What exactly is “Dividends of Democracy?”

For every form of administration irrespective of the level at which such administration is operated, there are usually words, expressions or perhaps slogans associated with such processes. In very recent times such slogans have been used by the individuals involved with this administration being talked about. These slogans and expressions are not unique to a particular territory, region or country. Administrators and political actors across climes evenly use those which they strongly believe resonate with the people whose mandates have put them in such positions. Africa and indeed Nigeria are not left out here.

Since the advent of Nigeria’s newest democratic dispensation, one expression which has readily been used by politicians is “dividends of democracy”. Although some others such as “accountability”, “transparency”, “integrity”, “patriotism”, “people-centred” and others are also being used, “dividends of democracy” seems to be the most commonly used by elected political office holders. There is therefore a cause to wonder what this expression really means particularly as may be intended by the users.

Let’s start by understanding that governance at any level and in any society is geared towards providing quality service to people. Democratic governance follows this pattern but goes a step further towards not just providing such services but also ensuring that the people get carried along in this process of service delivery; this is indeed the very essence of democracy. Some may understand “dividends of democracy” as meaning good roads, provision of portable water supply, making education accessible and affordable, constant power supply, accessible medical care, provision of jobs, good transport system, affordable housing, favourable economy for trade and investment, affordable food supply amongst others. However, while all of these may be accepted as what these political office holders should do, the focus is to ensure that they are effectuated by involving the people.

The entire idea of “dividends of democracy” will be useless if it is concerned only with the provision of all the structures listed above. The crux is to have a people-involved process. So it seems funny when political office holders construe “dividends of democracy” as what they are able to provide and even more worrisome when the governed see it as physical structures built by their representatives in government. In some sense it can be said that the use of the expression is a deliberate mockery or even insult on the people’s knowledge of governance and administration, now this is because nobody gives and/or provides “dividends of democracy”, it comes just as natural as air would to man for the simple reason that democratic governance should involve the people and what is referred to as “dividends of democracy” should be the people’s absolute involvement in running the affairs that concern them. Therefore individuals should see the expression as meaning something else but not just the physical manifestations provided.