According to the report from the Nigerian Tribune, Nigeria’s former Ambassador to The Philippines, Dr Yemi Farounbi highlighted the detrimental effects of Muhammadu Buhari’s ascent to power following Shehu Shagari’s administration, marking the beginning of a 10-year transition period that saw the increasing monetization of the political system in Nigeria.
During this time, citizens began relying on financial handouts from politicians rather than actively participating in the political development process.
As a result, politics became a domain for the wealthy, rendering it inaccessible for the average Nigerian, as exemplified by the notion that even a university professor would struggle to afford participation at the councillor level.
Farounbi contrasted this situation with Ghana, where a university professor could successfully attain the presidency.
He argued that Nigeria missed out on opportunities to cultivate a more equitable and inclusive political landscape during this crucial 10-year period.
According to Yemi Farounbi, “Of course then came Muhammadu Buhari, who also found himself in power after four years of waste by Shehu Shagari. He got kicked out then we started the 10-year transition. That was when the vulgar monetization of the political system started. That was when the citizen no longer had to contribute to political development, but they now look for politicians to give them money. That was when politics became the game for only the rich, no longer something that a poor man can take part in. In Ghana, a university professor had become the president, in Nigeria he cannot. He cannot even have the money to be a councillor. We missed it in those 10 years.”