Democracy Day: Beyond Elections, Where Is Our Voice?
Democracy Day: Beyond Elections, Where Is Our Voice?
By:Bamgbose Adedamola
June 12 is a date steeped in both hope and heartbreak. It marks the memory of Nigeria’s 1993 presidential election, widely regarded as the freest and fairest in our history, yet annulled, and with it, the voice of millions silenced. Today, as we mark Democracy Day, we must ask: beyond the right to vote, where truly is the voice of the Nigerian people?
Democracy is not just about casting ballots every four years. It is about being seen, being heard, and being involved daily. It thrives on participation, accountability, and the courage to speak truth to power. Yet in Nigeria today, speaking up has become a dangerous act. Citizens are silenced swiftly, protests are crushed, and opinions are punished. This is not the democracy we deserve.
To every Nigerian reading this: we must be brave enough to speak up. Silence has never built a nation. Fear has never driven change. The more we remain quiet, the more we give room for oppression to thrive. Democracy means your voice matters, but only if you use it. Our leaders must be reminded that they are public servants, not rulers. If they try to silence us, we must raise our voices louder, not just for ourselves, but for those too afraid to speak.
And to be completely honest, we also need to talk about our “anyhowness.” Too many of us have become numb, living with dangerous levels of nonchalance. We ignore bad governance, shrug at corruption, and joke about suffering. This attitude is costing us more than we realize. It is not normal to live in hardship. It is not okay to expect failure. We must stop pretending that silence is wisdom. It is time to snap out of the indifference and start demanding better.
The tragedy of June 12 was not only the annulment of an election, it was the silencing of a nation’s collective voice. That silence continues today when we treat democracy like a once-in-a-while ceremony instead of a way of life.
Young Nigerians especially must go beyond hashtags and Instagram stories. Run for office. Join local politics. Organize. Mobilize. Speak. Challenge injustice at every level. We owe it to ourselves and the generations coming after us.
So today, as we reflect on Democracy Day, let’s stop pretending we have a voice and start fighting to use it. Let’s be heard. Let’s care. Let’s act. Because this is what democracy truly means.
