Governance, Recycled Politicians and Recycling Politics in Nigeria
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
The politics of recycling, a political system where the same set of people continue to dominate the political affairs of a given country, is one of the challenges undermining political development and good governance in Nigeria. The study, therefore, analyzes the effects of the politics of recycling on Nigeria's governance and administrative system. The qualitative study covers Nigeria's Second Republic from October 1, 1979, to Nigeria's Fourth Republic, which commenced on May 29, 1999 – 2022. The data for the study were gathered from primary and secondary sources. Primary data were gathered through interviews with a number of respondents comprising a Journalist, Engineer, Lecturer, Doctoral Student, Administrator, Lawyer, Human Rights Activist, and Businessmen. A convenience sampling technique was used to select the available and willing respondents to participate in the study. In addition, the researcher's close observations of events in Nigeria form part of the data for the study. The secondary data were gathered through official documents, textbooks, journals, and internet sources. The data collected were analyzed using the content analysis method. The study adopted the Recycling Theory of Abiku to analyze recycled politicians and their antecedents in Nigeria's political activities. According to African mythology, Abiku personifies a child who dies and is reborn repeatedly into the same family and causes pain to its hosts each time the child comes. Nigeria's political class, in a similar manner to Abiku, has continued to play recycling politics without offering anything towards the progress and development of the country, thereby repeatedly leaving a cycle that causes pain to Nigerians. The study concluded that recycling or parading the same set of politicians in the governance and administrative affairs of the country is inimical to the country's political, social, and economic development. The study recommended that the electorates must rise to crush the recycled politicians' antics and tactics and vote for new-breed politicians with impeccable character and proven integrity. Pressure should be mounted on the Independent Electoral Commission by journalists, civil society, national and international observers, as well as other stakeholders on the need to conduct free and fair elections in the country.
Metrics
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
References
Adegbami, A. (2023). Two Decades of Legislative Activities in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic: Issues, Challenges, and the Way Forward. In: Fagbadebo, O., Alabi, M. O. A. (eds.) The Legislature in Nigeria’s Presidential Democracy of the Fourth Republic. Advances in African Economic, Social and Political Development. Springer, Cham, pp. 255-269. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-24695-1_18
Adegbami, A. & Adepoju, B. M. (2017). “Good Governance in Nigeria: A Catalyst to National Peace, Stability and Development”. African Research Review, 11 (4),(48), 144-155.
Adegbami, A. & Adepoju, B. M. (2017). “Nigeria’s Federalism, the Fourth Republic and the Parasites in Governance”. Annals of Social Science, 4(1&2), 1-19. Osun State University, Osogbo.
Adegbami, A. & Ganiyu, A. A. (2019). “The Godfathers, the Grandiloquent Politicians, and the Gullible Citizens: The Depraved Alliance of Actors of Nigeria's Politics." International Journal of Governance and Development, 7, 98-106.
Adegbami, A. and Makinde, L. O. (2018). “Democratic Governance and Voting Commercialization: Implication for Nigeria’s Budding Democracy”. International Journal of Governance and Development, 5(1&2), 28-32.
Adegbami, A. and Uche, C. I. N. (2015) “Good Governance and Prison Congestion in Nigeria: The Case of Maximum Security Prison, Ilesa”. Public Policy and Administration Review, 3(2), 27-35.
Adegbami, A. and Uche, C. I. N. (2016). “Poverty and Crimes in Nigeria: Indices of Governance Failure”. Public Administration Research, 5(1), 37-44.
Adegbami, A. and Uche, C. I. N. (2016). “‘Despotic Democrats’ versus Good Governance: Challenges of Administration of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic”. The Journal of Developing Areas, 50(4), 195-210. https://muse.jhu.edu/article/639395/pdf
Adesola, F. & Ako-Nai, R. I. (2010). “Recycling of Nigerian Power Elites: A Threat to Democratic Consolidation?” African Insight 40(3), DOI: 10.4314/ai.v40i3.64415
Adeyemi O. D. (2021, October, 16). 2023 Election: The Nigerian Youth Must Wake Up. The Guardian. https://guardian.ng/opinion/2023-election-the-nigerian-youth-must-wake-up/
Agbese, D. (2022, May 20). Power Seekers as the Nation’s Fixers. The Guardian. https://guardian.ng/opinion/power-seekers-as-the-nations-fixers/
Alemika, E. E. O. (2013). “Organised Crime and Governance in West Africa: Overview”, in E. E. O. Alemika (ed.) The Impact of Organised Crime on Governance in West Africa. Abuja: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.
Clark, J. P. (1976). “Abiku”, in Senanu, K. E & Vincent, T. (eds). A Selection of African Poetry. England: Longman Group Limited.
