It is recognized as the most appropriate mechanism through which any society should be governed. There are roadblocks to a strong democracy in nigeria at all levels of government. Urban populations are burgeoning in the developing world, as cities become the gateway to the global political economy. Democracy day is june 12, a national public bank holiday in nigeria. On october 1 nigeria added to its list of vital statistics a new status as the worlds fourth largest democracy. Power africa, to mobilize investment to deliver electric power to more africans. Since nigeria became a democratic nation, positive changes are obvious.
As thomas jefferson put it, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just po. Its main importance is that it provides legitimacy for government. It identified the problems that have militated against nigerias democratic sustainability in the past to include lack of proper democratic institutions. Democracy day marks the day the military handed over power to an elected civilian government in 1999, marking the beginning of the longest continuous civilian rule since nigerias independence from colonial rule in 1960. Theoretical perspectives the standard modernisation hypothesis or argument in the literature that economic development leads to and is a necessary precondition for democracy is contested and hardly acceptable universally. The erosion of good governance by the practice of democracy has deepened the crisis of democracy. Information is the oxygen that any citizen needs to live in the social structure of the society and maintain its democratic balance. Rise and consolidation of garison democracy in nigeria, 1999 2007, abu political scientist, 11. Everyone expected the return of nigeria to democratic rule will bring about development. The role of civil society in promoting and sustaining democracy in. Democracy, political participation and good governance in.
Nigerian government resolves these challenges, in imades view 2010 will determine whether nigerias fledgling democracy is transient. Jerry hyman senior adviser and president, the hills program on governance, csis democracy has an important role to play in promoting sustainable development. Since democracy is based on free and fair election mechanism, adult franchise, participation of people in decision making, freedom of all parties to take part in election is one of the most important features of democracy. The uncertainty of outcomes is inherent in democracy. The role of elections in emerging democracies and post. The supposed and the real role of mass media in modern. Womens participation and the political process in nigeria. The role of governance and democracy in development. Importance of agriculture to nigeria economy nigeria, heavily dependent on oil earnings overlays a traditional agricultural and trading economy. As one of the regions leading powers, nigerias next round of national elections will be closely scrutinized. In order to maintain democracy there should be more than one or multiple parties. Democracy in nigeria is alien and its practice has proved difficult. One of the most ancient civilizations to have flourished in the world, they were the forerunners in a great many areas, including literature, sports, and politics.
Nigeria is africas largest producer of oil, generating as much as 2. It must therefore be sustained to evolve and ensure sustainable development. Civic education and its importance in nigerian society legit. Human welfare is defined not only in terms of freedom from hunger and poverty but also respect for individual dignity. The 2003 elections were billed as a landmark as it was the first time since independence in 1960 that political leadership changed hands from one. This is the first time the day has been marked on this date.
Pdf the impact of military rule on democracy in nigeria. A true democracy is a sine qua non for the development of all sectors of any countrys economy. Let us find out its importance in modern nigerian society. In the briefest possible way, we can offer a preliminary definition of democracy in these terms. The positive correlation between high levels of wealth and established. Democracy, good governance and development in nigeria. More than a dozen such elections will take place in 2010 and early 2011. Democracy day marks the day the military handed over power to an elected civilian government in 1999, marking the beginning of the longest continuous civilian rule since nigeria s independence from colonial rule in 1960.
It is also the worlds eighth largest producer of crude oil and has been the united states second largest supplier for six. It is a public, sociallyoriented system of continuous education and upbringing aimed at building civic competence, democratic culture, and satisfying the needs for socialization in the interests of the individual, civil society and the rule of law. As observed by nwanolue and ojukwu 2012, the general success of any practicing democracy is deeply incumbent upon three major. Schumpeter cited in ukase 2014 sees democracy as a method by which decisionmaking is transferred to individuals who have gained power in a. Role of media in democracy media is the common communication channels or apparatus that are used to store or supply information or data. See the problems and prospects of democracy in nigeria. Democracy is no guarantee of good government, or even that human rights will be respected. The principle of democracy gives room for the emergence of various political parties which compete for political power, and, when in government, help to mobilise the electorate to support government policies. In nigeria, a major issue impeding democracy is the selection process of political office holders. In spite of the fact that world over today, democracy has become a. Until june 6, 2018, it was held annually on may 29.
