MANY FLOODS TO CROSS WITH DEMOCRACY
OKELLO OCULI argues the need for communities to be directly involved on issues affecting them
In recent times, millions of young people poured their rage against evil industrial activities by adults which, over many centuries, have cumulatively destroyed nature’s protection of planet earth against SUN – the ‘’Lion King’’’ of the planetary system.
Sceptics and cynics among those who love money over human welfare, mocked them. Candidate Donald Trump snubbed their assertions as a ‘’hoax’’. Governments indebted to owners of industries that rely on burning coal for energy, sent the police to teach the loud-mouthed kids ‘’with heavy manners’’ and naked brutalities.
As a man with investments in building houses with wood and insurance companies that harvest funds from anxious people that seek some protection from fires and hurricanes, American builder are likely to resist the example of Japanese builders to use building material that resisted volcanic tremors and convulsive earthquakes.
Images of houses torn to pieces by tornadoes along routes of hurricanes in the United States of America was handled by including ‘’basement’’ spaces bellow living rooms for families to dive into and survive terrors above ground. Insurance companies pick damages to what survive of family properties. Profit is protected while families with low or no insurance at all, get blamed under the cruel law of ‘those who are poor, even the little they have is taken away from them’.
Following President Reagan and Secretary Gorbachev sharing fear of Ayotollah Khomeni proclaiming himself as a new power across the Islamic world, it was safer to protect the Capitalist and Communist world against the possibility of a Muslim fanatic pressing a button that would hurl nuclear weapons against countries marked by Khomeni as ‘’Satanic’’. His instruction to all believers of Islam to murder Salman Rhusdie (for publishing a novel title ‘’THE SANATIC VERSES’’), panicked leaders globally.
The result of withdrawal of ‘’Communism’’, as a fatal virus across Capitalist Europe wrecked the power of voters in democratic politics. The benefits of the Welfare State, previously used to bribe voters across Europe against the appeal of Communist Parties backed by the Soviet Union, would be withdrawn. Imposing anti-people economic policies on Greece became a prime example.
The era had passed of the ‘’Marshall Plan’’ pouring American money into Europe to rebuild industries, homes, schools, hospitals and general economies shattered by German bombs during the 1938-1945 War across Europe and Britain. The flood of American wealth had flowed to drain away the flood of poverty resulting from that war.
A major victim of degrading the power of the people’s voice in ‘’European Democracy’’ is the rage of youth against the terror of Climate Change. The youth were exploiting the flood of horizontal communication through the use of SMART PHONES and Internet. They beat adult gatekeepers of flows of information and opinion.
On 15th September, Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary and Austria, were hit by flood that killed 30 people. It covered a vast region drained by the Danube River. The tragedy coincided with a horrendous flood in Maiduguri town in Nigeria. Over 37 people died from it.
Likewise, a flood in Myanmar was reported to have killed over 220 people and ruined thousands of acres of farmlands. A civil war and military rule has displaced thousands of people into detention camps. The military is using bloodshed to kill democratic politics.
In Eastern Europe and Maiduguri blame is put on corrupt officials pocketing funds for repairing dams. In countries transiting from Communist rule to multi-party democracy, officials have exploited the relaxation of rigid control by Communist Party governance to rush into grabbing private property and a pandemic of corruption. Liberal Democracy regained its individualism and voice of greed.
In Maiduguri, critical media noted that Borno State government had received 800 million Naira for managing environmental hazards. A committee of high-level officials had submitted a report which claimed that the dam which burst a wall a few days later was nothing to worry about. Possible diversion of funds by corrupt officials and a culture of lack of accountability was plausible..
Borno State has a long history of violent and destructive wars under the Saifawa and Kanem feudal rule. Officials in peripheries were selected from among local communities for an ‘’Indirect Rule System’’. It ensured that tribute and tax flowed from the dominated people to be enjoyed by central authorities. There was, however, no flow downwards of investment for development of subjected communities.
The challenge of flood in Nigeria follows the colonial tradition of communities seeing government as an extractor of resources from them, without their participation in administering for their own development.
Franz Fanon insisted that infrastructure must not fall on communities like ‘’mana’’ from skies. The DIRECT PARTICIPATION of communities in DESIGNING preventive and repair measures and activities cures people of docility; and helps in ‘’reconstructing’’ their personalities.
Prof Oculi writes from Abuja
