//-Membership of CHRER INT'L-//

The Public Lecture entitled: Consolidating Democracy in Nigeria: Prospects and Challenges.

It is hard to forget the agonizing experiences of the change - seeking masses who, until May 29, 1999 had for decades wallowed under insensately wild military dictatorships. At the end of their incessant adventures, the military bandits had completely ruined the lives of our people and caused disaffection among the various ethnic nationalities.

Although we now have a democratic government in place, yet there is already a lamentable manifestation of distrust, suspicion and disaffection among the confederating units that make up Nigeria, to the extent that separatist campaigns are being carried out through violence.

The rising wave of bloody conflicts rocking the nation in the six years of democracy have claimed thousands of lives and caused more tension in the land. Suddenly our major ethnic groups have become intolerant of one another, engaging in violent clashes at the slightest provocation.

The gulf that now exists between the three main ethnic groups is so deep to the extent that citizens show more allegiance and patriotism to their ethnic areas than to the country as a whole; tribal or ethnic sentiments characterize public discussions and debates, even at the national assembly;

Apparently to execute these tribal or ethnic agenda, each ethnic area now has its militant organization, armed with sophisticated weapons in readiness for a swift enforcement of their sectional objectives;

In all the disturbances that have taken place across the country in the past six years none has occurred without the direct or indirect involvement of these extra legal militant groups;

Centre for Human Rights Education & Reporting is worried by this dangerous state of affairs not only because it poses a threat to our nascent democracy but also because of the disadvantages of a balkanized Nigeria to her people in particular and to the West African sub – region, hence, to campaign for permanent entrenchment of genuine democracy and most importantly to have a united, indivisible and cohesive Nigeria as a strong political and economic African nation is our focus. To achieve this the organization is organizing a public lecture entitled Consolidating Democracy in Nigeria: Prospects and Challenges.

Though democracy in Nigeria is still being referred to as nascent, but it is our believe in the human rights and civil society organizations that it has come to stay in the Country. The responsibilities of all citizens in a democratic society are inseparable from the responsibility to promote human rights. To flourish, both democracy and human rights require people’s active participation.

More so, since civil society and human rights organizations played an immense role in enthroning democracy in the country, it has become our major role to save guard the system in Nigeria.

Without any doubt, Nigeria is one of the greatest countries in the World, but sadly, the nation has experienced ugly and inconsistent political culture. At 45 years old, Nigeria has been governed majorly by Military Leaders among whom are: General Aguiyi Ironsi, General Muritala Mohammed, General Olusegun Obasanjo, General Muhammed Buhari, General Ibrahim Babangida, General Sanni Abacha, General Yakubu Gowon, General Abdusalam Abubakar and others. Some of these mentioned military juntas spent more than five years in office. Unfortunately Nigerians witnessed a hard and epileptic economy in their reigns.

2007 is already at the next door, though about eighteen months to come, but it is as if we are already there. The year of hope and hopeless, the year of unknown, the year of probation for a change, in fact, year 2007 is more popular than any other past years in Nigeria. The year, which many well, and not well meaning Nigerians are looking ahead to, particularly to vie for the post of the president.

Declarations or no declarations, we have already identified some of them who are aiming the presidency in 2007. It is high time Nigerians dissociated themselves from engaging those who do not respect fundamental human rights of the citizenry as civilian President in the country. To actually consolidate true and genuine democracy in Nigeria Centre for Human Rights Education & Reporting deems it necessary to organize public lecture at this present time in the country to encourage those who are well grounded with democratic norms and principles and are ready to apply them in their administration and as well discourage those who are still seeing the government of Nigeria as an heritage bestowed on them. Nigerians need to be well informed about the ways to a genuine and true democracy, lest we are deceived.