DEMOCRATIC CULTURE AND GOOD GOVERNANCE IN NIGERIA: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

In the contemporary world, democracy remains the most preferred form of government and the basis for fulfilling government responsibilities to the citizens. Hence, Nigerians home and abroad expressed Joy and great expectations as President Olusegun Obasanjo was sworn in as an elected President on 29 May 1999 marking the return to Democracy and the end of military rule in Africa's most populous nation. Nigerians expected that the return to Democracy will usher in an era of justice, fairness, inclusiveness, accountability in the conduct of the affairs of the nation, and massive infrastructural development and improvement in the welfare of the Nigerian people. Twenty years down the line, these expectations seem not to have been met, resulting in many threats to Nigeria's democratic experience. It is therefore an issue of fundamental importance how to consolidate democracy in Nigeria. Hence, this paper brought to light the inseparable linkage between a democratic polity and a regime of good governance. Using secondary data, the paper analyses the collapse of democratic administrations in Nigeria since independence and threats to the democratic experience of the fourth Republic. The findings of this paper showed that strengthening Democracy in Nigeria goes beyond the periodic conduct of elections. Rather, entrenching a regime of Good Governance is inevitable to the consolidation of Democracy in Nigeria.