The Institutionalization of Democracy and the Democratization of Institutions in Nigeria: A Philosophical Reflection

Authors:

Pages: 55-65
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54664/SCJP5929

Abstract:

The question of the proper way that human beings should or ought to behave within and outside of democratic institutions has been a key issue in social and political philosophy throughout all ages from ancient Greece to date. The problem is that, in Nigeria today, some serious cultural and sociopolitical deficits of poor public ethics and public trust in the key institutions of society have vitiated democratic principles of rights, freedoms and participation, and so have compromised the major institutions and values of democracy. Evidence shows disobedience to the rule of law, institutional marginality, bad governance, corruption, abuse of power, godfather syndrome, political violence, electoral fraud, bad electoral laws, impunity, terrorism, banditry, hate speech, intolerance, lack of social justice and fair treatment, ultra-ethnicity, religious extremism, ignorance and anachronism, insecurity, instability, disorder, and disrespect for human dignity and well-being of individuals and groups. We find out that there is a link between some dimensions of institutional inefficiency and human nature, as well as the attainment of a view of human society imbued with democratic participation and responsibility. Bearing this in mind, we focus on the analysis of those processes and structures that affect the capacity of individuals to significantly contribute to the consolidation of the democratic society for the promotion of justice and empowerment as core human and democratic values.

Keywords:

democracy; Nigeria; institution; marginality; values; participation; human nature.

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