Speeches

Consul General Brian L. Browne
Remarks
Democracy, Good Governance and Local Government: Finding the Founding Fathers at the Grassroots Level

Benin City, Edo State
May 31, 2005

It is so appropriate and timely that we gather together today to discuss democracy and good governance. There are two major reasons that I say this.

Yesterday we celebrated Democracy in Nigeria. Many Nigerians, some of you here - sacrificed your time, your money and energy to bring democracy to the hills and valleys, to the lakes and creeks, to small villages and great cities of your diverse country. Many of you know people who were imprisoned. Some lost their lives in this ennobled struggle. It was more than fitting and proper that we took the time to salute the struggle and those who fought it. History and the pull of human gratitude demand no less of us. So we honor Nigerian democracy and the heroes who fought to make it a living reality.

The second reason is that yesterday was also an American holiday - Memorial Day. Memorial Day is time that Americans gather to pay our respect to those who fought and sacrificed their lives to defend the American way of life - those who struggled, those who gave their toil, sweat and blood to protect and defend our constitutional democracy and federal system. That American Memorial Day and Nigeria's Democracy Day fell on the same day is beyond mere coincidence. It symbolizes that the stirrings of freedom and justice are not unique to one country nor to one moment in time. But they are universal and have infused mankind from the very first human interaction and will do so until the end of time. That the two holidays are on the same day illustrates that the eyes of these two nations are fixed on the same destination. Although one may be further along in this trek than the other, both shall be guided by the light of democracy, the torch of justice, and the staff of truth. That is what these holidays mean, something profound and fulfilling. I guess it is equally fitting that I stand before you to give this message.
As a son of the American experience, I can tell you how my country has advanced and may that knowledge provide you encouragement and help light your democratic journey.

As a diplomat from a friendly nation but also now a son-in-law of Nigeria and Edo, I would like to help Nigeria move as quickly and as wisely along that democratic path as your conditions and capacities will allow.

Before I go any further, let me issue a disclaimer. The disclaimer is that my speech will not be couched in normal diplomatic subtleties. This issue is too important for nothing but straight talk and we do not know if we will have the chance to gather again as we have today. So permit me to talk as if I were the tip of the straightest of arrows. The future of your children and your children's children hinge on what you do in the coming months and years. You are the stewards of many destinies. We cannot allow history to find us wanting in this task. Thus, my language will not be one of finesse but one of plain language so that there can be no mistake about what I have said and what I have meant.

I do not do this as an ungracious guest, for I am exceedingly grateful to be here today. Rather I do this as a concerned friend and now relative and as one who has some familiarity with Nigeria. You see, this is my third diplomatic tour in Nigeria and my fifth year living among you. I have spent most of my professional career in West Africa having served three years in Liberia during the civil war and also having worked on West African issues in Washington, D.C. Thus I come to you not as a stranger but as someone who cares and who has seen first hand the bounty that can accrue to a nation when good governance establishes residence but I have also seen the galloping blight that can engulf a country whenever malfeasance and unjust governance are let loose. These two are like mad dogs that even turn on those who wee once their masters. While ideas contained in this message are for everyone, it is particularly directed and dedicated to the elected officials among you, especially the local government chairman and their council members.

Because Nigeria is a recently minted democracy, your responsibility to establish good governance on these shores is an acute one. You will not face any greater collective responsibility for the remainder of your lives.

You must understand that here is where you make your stand. On these pages is where the history of your life shall be written. Don't let it be a sad tale. In an older democracy, the relevant institutions and political culture have had time to root themselves in the social fabric and the collective spirit of the citizenry. In such a situation, where the people err by electing bad leadership, the nation or community can endure because democracy has become a way of life for them. The benefits that it has previously bestowed and the openness and freedom that a democracy is would have built a reservoir of goodwill. In an established democracy this deposit of faith in the system will serve to see the people through the knocks and jolts of the lean years. Countries and people veteran in democracy know they can improve their lot by voting in a new leadership should the one they have prove unresponsive.

