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120
Quietly Loud
Creative Writer | History Student | I Love FOOD @ Lagos State University
Creative Writer | History Student | I Love FOOD @ Lagos State University
The Big 3!
<p>Get your PVC. Be patriotic. Exercise your civic responsibility. Participate in the democratic process. Do everything a good citizen is expected to do.<br/></p><p>But can we have an honest conversation?<br/></p><p>Sometimes, I wonder whether we are actually participating in an election or simply showing up to watch a movie whose ending has already been written.<br/></p><p><br/></p><p>Think about it. The cast has been selected, the script has been written, the director understands the plot, and the leading character might already have been decided. Meanwhile, the audience is being encouraged to buy tickets, show up and participate. We are the audience, the extras and perhaps the unsuspecting characters who still believe we have a say in how the story unfolds.</p><p><br/></p><p>And that, to me, is the irony of Nigerian democracy.<br/></p><p><br/></p><p>We pride ourselves on being a democratic nation, yet I cannot help but wonder whether what we practise is democracy or gerontocracy. A system where the old guard continues to dominate the political chessboard, where political influence often appears more powerful than the collective will of the electorate.</p><p><br/></p><p>Every four years, we dust off our patriotism. We remind ourselves of our civic duties, campaign for voter registration, encourage political participation and convince ourselves that this time might be different.</p><p>But how many times have we had to ask whether our votes actually count as much as we are told they do?<br/></p><p><br/></p><p>Let me be clear, I am not discouraging anyone from getting their PVC or participating in the electoral process. Far from it. But I am also not particularly interested in pretending that participation alone guarantees democracy.<br/></p><p><br/></p><p>As for me, I have become increasingly skeptical about the entire spectacle. I am not even certain I see myself voting in 2027. Not because I do not understand the importance of my civic responsibility, but because I cannot ignore the questions that years of political experiences have left me with.</p><p>Perhaps a miracle will happen. Perhaps the script will change. Perhaps the audience will finally have a say in the ending.<br/></p><p>But until then, congratulations to the production team. The campaign trailers are looking promising.<br/></p><p><br/></p><p>2027 FOR THE BIG 3!</p><p><br/></p><p>Or perhaps, we should just ask who really gets to decide how this movie ends.</p>
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