AN ASSESSMENT OF CORRUPTION, DEVELOPMENT AND THE NEED FOR DEMOCRATIC IMPERATIVES IN NIGERIA

PHILIPS, OLUBIYI. O (2017) AN ASSESSMENT OF CORRUPTION, DEVELOPMENT AND THE NEED FOR DEMOCRATIC IMPERATIVES IN NIGERIA. International Journal of Advancement in Development Studies, 12 (4). pp. 86-92. ISSN 2276 – 8246

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Abstract

Nigeria has experienced alternating cycles of governance between civil and military regimes for close to four decades. In the country’s 40 years of independence, the military ruled the country, albeit intermittently (1966-79 & 1984-1999). For about 28 years. Although Nigeria seem to have broken free from the pernicious grip of military dictatorship, a democratic process that would yield the desired dividends of democracy is yet to be entrenched. Today, democracy is the standard. Democracy is the best form of governance because it counters that most dangerous human frailty: the temptation of leaders to accumulate power for the sake of accumulating more power. However, everyone claims to be democratic but not everyone is faithful to his or her word. Herein lies the rub. Illiberal governments have become adept in exploiting the visible procedural and institutional trappings of democracy without adopting the democratic spirit that gives these procedures and institution their noble meaning. Nigeria has a government that is democratic on paper but not in function. If democracy is to be sustained it must also elevate the performance level of government and the corresponding rights and privileges enjoyed by the citizens. The success of performance of any leadership is often measured by the extent of national cohesion achieved and the level of national development experienced. What has become of poverty? What has happened to unemployment? What is the socio-economic inequality? If all three have declined from high levels, then development has occurred. But if one or two of these central problems have grown worse, especially all three have, it would be wrong to call the result “development” even if GDP has improved. The proper is divided into three sections. Section one examines corruption, section two looks into the issue of development while the third section examines democratic imperatives as a panacea for development crises in Nigeria.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory J Political Science > JA Political science (General)
Divisions:	Faculty of Law, Arts and Social Sciences > School of Management
Depositing User:	Miss Ayomikun Ogunbadejo
Date Deposited:	04 Aug 2020 12:33
Last Modified:	04 Aug 2020 12:33
URI:	http://eprints.federalpolyilaro.edu.ng/id/eprint/1097

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