However, when a democracy is young, a sustained period of bad governance can be a mortal blow because many people will not see it as an unfortunate coincidence. No, they will equate bad governance with democracy as if they are identical twins. You know the process of democratization is not that much different than the growth of a human being. The hardship an adult can walk through may be something that stops a child. What a strong adult may view as a mild punishment or deprivation might be cruel and harsh if imposed on an infant. You, as office holders, are the appointed guardians of a very precious infant, Nigeria's democracy. Like any decent parent, you must place the survival and well being of that child above your own desires.

When democracy is new, that is the time it must prove itself and its value to the people. If it does not produce noticeable fruits, the population, because it does not have a deep grounding in this form of government, may well conclude that it is barren. Cynicism will creep in where faith and hope should reside. In such a choking atmosphere, democracy cannot blossom and may endure only for a time because it has not become firmly rooted in the collective spirit of the people.

Thus, all of you, but especially the elected officials gathered here have become the founding fathers of democracy in Nigeria. Be as good and caring parents to democracy as you would be to the offspring of your flesh and blood. Don't let democracy become an orphan or a beggar. Do not cheat it of its rightful inheritance and that inheritance is to establish itself so that it can enrich your lives as well as the lives of the children of your very own flesh and blood.

In many respects, Nigeria's history proves a country can survive without democracy. Nigeria's history also proves that a country cannot flourish without democracy. I tell you this thing called democracy is a complex, and at times, ungainly animal. From afar, it looks like a most inefficient form of governance; but up close, it is the most practical one. In the short term, another form of governance may seem more effective. Under a dictatorship, it is easier to render and implement decisions. Under such a system, when one person and his or her cabal says yes or no, do or don't -- matters are then settled with lightning speed. No questions asked, no answers given. All is steeped in mystery and shrouded by fear. Arrogance and arbitrariness form the ugly capstone of such an edifice. No need for a legislature or worrying about the courts and the legality of what is proposed. The minute a despot speaks, the matter is over. Over time, this type of false efficiency leads to irrationality, injustice and graft. Worst of all, it mortgages a country's future. What looked like a sturdy palace is in truth a crumbling tenement. For, with government of such a capricious and closed nature, you reap what you sew. On the other hand, democracy and a free economy are a rather rocky road at the beginning. Eventually they will eventually take you to the place you want to be - to the place where an individual can advance because of his abilities, merit and hard work, to the place where one can believe and speak freely as long as he does not trample the rights of others to do the same. However dictatorship and its related forms of government, while initially looking smooth and efficient, will not only take you down the wrong road they will cast you into a deep pit. A system of governance that begins with false strength can only end in real weakness. A system which vests power only in one invests everyone else with oppression and weakness. It will grind a good and dynamic people to dust and turn the virtue, of their respect for authority into a millstone about their neck.

Constitutional democracy and its associated checks and balances is the best form of government for a dynamic and energetic people because it recognizes both the virtues and the flaws in the human character. If we were all saints and angels, government would be unnecessary. No, Democracy does not work because we are angels. It is necessary because it is the form of government that best restrains the devil in us all. When I use that term I am not speaking of things spiritual - I am talking practical temporal politics. In the realm of politics, that devil has many faces and goes by many names - ambition, greed, power, corruption, are among them.

Thus, just having the formal democratic structures and institutions are insufficient in themselves to secure for you the social bounty that democracy has to offer. The people to whom these institutions are entrusted must plant the values of democracy in their hearts and minds. At bottom, a constitution is but a piece of paper easily shred and tossed away. A written constitution is only valuable if you choose to give it value. You must decide to honor it. The real constitution that begets good governance cannot be discovered in any piece of paper, it is found in the thoughts and philosophy that gave rise to what is written on that paper. What I am saying is that for any constitution to be worthwhile and genuine it must be written in your minds, your hearts, your behaviors - in your words and deeds. First and foremost, maximizing the welfare of the people must be the primary goal, the motivating force to any meaningful institutional structure and to the actual conduct of government.