Who people are and how authority is shared among them are core issues for democratic theory, development and constitution. By doing so, the king acknowledged he was bound by law, like others, and granted his subjects legal rights. Consequently, legislature is expected to pursue good public policies for national development. In 1215, english nobles pressured king john of england to sign a document known as the magna carta, a key step on the road to constitutional democracy. Over years, nigeria has been wallowing in the coffin of poverty, underdevelopment, unemployment, power instability, securities menace, and political hullabaloos, all this has been a problem combating a nation that was once giant of africa, democracy in nigeria. The united states is strongly committed to advancing democracy, good governance and. Aug 19, 20 on his recent trip to africa, president barack obama highlighted many aspects of the u. Moreover, the issue we want to consider today is the role of the press in sustaining democracy in nigeria. Democracy makes all forces struggle repeatedly to realize their interests and devolves power from groups of people to sets of rules. He also goes on to say that the first amendment and its protection of the press has always been the bulwark against secret government, against authoritarianism and against.
Chairman, members of the committee, thank you for asking me to testify on this most important subject, the development of democracy in africa. Democracy in nigeria problems and prospects information. Challenges of democracy and good governance in nigeria democracy has emerged as the best accepted form of government in the contemporary world. Democracy is really important for the freedom of living. In nigeria, a hotly contested election put the administrative machinery under strain it could not withstand.
Problems and prospects of democracy in nigeria infoguideng. Third, south africa faces a somewhat different challenge to its young democracy. The importance of the press and journalists in a democracy to keep the public informed and hold government officials accountable cannot be overstated. Democracy day in nigeria is being celebrated on the 12th of june this year. The political debate and the struggle for democracy in nigeria. Adekunle 3 culture, politics, and democracy 3 political power and democracy 5 stateless societies 7 islamic states 10 women in african politics 11 economic freedom 12 education 14 human rights 15 colonialism and political change 16 conclusion 17. As one of the regions leading powers, nigeria s next round of national elections will be closely scrutinized. Constitution of the federal republic of nigeria 1999. Analysing the relationship between democracy and development. Conceptual discourse democracy, either as a concept or a system of rule, has become excessively ambiguous in contemporary political analysis. Democracy is the government of the people, by the people and for the people. The importance of civic education in nigerian schools.
In apparent recognition of this universal concept of democracy, the constitution of the federal republic of nigeria as amended 1999 in section 14. Mar 25, 2015 nigeria is africas largest and most populated country, with a population of some 177 million. Introduction democracy is a vital instrument that propels political proficiency, economic development and social stability of any nation state. Nigeria is the fourth world largest democracy with a population of over 160 million and world sixth largest oil. In 1859, reverend henry townsend started the first newspaper in nigeria called iwe irohin in abeokuta, southwest nigeria.
In this post,we shall history of democracy in nigeriaand also a bit of its origin. An overview, which provides an introduction to the framework, including its fundamental democratic principles, its mediating values, the assessment search questions, examples of its application around the world, the typical steps in carrying out an assessment, and its value as a tool. Chapter 1 democracy and political change in precolonial africa julius o. What was important about that decision was that a sizable number of both right wing and left wing protagonists converged on the conclusion that political scientists. Nigeria is the fourth world largest democracy with a population of over 160 million and world sixth largest oil supplier and blessed with economic potentials, but majority of the nigerian population is poor due bad governance. Some cornerstones of these issues are freedom of assembly and speech, inclusiveness and equality.
