Eavesdropping "Democracy"

It looks like i’m always stumbling upon interesting events and conversations on Twitter  these days.

Any where I hear or see the word ‘democracy’ all my senses stand at attention (insert *pricked ears & sniffing nose*)…it’s a serious matter I tell you. This is what school has done to your homegirl – but I love eet.

Anyway to the gist at hand. I decided to take a peek into Twitter this afternoon, that’s where I found two friends talking Democracy in Nigeria in the light of the ongoing DNC convention in the US.

I am going to drop their tweets below, but more importantly, I am looking forward to having you extend the conversation.

The question is: What is your view about the practice of DEMOCRACY in Nigeria (or any country of your choice in which you are informed)

THE CONVO, This is how it started. The Calabar-Boy tweeted a line from Bill Clinton’s speech:

“Democracy does not have to be a blood sport, it can be an honourable enterprise that advances the public interest” – Bill Clinton

— Reginald Bassey (@TheCalabarboy) September 6, 2012

Then @African-Women-in-Power retweeted and included a Nigeria hash-tag (perhaps highlighting the significance of the statement to Nigeria’s kind of democracy):

#Nigeria “@thecalabarboy: “Democracy does not have to be a blood sport…” – Clinton”

— AWP Network!(@AfricWomenPower) September 6, 2012

At this point, @Ms. Afropolitan stepped in with another perspective:

Nigeria does not have democracy @africwomenpower @thecalabarboy

— Minna Salami (@MsAfropolitan) September 6, 2012

@TheCalabarBoy seemed to disagree:

@msafropolitan @africwomenpower Where in the world does it exist?

— Reginald Bassey (@TheCalabarboy) September 6, 2012

@MsAfropolitan with a sweet come-back.. I favourited this tweet:

@thecalabarboy @africwomenpower Not about competing with anywhere else but let’s be frank, we have an electoral authoritarian regime

— Minna Salami (@MsAfropolitan) September 6, 2012

@TheCalabarBoy continues along his line of argument:

@msafropolitan @africwomenpower Our democracy is evolving. There is a marked difference between 1999 and 2011 #Progress

— Reginald Bassey (@TheCalabarboy) September 6, 2012

@MsAfropolitan responds frankly:

@thecalabarboy @africwomenpower when I think of progress in Nigeria in the past yrs, what comes to mind are the protests not the elections

— Minna Salami (@MsAfropolitan) September 6, 2012

@TheCalabarBoy makes a strong argument here:

@msafropolitan @africwomenpower The ability to protest is an inherent and functional part of a democratic system. Esp when it’s effective

— Reginald Bassey (@TheCalabarboy) September 6, 2012

@MsAfropolitan injects an interesting twist… which i am keen to pursue to be honest

@thecalabarboy @africwomenpower That’s true, but how about if people are protesting the ‘undemocratic’ democratic system

— Minna Salami (@MsAfropolitan) September 6, 2012

@TheCalabarBoy hands up in surrender

@msafropolitan @africwomenpower he he he…now we are complicating things…lol

— Reginald Bassey (@TheCalabarboy) September 6, 2012

Back to the genesis, @African-Women-Power wraps up the debate nicely with…

@msafropolitan @thecalabarboy great conversation.

— AWP Network!(@AfricWomenPower) September 6, 2012

I am not set to wrap this interesting conversation up just yet, so please drop comments and let’s talk…

what do you think about Nigeria’s democracy (or that of your country)? In view of how U.S handles her electoral process + oratory speeches and all… what do you make of Democracy in Nigeria?

Please share this article and let’s have a round table.

Media Junkie