For good governance and democracy to take root, the answers to two questions (1) "Why did you run for office?" and (2) "Why did the people elect you?" must be the same answers. Trouble lurks wherever the answers to these two fundamental questions are different. It does not take a genius to figure out that if you ran for office because you wanted to enrich yourself but the people elected you because they thought you would improve the community, somebody is going to be disappointed. Something has to yield. You cannot serve two masters - you must either serve the people or selfishly serve yourself for there is only one plate on the table. Either you must change your ways or must accept your self-aggrandizement. But both cannot get what they want. Where there is such fundamental discord between the elected official and the electorate, dissension and argument will be your fate. Conversely, where there is general harmony of interests, you have established the essential foundation for good governance.

As elected officials, you can and must be the primary example of good governance to the people. This is especially true for the Chairman and members of local government. The people may not always be in contact with national and state officials, but, if you are doing your work properly, you should always be in close contact with your community. By doing your jobs properly, you not only become the exemplar of grassroots democracy, you become democracy's safeguard.

In order to serve this vital function, you must have a vision for your locality. If you do not have a vision for improving or serving your community, you should seriously think about pursuing another vocation. Governance may not be for you. I mean this. Now of course, local government cannot do everything. But you must work with and for the people to bring them the vital services that are within your mandate to deliver.

What the people need from you is not cloaked in mystery. It is easy to discern their needs and concerns provided you care enough to look at and listen to the people. They are looking for improvement in health care for their families, education for their children, better infrastructure, economic growth and employment - they are looking to be able to feed, cloth and shelter their loved ones and they are looking to live in peace and calm. As long as they bother no one, they seek the assurance that they too will not be bothered. As I said before, as local government you cannot provide all these yourself. But you do have funds and resources to address some of these concerns. To the extent that you control assets, shape your budgets to meet the important social priorities of your community. Move around your community, take time to express your vision for the community to your people, In turn open your ears to let them express their ideas and concerns to you. Some of their ideas will be good, don't tarry in accepting these ideas, especially the ideas from your political opponents. You see, we all must reach the stage where we realize that those who oppose us are not completely bad and may have a good idea every once in a while.

Embrace their good ideas so that they may refine and improve your thinking and programs. Accepting someone else's ideas is not a sign of weakness, it is an indication of confidence in your own ability and it is a sign of wisdom. If you follow this tack, your allies will continue to support you. Those who once opposed you, will begin to question why they did not support you. Those who hate you, will begin to respect you. Just by having an open ear, a prudent tongue and an honest heart, you would have taken an important step toward good governance that uplifts the entire community. Let this be the legacy and the history that is written of your tenure in elected office.

Remember do not shun your political opposition. Do not confuse electoral competition with the tenets of military welfare. These are human struggles that have different natures and are best played under different rules from each other. In warfare, a good general smites his enemies. In the art of governance, a good elected official seeks to calm his enemies and minimize friction with them. After all, you have won the office - there is no need to continue fighting. You must persuade the person you have defeated to graduate from competition to conciliation until the next election comes. Then you may compete again. Until then find ways that you can cooperate for the common good. Employing this cycle of competition and cooperation you ensure that political differences are moderated and do not evolve into something more explosive or violent. Remember these people are from your community, not from some alien, enemy land. They are entitled to respect and dignity. Listen to them and give them adequate political space and opportunity to make a living. Of course, you will trust and back your supporters more than your opposition. But always remember you are not perfect. Every good decision you make is not a perfect one. Even good decisions have their flaws. Often the solutions to today's challenges are the parents of tomorrow's problems. No one has a monopoly on truth and knowledge. Accept in good faith the constructive criticism of your political opponents. In fact, create a venue where responsible members of the opposition can visit and raise their concerns with you. I stress to you that once elected, you not only serve those who supported you but those who did not. Elections are driven by partisan competition but good governance requires non-partisan conciliation - that means you, as the electoral victor and now office holder - should extend a hand to your former competitor. You may be on top today , yet remember, nothing of this world is permanent. Better that you treat a man with mercy when you could have bruised him. When that man rises in power, your previous goodness and mercy toward him, will be your protection on that day. Treating others justly when you have power to do otherwise is your best insurance for fair treatment should ever be separated from power.

