Broken Promises, Stolen Futures: The Call for a New Nigeria on Democracy Day
By Faduri Oluwadare Joseph (FADOJOE)
Founder, Rescue Movement for a New Nigeria | Former Presidential Aspirant, Labour Party
Today, June 12, we commemorate Nigeria’s Democracy Day — a day not only to honor the memory of Chief MKO Abiola and the historic 1993 elections, widely acclaimed as the freest and fairest in our history — but also to confront the hard truth of where we stand as a nation.
We are called to celebrate democracy, yet we have not truly practiced it.
What is democracy if not a government by the people, for the people, and with the people?
Sadly, what we witness today in Nigeria is a far cry from that ideal. Instead of genuine democracy, we are burdened with corruption, injustice, insecurity, and a political system that fails the very people it claims to serve.
We cannot continue to call this democracy when:
Votes are bought with rice and naira, not earned through trust.
Electoral victories are decided by rigging, not the will of the people.
The same recycled elite hold us hostage while the masses suffer in silence.
Our judiciary shields the rich and powerful while oppressing the poor.
Law enforcement serves those in power, not the people.
Insecurity, kidnappings, and fear have become part of everyday life.
Whistleblowers are silenced while looters walk free.
This is not democracy. This is betrayal — of our heroes past, our youths present, and our children’s future.
But amid the darkness, there is hope.
There is still time to rewrite the story of our nation — to build a New Nigeria defined by justice, equity, opportunity, and peace. But the journey begins with us.
How do we build real democracy?
1. Vote Wisely:
Your vote is your voice. Stop exchanging it for peanuts while they steal your tomorrow. Vote for people of character, competence, and compassion — not for names, parties, or tribes.
2. Unite Beyond Religion and Tribe:
Until we begin to see ourselves as Nigerians first — not Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, or any other ethnic group — we will remain divided and weak. Our real enemies are not each other, but the corrupt leaders who exploit our divisions to maintain power.
3. Participate Actively:
Whether you are in Nigeria or abroad, your voice, your skills, your resources matter. We need all hands on deck. Change is not a solo effort. Not by me. Not by you. But by all of us — together.
Imagine This Nigeria:
Where a roadside hawker’s child has the same quality education as a senator’s child.
Where a police officer knows that breaking the law comes with consequences.
Where elections are contests of ideas, not intimidation.
Where governance is a sacred trust, not a personal business.
That Nigeria is possible. That Nigeria is necessary. That Nigeria is our duty.
So this Democracy Day, let’s do more than celebrate — let’s reflect, recommit, and rise.
Let us raise one voice and one purpose — to rescue Nigeria from failed leadership and broken promises, and usher in the era of true democracy.
It starts with you. It starts with me. It starts with all of us.
Happy Democracy Day, Nigeria.
Let’s make it real.
