By Unukere Oboh
Democracy will only thrive in Nigeria if the people collectively agreed to dump what separates them for what unite the country just as the 20 years of democracy has not provided the needed dividends for the masses.
This was the submission of the lead speaker, Professor Adebayo Olokoshi at a Memorial Colloquium organized in honour of late Bjoin Beckma in Abuja on Thursday in Abuja.
According to Olokoshi, who was part of the speakers in the one day event with the theme ‘The future of Democracy in Nigeria’ said that it was unfortunate that the country was drifting apart instead of having a strong statehood because of recent development that were unthinkable of in the past.
He said though it is obvious that the country no longer speak on common ground because of the selfish interest of the political group and the elite, the people can form a common ground by using things which are positives to fill in the gaps.
He said it will be an honour for the late Beckman, who during his life time helped to change the development in the country as most of his students benefitted from his ideological belief to form a movement for progressive minded group to trade on to create a platform for the good of the country.
He said that it was unfortunate that 20 years in the democratic circle in the country the people are yet to profit from it rather the nation is more divided along tribal, regional and religious ground which he noted is caused by the elites and the political class.
“20 years of disappointment in our democratic growth, we are more divided, things that were believed to be unthinkable is now showing in everywhere, this is not what we hoped for, all structure for statehood has broken down,” he said.
He said to get out of the wood; Nigerians must ensure that due process is followed and the elites and political class must be ready to change from their grip on power but allow the will of the people to be uppermost in the decision process.
Also speaking, the chairman of Daily Trust Newspapers, Mallam Kabiru Yusuf who was the chairman of the occasion, described Beckman as a man who only did not contribute to the educational enhance of the students but follow their progress as a teacher, whose impart reverberate across the country.
Another speaker, Jibrin Ibrahim, said “Professor Beckman was important to us because of his deep commitment to African development. He immersed himself in the successive radical struggles of the 1980s and 1990s and beyond. He was a central pillar in the coterie of comrades that defined pathways for resistance to imperialism, neo-colonial and national exploitation and oppression. By the same token, he was a determined comrade engaged in the struggle for liberation, workers’ rights and women’s rights. It is for all these reasons, and many more, that we are here today to celebrate the life and work of our friend and comrade, Bjorn Beckman.”
The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Ayuba Wabara on his part said the contribution of Beckman in the struggle of labour movement in the country cannot be quantified as he remained one of the leading lights.
The governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi was among many dignitaries who graced the occasion.