Good governance at the local level also means that you work closely with the federal and state governments. First, you want to coordinate your work so that there is no costly duplication of activities. Also you want the make sure that things important to the community but which local government cannot perform, are done by the state or federal authorities. All this goes to say that in your role as local elected leader, you serve the function as being the executive branch at the local level. But also, you serve the informal yet vital function of representing and promoting local interests to the state and federal government.

You also serve an important function in helping to promote business and economic growth in your communities. This is a very key role because, over time, it is only the private sector that can create the wealth and jobs needed for your communities to prosper.

You promote private sector development by making it secure for businesses to operate in your area. You must do away with layers of regulations and "special" fees that stifle the growth of private enterprise. While in the short run, this might seem an attractive way to raise revenue, it actually immiserates the community by chasing business away. You can actually raise more revenue and generate more employment by making it cheaper for businesses to establish themselves and operate in your community. The best way to spur revenue is not by trying to bleed bone dry the few businesses in your community, but to be an attractive location in order to increase the volume of business activity in your locale.

I could continue to talk about the different aspects of good governance at the local level but I think I have touched on the major themes and with that I think you can finish painting the full picture yourselves.

But I would like to encourage you not to conduct "business as usual". Local government has been accused of squandering money, I exhort you to show that, in your jurisdiction, this allegation is not true. Local government has come under criticism for being ineffective. I exhort you to prove those critics wrong. It has been said that local government has not really touched the lives of the people. I ask you to make that criticism false as it pertains to your stewardship of your local government. If you try to improve and change things, some people will oppose you. That is to be expected. The reason you were elected to office was not to have an easy time but to bring positive change. I exhort you to do so. That is your mandate. That is your responsibility. Let that be your legacy.

In Nigeria, democracy is being put to the test. In this contest, there is no neutral ground. Either you are working to promote democracy or you are working to undermine it. I beseech you to be on the right side of this battle.

As I go, may I leave you with a parable. A wealthy man had two sons. The man owned a fine house but nothing was finer in that house than his sitting chair. It was made with the finest wood and fabric. It was trimmed in gold. The chair was truly fit for a king. It was so fine he allowed no one else to sit in it, not even his beloved sons. One day he called to the boys that he was going to town on business. After he left, the boys began talking about the chair, each claiming one day he would inherit it from the father. Soon their claims turned into an argument and the argument into a fight. After a while, the boys were pulling and tugging at the chair. They struggled so fiercely that they did not recognize they were dragging the chair beyond the house, then outside the compound, into the street. Suddenly, they heard a clap of thunder. Rain clouds were swiftly approaching. Across the street, their father's best friend noticed the boys but said nothing at this odd sight. Coming to his senses, the younger son said we better lift the chair and take it in the house so the rain won't damage it. The other scoffed, saying you are trying to trick me. Anyway I don't care about the stupid chair. If I can't have it, no one should have it - not even our father. With that, the older one stomped back into the house.

For a moment the younger one almost surrendered. But he gathered all of his strength and pushed and tugged to bring the heavy chair back into the house right to the exact place it belonged. That night the father returned. He first summoned the older boy. They started talking about the chair. The boy began to think this was the night the chair would be given to him. But his father had contrary ideas. The father revealed the neighbor saw everything and the neighbor had told him what happened. The father then dismissed the boy declaring that the boy would never know the chair. Then he invited in the younger son. After admonishing the boy for initially fighting, the father then asked the boy to sit in the chair saying it would be his from that day forward.

Now for our purposes here, imagine that the father represents the will of the people, the chair represents the wealth and resources of the nation, and the neighbor represents the judgment of history. Now, which of the brothers do you want to be? Now is the time to make your choice. For your sake and that of your State and Nation - do not err.

Thank you.

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