greed and destruction wrought by Muhammed can be reached at sadiqu2013@gmail.com