Is that possible? Can you have democracy without a high level of literacy? I mean, what agendas are the people using as a basis to choose their candidates?

Lately, I have seen several posts from fellow posters discussing the will of the masses, but yet, I hear nothing about the appalling rate of literacy in the country. If you cannot read, then how do you form an independent opinion on issues. You are being held hostage, even in your democracy, by the political ruling class. The people are being told what to believe, when to believe it, and to what extent it should be believed.

Something has to change. I know I am not the only one that finds it ironic that Nigerians will line up at the polls to vote for candidate that they can't even read his/her name. Talkless of basing their votes on credible information or past record of the candidate.

What are your thoughts about the literacy problem in Nigeria. And to what extent are a people deserving of democracy when they fail to understand written language?

Literacy alone wouldn't solve the problem. You need a strong, vibrant middle class as well. people need to have something at stake in the electoral process, if the outcome has little effect on you, you won't feel involved.

Thats a good point. But what is the benefit for the ruling class to promote the development of a middle class when it would only result in more work on their part, and an increased pressure to perform?

democracy + massive illiteracy= democratic dictatorship.

That would explain the passing of the anti-gay law that calls for punishment of 5 years in prison, for not only those that partake in homosexual acts, but those that support them as well.

that is why orji uzo kanu can boast of enyimba's success as one of his achievements in a state where there hundreds of bad roads especially Aba, poorly equipped hospitals and poor infrastructure

What's "middle class"? Overfed technorats who would never dream of starting a business?

Afeni,

Are you confusing illiteracy with education?

I agree that being illiterate restricts the extent to which you can gather information to form an opinion. However, it doesn't mean that you can't form an intelligent opinion at all.

I may not know how to read, but I can form an intelligent opinion on something I hear on the radio or being debated by other people.

Think about that.

Drusilla, but without literacy, are the people really practicing democracy, or are they doing what they are told?

I mean, if I was trying to form an opinion on a particular issue, I will read 4-5 different sources and then come up with some sort of middle ground. Illiterates on the other hand, don't have access to this information. So, they are more likely to base their entire opinion on whatever is presented to them. And if you are trying to persuade someone to accept your views, you will provide information that only reiterate your line of thought.

Ka, but does that not leave you at the mercy of those that operate the radio or television?

Now, take into account that the media in Nigeria is under the control of a small hand full of people, and what you have here is a recipe for disaster. The ruling class is either in direct control, or by means of manipulation and threats, is in indirect control of the media. They in short, dictate to the people what they should believe.

The Nigerian middle class own nothing. They are just fortunate to be educated enough to hold a 9-5.

u guys talk as if u have not been in the country for a while. in nigeria the middle class is an endangered species. they have no hope and the rich do not like them. the lower class is used by the rich for selfish purposes(such as election rigging) and get payed well by the rich such that they now have more money than the "middle class" and so the "middle class" looses respect. that is why seun can call them "overfed technocrats who would never dream of starting a business".

drusilla when last did u stay in nigeria? u need to understand that nigeria and the US aint the same. the middle class in nigeria is arguably the civil servant/public servant class and its equivalent. they are usually educated. they are relatively civilised. in the 70s and early 80s the university graduate automatically joins the middle class. but now they have no hope ,any class they find themselves they adapt.

that is arguably the middle class in nigeria. it is threatened. it is vanishing.

Maybe it was never supposed to work. The present form of government that Nigeria is practicing is supposed to be a Federal System, but the power of the President is completely out of line. In fact, it was only a few years that the president suspended the Governor and Legislature of a State and imposed a military man to govern the State for several months.

Drusilla:
Without a civil society, the "middle class" have no reason to want anybody else to obtain to their level. It is just a threat to their status.

Actually, the civil society is usually an expression of the needs, ambitions and values of the middle class. The problem is that Nigeria doesn't have much of a middle class.

In a society where the rule of oppression must be maintained at all cost, and where additionally, the scientific culture is yet to be consummated, illiterates are philosophers.

Drusilla,

No objection here. What I meant to say is that a strong civil society emmanates from an existing middle class. A classical example is the trade unions who's initial organisation, even though their purposes was the defense of the interests of the lower classes, was populated by people from the middle class.

The problem is that Nigeria doesn't have much of a middle class

We have all agreed that "Nigeria does not have a middle class" but what exactly is this middle class?

Afeni,

You have to give a specific definition of litrate middle class,back in the day i use to know a woman who was selling buka under obalenda bridge she
couldn't speak passable English but she was an employer who she owned houses in  Lagos and Ibadan,apparently she sent her children to the UK to study.Would she qualify as middle class?

In Ireland she would be rated as upper middle class,where would you rate self made people?Is Puff Daddy middle class?

Understanding democrazy has got nothing to do with literacy.Its simply understanding the people that u serve .If the level of literacy were to be the yardstick for measuring the democratci value of a country, then. it wil be a surprise looking at the level of the so-called educated politicians.

We should understand that democracy is the power of the people(educated/uneducated).There is no clear distinstinction in democracy governane.Its inda like the power of the majority.

You can be intelligent without a high level of education. Intelligent enough to vote against scoundrels and rogues.