When democracy is abused, good governance becomes elusive and evasive. Trade africa, to expand economic ties and trade among africa, the united states and other markets. The paper adopted content analysis approach to source its data and concluded that democracy is an ingredient of development. The role of governance and democracy in development center. Importance of democracy in africa august 19, 20 a man casts his vote during malis presidential election in timbuktu, mali, july 28, 20. Importance of right to information for good governance in india sahina mumtaz laskar abstract transparency and accountability in administration is the sine qua non of participatory democracy. I am sure it might have given you a better understanding about your rights as a citizen of nigeria. Democracy is a system of processing conflicts in which outcomes depend on what participants do, but no single force controls what occurs and its outcomes. Iwe irohin was published biweekly in yoruba and english and ran for eight 8. The media can never be separated from nigerias long walk to democracy. Importance of press freedom in a democracy news express.
It is either related with communication media or specialized mass publishing communication operations such as the print publisher, advertising, broadcasting radio and television, cinema, photography, and the press. It was an effective tool in the hands of the proponents of democracy, to mobilize the ragtag and the bobtail against the smoking guns of the military. According to the uns 2014 world urbanization prospects report, the global urban population is projected to grow by 2. It ranges from economy to general standard of living. May 04, 2019 importance of free press in a democracy lawyer and free press advocate trevor timm states that an independent press is one of the essential pillars of a democracy. The nascent democracy in nigeria is plagued with myriad of intrigues, discordant opinions of.
Democracy, political participation and good governance in nigeria. The media has been of great importance in nigeria history, since preindependent. Free and fair elections, independent media, accountable government, as well as other basic democratic principles, are all critical components of an environment conducive to growth. The legislature is important, in governance generally.
Democracy in nigeria has been a mere political desideratum hanging on a limping utopia adewusi, 2011. Democracy is a system of government in which the citizens exercise power directly or elect representatives from among themselves to form a governing body, such as a parliament. Democracy in nigeria has three unique features which include. We reiterate that democracy and development cohabit and inactivity of the former destroys the later. Similarly, the press in a democracy is free to investigate and criticise government policies. Nigeria is africas largest and most populated country, with a population of some 177 million. This is because so far, the country has been unable to hold free, fair and credible elections. A democracy is a polity in which collective decisions laws, policies, procedures are the expression, direct or indirect, of the preferences and choices of the collection of equal citizens of the polity. The role of the press in sustaining democracy in nigeria. It was an effective tool in the hands of the proponents of democracy, to mobilize the ragtag and the bobtail against the smoking guns of the military to return them to their natural habitat. Download fulltext pdf download fulltext pdf the impact of military rule on democracy in nigeria article pdf available december 2012 with 51,253 reads. Conclusion on the importance of civic education in nigerian schools.
Nigeria is now considered to be one of the most democratic countries in africa. This is what darl 1989 describes as ovirtual democracy o, democracy that shares resemblance with true democracy but lacks basic tenets of democracy. Many government institutions do not adequately engage with citizens or the private sector and lack the. From the past military rule to the democratic present which is reminiscent of the americalike model of government and election, nigeria has proven itself to be a democratic country.
What are the importance of democracy in nigeria answers. History of democracy in nigeria and when did nigeria. Most other treatises on the theory of democracy make no mentioning at all of any such problems see, though, key 1961. A working definition for democracy in this paper will be a form of government in. Jun 11, 2019 democracy day in nigeria is being celebrated on the 12th of june this year. The paper concludes that for democracy to achieve its goals there is the need for the government. A democracy is a polity in which collective decisions laws, policies, procedures are the expression, direct or indirect, of the preferences and choices of. Importance of press freedom in a democracy news express nigeria. This is a major step towards stabilizing and entrenching democracy in nigeria. It is difficult to reach a consensus on the definition of democracy. Although the major aim of these transformations was directed at displacing the nature and character of political leadership, there was also the equally important. Democracy and electoral process in nigeria politics essay. Many government institutions do not adequately engage with citizens or the private sector and lack the capacity to.
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