Democracy as a system of government is now difficult to define, because every leader in any part of the world claims to be a democrat.
Though several attempts have been made by educationists, philosophers, social scientists, historians amongst others to give proper definition of democracy.
However, the definition coined by the former American President Abraham Lincoln became the most acceptable among scholars and stand the test of time.
Abraham Lincoln defined “democracy as government of the people by the people and for the people. Looking at this definition critically democratic government derives its power from the masses.
Therefore any government that does not derive its power from the masses cannot be best described as democratic.
Nigeria as a nation has been enjoying uninterrupted democracy in the past seventeen (17) years.
In every democratic society there are three (3) functional organs of government. They are executive, judiciary and legislative. Each of these organs has its distinct functions. For illustration, the executive arm deals with the implementation of government policies, the judiciary interprets the laws of the land, while the legislative makes laws.
According to political philosophers in every well ordered society, the three organs of the government should be separated from one another which they believe will lead to political emancipation.
Any nation that wants to advance economically must deligently protect its democracy. For Nigeria to move forward the government of the day should see it as an urgent duty to defend all democratic structures in the country.
One way our hard earned democracy can work is for the government to initiate policies that will minimize the rate of poverty in the country by improving the standard of the living of the masses.
We are saying this, because the way things are going in the country, if proper steps were not taking the nation is heading towards a doom. ###
