10 December 2017
Since the inception of human race, they have been different forms of authorities whether the traditional system of monarchy or any other form of authority which a community is guided by and the actions of these authorities has always been subjected to some sort of public scrutiny as every action/act/legislation of these authorities has a direct and indirect effect on the people.
In our country (NIGERIA) right from the pre colonial era up to this moment (The Democratic dispensation) we have had series of persons that have been at opposite ends with the decisions of the government of the Day (during different eras), however this has been greeted with negative reactions from the government as every government tends to want to defend its actions by branding critics as foes to the government.
Every responsible government over time that faced stern criticism by activist and other observers turn a positive page to every act of criticism that comes its way rather than trying to always defend its actions.
In every democratic setting where citizens are entitled to freedom of speech, a citizen is entitled to air out his/her own mind based on the perspective in which such an individual deems fit, no responsible citizen will sit down and watch a government go towards the wrong direction without chipping in and fighting for the right things to be done, while many focus on the negative sides of criticism towards the government due to the fact that many critics are always not members of the same political affiliation with those in the government or are not of same school of thought, while we have majority of critics in the political class just a few are non partisans.
In real sense the “government” is not the constituted authority but the masses which is why every action of those in “positions of authority” is supposed to be geared towards a better society for everyone.
Those in “positions of authority” can't boast of always being right, this is why every act of criticism should be welcomed with a “double edged sword” and should be scrutinized to get the positive notion of the critic and do away with the negative aspect.
Criticising a government comes out of love as it posses so many threats to the life and property of the critic and it also extends to that of the close friends and relatives.
Critics need to be protected by law as they are only exercising their rights as citizens as we have seen overtime the dangers they face, one will think this ended with the military era but we have continually seen cases whereby critics of government face all sorts of attack both verbally and bodily.
The ability to see something and say something is reserved for a few and this few should be applauded not haunted because they keep the government on their toes consistently.
The government should be “for the people and by the people”.
Daniel Riwo
Social change agent
Co-founder Voice of Yala