‘Nation-building takes time’ — Masari asks Nigerians to stay faithful to democracy

Aminu Masari, a former governor of Katsina state, has advised Nigerians to be patient as the country’s democracy undergoes development.

Masari spoke in Abuja on Tuesday at the public lecture organised by the presidency to mark the country’s 25th Democracy Day anniversary.

The former speaker of the house of representatives said politicians need to prioritise the wellbeing of citizens.

“Our people also need to be more patient with the country. While 25 years of civil rule or 64 years of independence is a long time, it is just a speck in the life of a nation,” Masari said.

“Most of the countries that we are eager to compare Nigeria to today went through their challenging moments too. They were totally different from the countries that we know 200 years ago.

“Nation-building takes time. We also need to be more patient with democracy, which by its nature is slow and complex.

“Democracy is about process, which may make it difficult for issues to be addressed or resolved with immediate effect. It is not without challenges, but democracy is still the best form of government. We need to stay faithful to it.

“My last point is a passionate appeal to my fellow politicians and the populace. We all need to continue to do our parts in strengthening and deepening our democracy.

“It is not just the government of the politicians by the politicians and for the politicians. In representative democracy, elected politicians merely hold power in trust for the people.

“We therefore need to prioritise the needs of the populace ahead of our own needs. We also need to become better democrats. We need to fully imbibe the culture of democracy. We need good winners and good losers.”