Godfatherism and electoral polities in nigeria project topics. Nigeria s godfatherism phenomenon is not unique to the ruling pdp, but as with many of the other abuses described in this report it is seen most often in the conduct of pdp officials as both a. The fourth republic in perspective aderonke majekodunmi, political science department, faculty of social sciences, university of lagos, nigeria. This acted as impediments to sustainable democratization process in nigeria. Godfatherism and electoral polities in nigeria chapter one introduction 1. The humiliation and removal of godsons by their godfathers from office, on cookedup charges through manipulation of impeachment clauses and deployment of private armies threaten the. Determinants and impacts of politics of godfatherism. This is the hiatus that this paper aspired to fill. Corruption, godfatherism and the funding of political violence.
Godfatherism and electoral polities in nigeria project. The practice involves a strong bond between the patron and the client, a bond of loyalty, compliance and mutual understanding. The paper notes that transparent governance because godfathers usually create godfatherism and political conflicts, which have become a setback, which hinders democratic growth and cultural element in nigeria s politics, are certainly development in nigeria edigin, 2010. Eight years since the end of military rule, the countrys longestever stretch of uninterrupted civilian. It relies on calculated political and business decisions, and even affection hyunggon, 2007. Nigeria is the most populous country in africa and the seventh most populous country in the world. Personality influence and democratic challenges in nigeria. Godfatherism and electoral politics in nigeria in oladipupo20 godfatherism in nigerian politics. This singular act brings to the fore a new dimension to the practice of godfatherism in nigeria.
It has become a menace pulling down the foundations of massesdriven governance, thereby denying nigerians the muchdeserved dividends of democracy. The concept of godfatherism is synonymous to intermediary, mentoring, benevolence, and support and sponsoring. Political godfatherism and governance in a developing. He described the development as an end to godfatherism in nigeria. As rightly observed by omotola 2007, godfatherism in nigeria, particularly in its current form and character, is distributive. Though it is a longstanding and deeply rooted feature of the cultural values of nigerian society, where it is purely socioeconomic in nature and mutually productive for both parties, its politicization would. In every political setting, there are financiers of politicians for elective positions and the financed ones. The influence of godfatherism in nigeria politics in the fourth republic the role of education abstract the discourse of godfatherism had so much influenced the socioeconomic and political life of the nation especially in the fourth republic.
Money politics, political culture of godfatherism and the. Influence of godfatherism on nigerian politics in the fourth. Influence of godfatherism on nigerian politics in the. The godfathers are usually involved in the snatching of ballot boxes and papers, killing of the opposition aspirants, falsification of election results, motivating the godsons to embezzle public fund, hijacking public securities to intimidate electorates in various polling units all over the nationstate and using their political influence to bend the public policies. Tracing the roots of godfatherism in nigeria the origin of godfatherism in nigeria could be traced according to udo 2011 to christianity where godparents are chosen as surrogates to help biological or adopted parents raised christian to become god fearing and lawabiding adults. The godfather and godson contradictions have resulted. The advent of godfatherism in the nigerian partisan politics dates back to the first republic when leaders of the three major political parties northern peoples. Nigeria is a regional power, with the headquarters of the economic community of west african states ecowas in. While recognizing the importance of these aforementioned problems, in this. The political class has been instrumental in propagating this political orientation which deliberately nurtures the corruption of the electoral process, governmental structures and equally ensures that the electoral process and state power are. It is the tradition for looking for a political father to help promote one. In nigeria, one of the most dominant features of the.
Find the latest breaking news and information on the top stories in nigeria, africa, business, entertainment, politics, and more. Godfatherism and the impediments of democracy and the rule of law in delta state nigeria politics scientific study 2017 ebook 0. Do we talk of nwobodo and nnamanis saga or ngige and ubas crisis amongst others. The form of political system in nigeria in the early postcolonial period was characterized by a.
Pdf there has been a lot of crises in nigerian politics and administrationa crisis of confidence in our elected officials, a lost of faith in our. Godfatherism and political conflict has become the dominant feature characterizing contemporary politics. Godfatherism and the underdevelopmental statk in nigeria dr. This study therefore recommended that to ensure a government and. The nigerian political process prior to the year 1999 has been dominated by military rule, but with the introduction of democratic rule after several years of political subjugation or hostage in the hands of the military, the political process seem to be under threat with the emergence of. Sep 20, 2020 a former vice president, atiku abubakar has reacted to the reelection of governor godwin obaseki as edo state governor.
Ademola 2004 added that since 1999, when nigeria joined the comity of democratically. The history of nigeria s democratic experiments demonstrates that elections and electoral politics have generated so much animosity which has, in some cases, threatened the corporate existence of the country such as happened after the annulment of the june 12, 1993. Abstract the idea of godfatherism is not a new phenomenon in nigeria s party politics or systems of governance. Explaining godfatherism in nigerian politics codesria. Corruption, leadership, democracy, godfatherism introduction. Money politics and political godfatherism, which have become a cultural element in nigeria s politics, are certainly problematic to the practice of democracy. The study found that there was a shift in the modus operandi of post independence godfatherism, and what obtains in contemporary nigeria was violenceinspired godfatherism, which successfully. The political class has been instrumental in propagating this political orientation which deliberately nurtures the corruption of the electoral process, governmental structures and equally ensures that the electoral process and state power are skewed. Pdf on jun 27, 2006, isaac olawale albert published explaining godfatherism in nigerian politics find, read and cite all the research you. Their role as a political phenomenon has impacted on the body politics of country negative virtues which are now potential threat to the relatively new democracy. The paper concludes that corruption and inept leadership are responsible for democratic instability in nigeria.
