Vindicating Democracy in Frank Cunningham as the Solution to Nigerian System of Government

Abstract

Frank Cunningham prospects on achieving good governance is in line with guiding principle of democratic culture in other to ensure the happiness and well- being of its citizens since humans are political animals. He notes that; the challenges faced in formulating a successful democratic theory are as follows; domination by majority, failure to recognize views adequately, decline into cultural mediocrity, ineffectiveness of polices, spread of divisive conflicts, manipulation by demagogues, mystification of rule by officials and other elites, and various irrationalities build into decision-making processes. He also points the danger of appeals to "the people", a "contentless and unstable" concept that has been invoked since the French revolution for manipulative purposes. Democratization implies building – building a stable democratic structure. The concept of building evokes other concepts – solidity, durability, permanence, requisite materials, the builders – civil and structural engineers, the terrain on which we build etc. Only structures built on solid rocks can stand the test of time. These past years many Nigerian states have been building their nations on the shifting sand of social injustice, on the marshes of systematic exploitation and marginalization. The declining middle class, a crisis of quality representation caused by aggressive lobbying, corruption, agitations, tribalism, nepotism, ethnicity, discriminations, religious conflicts, etc are just some of the issues that Nigerian democracy must grapple with today. This work therefore suggests that; the democratization process will last only when the citizens build on the solid rock of justice and fair-play.