Developmental democracy and its malcontents

 Segun Ayobolu



Does an inexorable and inevitable relationship exist between democracy and development? Most contemporary democratic theorists and pro-democracy activists will unhesitatingly answer this question in the affirmative.  Learning from the glaring failure of various forms of ‘developmental dictatorship’ such as one-party, one-man, military or defunct communist dictatorships to impact positively on the well-being of their societies, advocates of liberal democracy proclaim the virtues of this form of government from the hill tops.


 Drawing from Professor Richard Sklar’s notion of ‘developmental democracy’, they posit that democracy is the best form of government with the highest capacity to guarantee progress and development. But in what circumstances and within which context can democracy be a handmaiden of development? The answers, of course are obvious: a strong, competent, visionary leadership with character and integrity; a free, independent and objective press; respect for the rule of law; a vibrant and vigilant civil society and periodic elections that are free, fair and reflective of the popular will. But the ultimate acid test for democracy is whether or not, it is helping to promote the ‘greatest happiness for the greatest number of the people’ through good and transparent governance.


There is the school of thought, which posits that the greatest impediment to the actualization of Nigeria’s trapped potentials is fundamentally structural. They thus argue that the country cannot make progress unless she is radically re-structured with devolution of greater powers, responsibilities and resources from the centre to the federating units. Of course, this column has consistently supported the advocacy of re-structuring. Nigeria needs it badly. But the present structure of the country is no excuse for the abysmal governance she has experienced over the last 15 years particularly at the federal level. What is going on in many states especially infrastructural renewal, even with dwindling revenue from the Federation Account is simply amazing.


I have had cause to write in this place on the phenomenal work that Governor Ibikunle Amosun is carrying out in Ogun State. Of course, this is part of the dramatic wind of change blowing across the South-West, including Edo State. Even though less ideologically driven than a Rauf Aregbesola, Kayode Fayemi or Adams Oshiomhole, Amosun, like Abiola Ajimobi or Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) operates essentially as a technocrat and pragmatist. The tremendous physical transformation all over Ogun State today is a function of visionary leadership, determination, focus and incredible financial ingenuity. This column has no regrets for recognising Amosun as Grand Commander of Infrastructure Renewal (GCIR) earlier in the year. That recognition is even more pertinent and justifiable today. Rather than resting on his oars and lapsing into complacency, Amosun has girdled his loins for even loftier performance with clearly discernible evidence throughout the state.


A few months ago, yours truly had the opportunity along with other senior journalists to accompany Senator Ibikunle Amosun on an inspection tour of projects in the state. We commenced our tour at about 9am taking off from the Government House, Abeokuta,in the same Coaster bus with the governor. Even though we were able to cover only three local governments, our tour did not end till well past 7pm! One thing that struck me was the quality of the roads constructed by Amosun throughout the state. Every road constructed, the Amosun government insists, must meet the Ogun standard in terms of depth and width as well as the provision of such road infrastructure as street lights, drainage channels, pipe ducts and pedestrian walkways. Thus the roads in the serene, idyllic rural town of Aiyetoro are of the same quality as those constructed in Abeokuta.


When our team got to Ota, I was completely amazed at the transformation the town has undergone under Amosun. Virtually all the previously deteriorated roads of the town have been re-constructed, expanded and modernised. Those who used to go through hell to attend a popular Pentecostal church in the town can now move more easily and comfortably. Between Agbado and Akute, the Amosun government is building five new bridges at different levels of completion in addition to the on-going massive road construction along that stretch. The quality of life in Akute and adjoining communities is truly horrifying. It is amazing that successive governments had simply abandoned the people to their fate over the years. What is astonishing is that the infrastructure revolution being undertaken by Amosun is felt throughout the state simultaneously.


Everywhere we went, the crowds thronged our bus when they realized it was the governor inside. In Akute, an old woman prayed fervently for Amosun raising her hands up to her neck to demonstrate the difficulty residents of the community had crossing the stream before Amosun’s intervention through the bridge construction.I strongly believe that many of those who denigrate the governor on the pages of newspapers or on television dare not go to many of the communities Amosun is transforming to campaign against him. Some would say that, after all Amosun is doing nobody a favour and the money he is using to provide qualitative infrastructure and services does not belong to him. Yes, but others passed the same way before as governors, had access to the same funds but squandered the opportunity to leave enduring legacies.




Ordinarily, a governor who has posted such a commanding performance like Amosun should be the pride and toast of his party. He is a great electoral asset. But what do we have here? Some of the bitterest opponents of Amosun are right within his own party. This is quite understandable. To embark on the unprecedented infrastructural modernisation of Ogun, the way Amosun has done means that political entrepreneurs who live on politics, will be starved of the largesse they have been used to. They will not go down quietly. But the self-styled godfathers and ‘oracles’ of Ogun politics must beware of standing in the way of the developmental democracy through which Amosun is elevating the ‘Gateway State’ to new heights of socio-economic progress. They should be told in no uncertain terms to stop distracting Amosun.


One of the vicious misinformation campaigns waged against Amosun is the allegedly astronomical cost of roads constructed by his administration. This is plain mischief. As the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Olamilekan Adegbite, has explained, the state has expended N166.7 billion so far on the construction of 306.55km of roads that cut across the three Senatorial Districts. Noting that many of these roads have a bridge component, the commissioner notes that the cost of constructing a bridge is different from that of a road. He urged people to “please go round and see what we are doing. They are standard roads that will stand the test of time, not shoddy projects”.



Many of those who are trying so hard to distract Amosun today, and bounce back into political relevance, were responsible for the victory of the PDP in the state in 2003. The progressives lost control of Ogun in 2003 because of the sheer arrogance, ineptness and complacency of the incumbent government. Many of my friends in Ogun State told me excitedly about how they had voted for PDP then because they were tired of gubernatorial tyranny and insensitivity of those now proclaiming that they dined and wined with Awo as if that is a criterion for leadership. Yes, the PDP engaged in massive rigging of the 2003 governorship election in the South West. But the complacency of the party structure and leadership made the rigging that helped rout the progressives possible.


To worsen matters, once the progressives lost control of Ogun in 2003, those self-proclaimed political ‘oracles’ and ‘war generals’ promptly fled the state and took refuge in Lagos in a most cowardly manner. They failed to offer leadership when it mattered most. It was the moral, logistical and intellectual support from outside Ogun that enabled the progressives to re-organize and gradually but steadily fight their way back to victory in the state in 2007. If everybody had abandoned ship like those who now parade themselves as the ‘oracles’ of Ogun politics, would the progressive resurgence of 2007 have taken place?


I call on Governor Amosun not to compromise on his commitment to developmental democracy. However, he should be gentle as a dove but wise as a serpent in dealing with those malcontents who crave the resurrection of a discredited and better forgotten era.


abiodun KOMOLAFE, AMNIM,
O20, Okenisa Street,
PO Box 153,
Ijebu-Jesa, Osun State,

Tel: +234 803 361 4419
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