THE RECURRENCE OF DEMOCRATIC HOKUM IN NIGERIAN POLITICAL HISTORY SINCE 1979: ITS PEDAGOGIC IMPLICATIONS AND THE WAY FORWARD

Abstract

This study takes a look at the lingering problems that have plagued Nigerian democracy since 1979, when the nation began her first democratic experiment after thirteen years of military rule. The lingering problems, as contends by the study, influenced Nigeria’s democracy into becoming a mere hokum devoid of basic principles of democratic governance. This democratic hokum is said to have increased impunity among the political leadership class, encouraged corruption in governance, trashed human rights and the rule of law, condoned arbitrary arrest, detention and victimization of citizens, suppressed opposition parties and gagged the press, thereby impinging greatly on national development in Nigeria. This study, which adopted a combination of historical and sociological approaches to qualitatively examine the above democratic hokum in Nigerian political history since 1979, contends that the situation is associated with inherit pedagogic implications. Among such pedagogical implications include the fact that democracy seems not to be working efficiently and effectively in Nigeria because of the crop of politicians we have in the country, who lack the required rational and intellectual capacities for grasping the tenets, basic principles and operational methods of true democratic institutions.

It concludes by stressing the need to reform the current democracy in Nigeria to ensure it conforms to the globally accepted standard of democratic practices that can afford Nigerian citizens the opportunity to enjoy dividends of democracy like their counterparts in other parts of the globe. The study recommends, among others, that Nigerians should cultivate the habit of tolerating opposition parties, constructive criticisms, dissenting political views and human right actions as well as accommodate political pluralism.