Governance is no business

These days, governance has gained prominence as among the most lucrative businesses.

This is wrong, just like talking of the

dividends of Democracy.

During IBB's transition to civil rule, I once served as a Ward Chairman.

At the handover to the newly elected ward officials, they were less concerned about the office equipment we were handing over to them. Their focus was on money but we had none to give them and they were disappointed.

Governance is about service that will be appreciated and not for self enrichment.

This reminds me of the case of a little boy who misappropriated money kept in his care by his classmates and when his father was told, the man responded that what the boy did was what anybody in his position would do.

Sadly, this is the mistaken belief of those who see political office and governance as a business.

I know, a highly placed man who paid a private debt with a cheque from a ministry.

The man was not in government but somehow managed to get a Ministry to settle his private debt.

I also heard of a State government that asked a Trustee Company to pay interest on their Bonds into a private account and the Chief Executive of the Trustee told the officials that it was procedurally abnormal and therefore refused.

By our constitution, political office is limited by terms. We all desire good governance.

Political parties, based on their beliefs espouse their plans and let the electorate decide on which plan is more probable based on certain indices including believability of the party officials against the background of their antecedents either in public or in private life.

This is why records of malfeasance almost always come up. I recall the case of an ex Governor who was accused of examination malpractice before he became a governor.

Indeed, he did not disappoint his traducers for he was jailed in a foreign land for a financial crime.

When records are checked and individuals have access to records of governance by public officials, it becomes incumbent on public officials to discharge their duties with utmost care.

In Nigeria, public officials fight tooth and nail to ensure their opponents do not succeed them. Interestingly, the adversaries only blow hot air but there are no court cases.

Even where there are cases it becomes difficult to differentiate facts from fiction and in the end, lessons are neither learned nor forgotten.

The only Dividend we should expect from Democracy is that rulers rule with the fear of God and the people. That way, only the pure and prudent would desire to step into the political arena and not failed businessmen in search of fortune.