Enthusiastic Nigerians Scramble to Register

As the final day of voter registration arrived in Nigeria, impatience and corruption interrupted an otherwise promising process. Current president Olusegun Obasanjo is stepping down at the end of his second four-year term. The April election will result in "the first handover of power from one civilian regime to another since independence from Britain in 1960." The Nigerian government declared Monday a public holiday to give people a better opportunity to register. Although many took advantage of this opportunity, some, like Mercy Simon, arrived too late. The final day, Tuesday, brought with it pushing, shoving, and swearing by Nigerians desperate not to miss their turn. Some electoral officers even allegedly demanded bribes before allowing eligible voters to register. The determination and enthusiasm of many Nigerians is encouraging, though. Joseph Itan waited over eight hours because it was "very important for [him] to register." Another declared, "I want to choose my leader and I believe that my vote will count. I don't even know whom I'd vote for, but I know I have to vote." With about fifty million of the seventy million eligible voters actually registered, it appears as though Nigerians are ready to have a successful democratic election for president. While most motivations appear to be heartfelt, one does have to take into account the fact that some states made voter registration mandatory for civil servants, even threatening to withhold wages. However, overall, public awareness does seem to have increased. Abdulsalam Ismail sums up the sentiment by saying, "We've all woken from our slumber. We had to wake up because we weren't getting what we wanted and we have now realised that this vote could make the difference." Only time will tell whether or not April's elections will prove this new-found awareness among Nigerians.