Nigeria’s Democracy is Unique, Says US Envoy

The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Stuart Symington, has applauded the unique nature of Nigeria’s democracy, saying the greatest democratic lesson he learnt in Nigeria is that government depends on the people order than the people depending on the government.

Symington was speaking when he paid a courtesy call on the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, at his Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta office tuesday.

He noted that in countries with not too strong democracy, people depend on the government, while in countries with strong democracy, government depends on the people, because they are well educated, like what obtains in Nigeria.
The US envoy, who described Nigeria’s democracy as peculiar, which according to him, is the hallmark of democratic governance, identified the role played by the Nigerian media in connecting the people to the government as well as the educational standard of the people of the country, as the reason for this.

Revealing his mission in the state, the envoy said it was to know more about Nigeria and Ogun State and also further strengthen the bilateral relationship that already existed.

“The prosperity and peace of the United States of America will be that of Nigeria through the ties,” he added.
He express gladness at being in the state, a place where he said great importance is attached to education.
In his response, Amosun said the state is the cradle of education, the first to have access to Western education in Nigeria as well as being reputed with many firsts.

Saying the US indeed has a lot to learn from Nigeria, the governor urged the ambassador to use his office to facilitate increased US presence in the state, which he described as the hub of distribution to the West African sub- region and the industrial hub of the nation.