Media analysis of democracy as everybody's business, Egede Lawrence writes.
People make me laugh when they think that democracy is everything free, costless and nobody's business without the contributions of other people.
I could hear some political party Stalwarts complaining about the high cost of campaign fields in Ebonyi State, where democracy is the general order of the day.
*In the first place the Advanced dictionary says that democracy is a "form of government in which the people govern themselves, or elect representatives to govern them."* It is not penniless.
*In the similar language of public summary, it is clearly stated hereunder that democracy is a government of the people, for the people and by the people.* It is an expensive venture.
It sounds like democracy is a system of government where everyone has a stake, a cost to pay, a contribution to make and a responsibility to bear together with others acting in the lineup.
It is a system of protecting the movement, checkmating people in a mass gathering in places of activities and securing them well, while the whole thing is seen as everybody's befitting business.
It is never said that democracy is a government of a free field with everything costing less in it.
It was not said that democracy is like using the speech podium free, the environment free, the public address system free, the personal appeal to a crowd of political patrons and the use of official permits free of charge.
It was not said that it will cost nothing for security purposes, on the grounds of launching political campaign activities.
It was not said that to become a leader of the people, who will freely elect free citizens of free criticisms, should be as free as air to crucify the government.
It is naturally said that "nothing goes for nothing," which means that nothing is costless even in all democratic dispensations.
Democracy is not a form of an isolated system of the regime, for ugly partisan public utterances that may cost nothing in return.
It is even better to obey rules, no matter the cost payable to maintain peace and order, in a field of gathering together for proper mass security reasons, than quarrel with lawful norms.
We shouldn't forget that there's a government in place already, which is a channel of request for security mobilizations in the State. To bypass facts is bad.
In principle, there is a standing policy initiative in any regime, whose sense of orderliness can marshall out political priorities, based on security officialdom which must bear a certain cost.
It is a practicable basic norm to protect the interest of everyone, not to leave everything lying low and behave aloof, without the logistics put in place for work.
It is not because of separatist political reasons that logistics are ordered for people to pay.
Normally and officially the very Security Chief to notify first for any political gathering together is the Chief Executive, who will in turn order those concerned to arrange for the protection of the interest of the applicant/s on the request list, and with a cost to pay. The exorbitant aspect is not to rubbish the end users.
Whichever the amount of money payable to the offices of the authorities is a democratic contribution, to the public purse under government supervision.
I am saying here that the actual meaning of democracy has got much to do with the business of everyone, putting hands on the plough and look not back.
Without looking back at the cost of the democratic market of contributions, with the price of responsibilities to bear and the facilitations, it is expedient to foot the bills accountable to running a protective regime.
It is not to be counted as a derogation of people's purses, or frustration with their sole aim.
It is neither a relegation of parties nor a subjugation of the eligible groups. It is a business patronage policy of democracy.
So, democracy in the real sense of the lawful application is that politics, policies, principles and priorities are all the business of everyone to facilitate the work.
It will be shameful for everyone not to pay the cost of using a place to do business, political differences notwithstanding.
To God is the glory forever.
Written by Egede Lawrence.
Media Analysis Of Democracy As Everybody's Business.
