Democracy in Nigeria

With all the demoralizing news coming out of Africa lately, it is worth taking note of a bright spot in Nigeria. Elections for state governors held there last week are reported to have been generally orderly and fair, marking another achievement on Nigeria's attempted return to democracy.

With brutal war flaring nearby in Sierra Leone and elsewhere on the continent, including Congo and Angola, no one should underestimate the countervailing example Nigeria could provide if it succeeds in its transition from military rule.

Even a smooth transition would be only a first step for Nigeria. Years of plundering military dictatorship have left this potentially wealthy nation in sorry shape. Rich in oil, Nigeria has been reduced to the status of oil importer, with long lines for gasoline and, most recently, angry demonstrations against rising fuel prices. Throughout the country, the corrupt rule of the late despot Sani Abacha has left civic institutions, from political parties to the army, in need of rebuilding. A single election cannot do the job.

But it is fair to say that a successful election is a necessary precondition to Nigeria's rehabilitation. It would open the way to improved relations between Nigeria and other nations. More important, it might give Nigerians -- and residents of smaller, neighboring countries, too -- renewed faith in their ability to solve their own problems. That would be a welcome antidote to the bitter news coming from other parts of the African continent.

-- The Washington Post