Nigeria’s New Strongman…errr…President
Umaru Yar’Adua was sworn in today after winning elections he admits were "less then perfect". He has promised to focus on Nigeria’s troubled Nile Delta region, decrease violence and increase oil production (violence has caused Nigerian oil production to fall 25%). Nigeria is Africa’s biggest oil producer. He promises to be a new kind of leader "I most humbly proffer myself as a servant leader. I’ll be a good listener… and serve this nation with honesty, transparency, accountability, absolute fear of God and with absolute humility." This is the first time in the countries history that a civilian leader has been peaceably succeeded by another civilian.
Many Nigerians, including many bloggers, are unhappy with the new president and how he got to power. The transfer of power was peaceful, but there are serious questions about the legitimacy of the election. Many are calling it the death of Nigerian democracy, which of course assumes that there was a thriving Nigerian democracy to begin with. Over at the Nigerian Curiosity Solomonsydelle has put together the ‘Nigerian Proclamation‘ that summarizes the complaints opponents of the government have. Many Nigerian bloggers (here and here) have taken up the cause and are reposting the proclamation. Hopefully it will result in meaningful democratic reform, Nigeria certainly needs it.
