A prominent academic at Lagos State University has delivered a powerful critique of Nigeria's political system, arguing that the current form of federalism requires significant customization to address the nation's unique challenges.
Alien Democracy System Failing Nigerians
Professor Adewumi Falode, a respected scholar of International Relations, History and Strategic Studies at LASU, declared that Nigeria's version of democracy is alien, expensive, wasteful, ruinous and destructive. He made these remarks while delivering the 115th inaugural lecture of Lagos State University titled 'Bespoke solutions: Reimagining, reifying and realigning the wheels of the Nigerian state' at the Buba Marwa Auditorium.
The professor stated that since its introduction, the form of democracy practiced in Nigeria has failed to fulfill the basic desire of citizens for full and inclusive participation in governance. His analysis traced Nigeria's political journey since independence, identifying critical points of misdirection and maladjustment that have hindered national progress.
Historical Roots of Political Failure
Falode explained that Nigeria's history since independence represents a long and winding journey of attempts at realigning, readjusting, and reinventing the wheel. Despite these varied efforts, the country has failed to transform into a cohesive, politically stable, and economically viable polity.
The academic pinpointed the failure of Nigeria's post-independent leaders to adhere to federalism principles as a fundamental problem. He emphasized that leaders failed to adjust or refine the system to meet local realities where necessary, creating persistent challenges.
Regionalism and Ethnic Politics
According to Falode, the adoption of regionalism and the dominance of three major political parties created significant obstacles to national unity. The three political behemoths were:
- Northern Peoples Congress (NPC) in the North
- Action Group (AG) in the West
- National Council of Nigerian Citizens (NCNC) in the East
He noted that their ethnic soloing created challenges that impacted the creation of a national identity. The destructive competition among these parties for control of government at the Centre played a crucial role in the collapse of the First Republic.
Throughout the First Republic, Falode observed that the government could not adequately address the aspirations of minority groups seeking greater representation. He also identified the parliamentary system adopted at Nigeria's independence as a destabilizing factor.
Call for Customized Federalism
The don concluded that nation-building challenges have plagued Nigeria since independence in 1960, recurring across various civilian and military administrations. Based on his training as a historian and international relations scholar, Falode urged Nigeria to domesticate federalism rather than simply adopting Western models.
He firmly advised that Nigeria must customize its federalism if it hopes to correct the obvious fractures in the nation's seams. This bespoke approach would address local realities while maintaining federal principles that could genuinely serve Nigeria's diverse population.
