"Steemit Engagement Challenge S11/W4 - How is democracy functioning in your country?"

TASKS

• How is democracy functioning in your country?

• Is your country free from any domination ruled?

• Is your country self-sufficient in food production?

• How is youth employment in your country?

• What do you want your country to be like?

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How is democracy functioning in your country?

In Nigeria, we started the practice of democracy when we gained independence on 1st October 1960. However, i will not say we are entirely into the democratic practice.
Why do I say so? If you take a look back at our past leaders and their escorts right from when democracy supposedly became a practice in Nigeria, you would notice that they have been mostly characterized by old people, people who had an influence on the country when it was still in its military days. So in reality we are practicing a bit of gerontocracy with heavy influence by past leaders.

Is your country free from any domination ruled?

Currently, yes Nigeria is free from any domination ruled as compared to other African countries. Long before the advent of democracy, when we still embraced military rule. The country was a total mess, it was more like a dictatorship and the people really suffered. It's so surprising the kind of pain humans are able to inflict on other fellow humans.

Although right now, there is a bit of party domination but its not anything excessive as to warrant a positive reply to the question asked. Nigeria is free from domination currently, all we currently experience is bad governance.

Is your country self-sufficient in food production?

Nigeria is a country blessed with nature's resources to be a major exporter of food crops in the world. So yes, we are self-sufficient if food production. If we decide to operate a closed economy, we would very much be able to survive without the importation of food. However, due to mismanagement of the economy and the desire for the quick riches petroleum offers, agriculture, which used to be the major catalyst of our economy hasn't gotten the due attention it deserves.

Due to this, we find it economically feasible to import some of the food products which would otherwise have been manufactured here as it is somewhat cheaper to get the foreign products due to the high cost of production here. But to answer the question, yes! Nigeria is self-sufficient in food production.

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How is youth employment in your country?

Youth employment in my country is starting to get more attention than before. The government is putting in more effort to empower the youth and keep them busy as they are the future of the country.

This is being done in many ways, there is the job opportunity provisions as well as skills acquisition programmes where the youths are empowered with skills and some programmes go as far as setting them up after they have acquired these skills.

What you want your country to be like?

It pains me every time I think of Nigeria and the potential it has to become a first-world country in a few years but still performing poorly. Corruption is deeply rooted in the game of politics here and everyone just sees it as a get-rich scheme. Manifestos are completely ignored once power has been attained. Every election year, we always have to choose the lesser demon as so far its obvious none of these candidates are really looking out for the country.

The suitable candidates are bullied and most times never make it past their primaries. This country runs on power and only the powerful have their way with whatever they want. Ever since the new president got sworninto office 3 months ago, the price of everything has since doubled.

It's a shame that even petroleum, to which we are one of the world's largest exporter of crude has in the last 3 months tripled in price and it doesn't seem to be stopping. Due to this, transport fares have skyrocketed and food prices have in turn increased. To make it worse, Naira (our currency) keeps falling into oblivion as the exchange rate for naira to dollar keeps increasing and this has in turn led to increasing prices.

So many things are at play causing stagflation in the economy right now and it hurts, education is now 5 times its price and the masses are suffering. Nigeria can do better as a country and i would really desire a country where the leaders are actually concerned about the affairs of their people. We need a Nelson Mandela in this country.