Edoro, A. (2014. February 17). The Wondrous and Terrifying World of an Abiku. BellaNaija. https://www.bellanaija.com/2014/02/ainehi-edoro-the-wondrous-and-terrifying-world-of-an-Abiku/
Eze, C. (2020, June 21). Abiku/Ogbanje: A Regenerative Spirit or Traditional Brouhaha. Life. https://guardian.ng/life/Abiku-ogbanje-a-regenerative-spirit-or-traditional-brouhaha/
Felter, C. (2022). Africa’s ‘Leaders for Life’. Council on Foreign Relations. https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/africas-leaders-life
George, O. O. (2015, April 9). Nigerian Politics: Same Old Wine in a New Bottle. Sahara Reporters. https://saharareporters.com/2015/04/09/nigerian-politics-same-old-wine-new-bottle-osayimwen-osahon-george
Herbst, J. & Olukoshi, A. (1994). “Nigeria: Economic and Political Reform at Cross Purposes”, in S. Haggard and S.B. Webb (eds.), Voting for Reform: Democracy, Political Liberalization, and Economic Adjustment. New York: Oxford University Press.
Huckabone, K. (2020, August). The Purpose of a Quality Policy. Unity Lab Services. https://www.unitylabservices.com/en/support/quality-management/the-purpose-a-quality-policy.html
Ilechukwu, S. T. (2007). Ogbanje/Abiku and Cultural Conceptualizations of Psychopathology in Nigeria, Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 10:3, 239-255, DOI: 10.1080/13694670600621795
Kharas, H., Hamel, K. & Hofer, M. (2018, December 13). “Rethinking Global Poverty Reduction in 2019.” Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/future-development/2018/12/13/rethinking-global-poverty-reduction-in-2019/
Kwen, J. (2022, April 17). 2023: National Assembly Members Who Want to be Governors. Business Day. https://businessday.ng/politics/article/2023-national-assembly-members-who-want-to-be-governors/
Mobolade, T. (1973). “The Concept of Abiku”. African Arts, 7(1), 62–64. https://doi.org/10.2307/3334754
Morgan, O. (2022, July 17). Nigeria’s Season of Missing Certificates. Punch. https://punchng.com/nigerias-season-of-missing-certificates/
Msughter, A. (2018, May 10). Nigerian Politics: Recycling the Recycled. Nigeria Tribune. https://tribuneonlineng.com/nigerian-politics-recycling-the-recycled/
Nairametrics (2022, June 9). Nigeria’s Debt-to-GDP Ratio Rises to 23.3% as Debt Stock Rises to N41.6 Trillion in Q1 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022, from https://nairametrics.com/2022/06/09/nigerias-debt-to-gdp-ratio-rises-to-23-3-as-debt-stock-rises-to-n41-6-trillion-in-q1-2022/
Nnamdi, B. S. & Ogan, T. V. (2019). Political ideology and its deficiency in the Nigerian political party system- a philosophical perspective. International Journal of Public Administration and Management Resources 5(1), 48–57. http://www.rcmss.com/index.php/ijpamr; www.academix.ng
Ogonnaya, C. K. (2016). Machiavellianism in Nigerian Politics: A Philosophical Appraisal. A Dissertation Presented to the Department of Philosophy in the Faculty of Arts Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
Okoi, O. & Iwara, M. A. (2021, April 12). The Failure of Governance in Nigeria: An Epistocratic Challenge. Georgetown Journal of International Affairs. Retrieved June 30, 2022, from https://gjia.georgetown.edu/2021/04/12/the-failure-of-governance-in-nigeria-an-epistocratic-challenge/
Ola, R. F. (2011). "Public Service for National Development: Nigeria and some Comparative Experiences." In Agagu, A. A. and Ola, R. F. (eds.), Development Agenda of the Nigerian State. Akure: Lord Keynes Publishing. pp. 31-51.
Omotola S (2009) Nigerian Parties and Ideology. Journal of Alternative Perspectives of Social Sciences 1(3), 612–634. https://www.japss.org/upload/4.sholaomotolaarticle.pdf
Peterside, D. (2022, June 13). Time to Rethink Nigerian Politics and Party Nomination Processes. Premium Times. https://www.premiumtimesng.com/opinion/536730-time-to-rethink-nigerian-politics-and-party-nomination-processes-by-dakuku-peterside.html
Premium Time (2022, July 8). 'I Won't Rest Until I Bring Relief to Nigerians’, Buhari says in Sallah message. Premium Times. https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/541664-i-wont-rest-until-i-bring-relief-to-nigerians-buhari-says-in-sallah-message.html
Premium Times (2016, February 3). Saraki Blames Self, Public Officeholders, Since 1999 for Nigeria's Problems. Retrieved June 30, 2022, from https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/197902-saraki-blames-self-public-office-holders-since-1999-nigerias-problems.html
Ramon, O. (2018, April 23). Reject Recycled, Jaded Politicians in 2019, Soyinka Tells Nigerians. Punch. https://punchng.com/reject-recycled-jaded-politicians-in-2019-soyinka-tells-nigerians/
Sackey, F. G. (2021). Impact of African Leaders’ Characteristics and Regime Transitions on Economic Growth in Africa: A Dynamic Model Approach. Social Sciences & Humanities Open 4(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2021.100147
Sahara Reporters (2021, September 16). Revealed: Nigerian Politicians With Corruption Cases Who Joined Ruling Party, APC To Escape Prosecution. Retrieved June 30, 2022, from https://saharareporters.com/2021/09/16/revealed-nigerian-politicians-corruption-cases-who-joined-ruling-party-apc-escape
Soyinka, W. (1976). Abiku. in Senanu, K. E & Vincent, T. (eds.). A Selection of African Poetry. England: Longman Group Limited.