By Olawale Olaleye
In societies where national pride derives from thriving democratic ethos and strong institutions, some character quotients are clearly not negotiable. Just as in an open or representative electoral process, a debate among candidates of participating parties is a basic minimum standard.
In serious democracies, debate is a major event – a carnival of sort with serious contents. Candidates and their parties invest a lot of resources, including engaging the services of experts in different fields, particularly in communications and strategies, to help prep their standard bearers.
By the time the first round of the debate is done, extrapolations scale up at both critical and desperate regions of consideration. The coast starts to shape up effectively, albeit leaving room for possibilities, and the letters of failure or success come up more legible.
Save for the presidential debate between President Joe Biden and Donald Trump, last month, the Democrats probably didn’t have a much clearer picture of the situation on their hands.
Beyond canvassing sound ideas, policies, and leveraging records, it exposed the mental stamina of Biden and drove everyone to the realisation of the disaster-in-wait for the Democrats should they run with him, still.
As a democrat, too, Biden saw reason with his party and stakeholders and dropped out of the race with his shoulder high. It was a graceful choice by a man who put his nation first. Patriotic, isn’t it?
In Nigeria, unfortunately, if a presidential candidate is not desperately dodging debate without remorse or tenable excuses, another could brazenly tell voters that governance is not a bricklaying job, and so, his physical strength should not be up for a debate.
Their followers, often barefaced, will cheer up their oppressors and end up electing the worst of them. They never learn. Even when they see the consequences of their decision, they still grandstand in their multidimensional poverty.
The time to start to see and accept debate as an irreducible component of Nigeria’s democratic process is now. It is not inconsequential. The country can do better in the pursuit of her democratic ideals. But, certainly, it can’t continue to be a negligent giant.
Whether or not the Democrats win the November presidential election, history will be kind to Joe Biden – very kind to him. He acted honourably and set a new standard, coming after Lydon B. Johnson, the 36th President of the United States, in 1968.
Olaleye, journalist and public affairs analyst writes from Lagos
