LEADERSHIP AND CHALLENGES OF DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA, 2020 – 2025

Abstract

Leadership in Nigeria has recorded a checkered history of imperfection. Regrettably, it appeared to have excluded the masses mainly in the areas of providing the needs of the people, which is the major reasons for subjection of the people under the government according to the Social Contract Theorists.  Unequivocally, this act has brought so much discomfort and distrust between the leaders and the led due to among others, continuous monetary devaluation, poverty, hunger and unemployment. Thus, some states are experiencing different kinds of revolts against their leaders, which has resulted to what seems to be youth revolution through the ballots, while some ended in democratic reversals and forceful change of government. This poses a serious threat to Nigeria that is bedeviled with a near leadership comatose of which, if care is not taken will end up like those states, such as; Chad, Guinea and Sudan. Methodologically, the study employed Expose Facto Research design, the data were collected through Documentary method and were analyzed using Content Analysis. More so, Social Contract Theory of origin of the state was adopted as the theoretical fulcrum around which the work revolves. The theory maintained among others that the state emerged based on the agreement of the people for the provision of those essential needs of the people which they cannot provide for themselves. However, the study observed that the peculiarities of leadership in Africa (Nigeria) characterized by wholesale defalcation, gross incompetence and unbridled corruption are responsible for the weak institutions that are abysmally malfunctioning. These have given rise to the collapse of the socio-political and economic base of the system. The study recommends masses revolution (proletariat) through proper political education and involvement to challenge and change the old order.