Godfatherism and the impediments of democracy and the rule of law in delta state nigeria course political science and governance grade 5 author frederick omoyoma odorige author year 2017 pages 23 catalog number v373055 isbn book 9783668527546 file size 643 kb language english notes. Takeaway no 2 is that it is the politicization of the anti corruption initiative in nigeria and indeed africa thats driving and sustaining the hideous practice of godfatherism. The paper therefore, attempts a reflection on the nature, causes and effect of godfatherism on nigeria s nascent democracy. From the earliest period 1 the concept of godfatherism took root from christianity. In a political setting, the concept is an ideology that is championed. It has now come to be a guiding principle in contemporary nigeria emeka 2012.
The conflict arising from godfatherism has become one of the greatestproblems facing the nigerian political system. However, godfatherism gained currency in nigeria about two decades ago. Though it is a longstanding and deeply rooted feature of the cultural values of nigerian society, where it is purely socioeconomic in nature and mutually productive for both parties, its politicization would appear. Godfathers are generally defined as men or women who have the power and influence to personally determine both who gets nominated to contest elections and who wins in. March 2016 2 not a new phenomenon,it gains more prominence in the fourth republic as it had served as intent instrument that helped many to ride into political power joseph, 1991. In the fourth republic, it has assumed a ludricrous dimension in the nigeria s polity. Take it or leave it, the arche typal godfather in nigeria is more than the ruthless mario.
It is argued that godfatherism in nigeria, as both informal structural and phenomena realities. When godfatherism gets messy in the southern state of akwa ibom, the countrys largest oilproducer, many people believe the main godfather is godswill akpabio, who holds a senate seat. Grin godfatherism and the impediments of democracy and. C, wenibowei department of public administration college of arts and science, yenagoa, bayelsa state, nigeria email. Godfatherism is one of the major obstacles towards genuine democratisation and good governance in nigeria. Using nigeria s fourth republic as a reference point, this paper examines the effects that these practices have on the future of democracy in nigeria. The nigerian nationalist leaders and some of the builders of nigerian federalism, obafemi. The study examines the concept of political god fatherism in nigeria democracy with specific reference to oyo state and kwara state. The study found that there was a shift in the modus operandi of post independence godfatherism, and what obtains in contemporary nigeria was violenceinspired godfatherism, which successfully replaced politics of welfare by politics of warfare in the affected areas. It is this change pattern that necessitated this study. Godfathers are generally defined as men who have the power personally to determine both who gets nominated to contest elections and who wins in the election. Chris ngige and among the political criminals that are behind elections or selection of.
Changing perspectives of nigeria political development. Godfatherism is not only prevalent in recruitment process in the bureaucracy. It is not common for a political office seeker in nigeria not to have a godfather. Godfatherism and the impediments of democracy and the rule of. It has become almost impossible in nigeria for you to hold a political office in nigeria without the influence of a powerful force behind you for their power, money, and influence. A chieftain of the peoples democratic party pdp in lagos state, otunba segun adewale, has revealed that godfatherism, tribalism are the bane of nigeria s developments despite its huge human. The menace of political godfatherism as a factor in the. Pdf impact of godfatherism on nigerian politics and. Godfatherism means office seekers getting connected to an individual who is believed to have the ability to deliver a desired outcome in an electoral contest. Political godfatherism, violence and sustainable democracy in nigeria korikye m. The church is seen as the custodian of morality which is held in high esteem.
Pdf explaining godfatherism in nigerian politics researchgate. In nigeria, the phenomenon of godfatherism denotes multi. Leadership challenges, corruption, lack of transparency, constitutional and electoral reforms, rising civil strife, poverty, unemployment, godfatherism, lack of human security and human rights. Godfatherism, ethnicity bane of nigerias development. B 5025, awka, anambra state, southeast nigeria abstract this article examined the menace of political godfatherism, one of the major internal factors hindering the advancement of the democratization process and development of nigeria in order to validate rostow thesis. Godfatherism and political conflict in nigeria with abstract, chapter 15, references and questionnaire. Godfatherism in nigeria is a topic that has not been given enough attention until recently that it was exposed that chief chris uba, was the estranged political godfather of chief dr. It examines the concept of leadership and corruption in the context of nigeria. Godfatherism and politics in nigeria a reexamination. It had gained much attention at the present time as a result of its need forms of articulation. Pdf on jun 27, 2006, isaac olawale albert published explaining godfatherism in nigerian politics find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. Godfathers, money politics, and electoral violence in nigeria. In all the known cases money and violence have been.
In nigeria, even though the political space has been marginally liberalized since may 29 1999 after a prolonged period of military rule, the nigerian state has remained predatory, repressive and totalitarian. Godfatherism, ethnicity bane of nigerias development pdp. An emergent feature of politics in nigeria is the phenomenon of godfatherism regan, 2004. In essence, godfatherism is a threat to the nigeria s. Godfathers are generally defined as men who have the power personally to determine both who gets nominated to contest elections and who wins in the election chibuzo, 2006. The concept of godfatherism is firmly establishing itself as a guiding principle in contemporary nigeria politics.
Chukwuemeka abstract nigeria is one of the neo colonial and developing nations of the third world. Oct 10, 2017 godfatherism has become a norm in nigeria s political environment, where without a godfather, an individual cannot secure a political position. But, godfatherism has taken a strange dimension in nigeria s political environment. Godfatherism, otherwise called neopatrimonialism sklar, 2006. Currently, it is africas largest producer of oil, and the fifth largest exporter of oil to the us central intelligence agency 20.
Pdf godfatherism and political conflicts in nigeria. This was in contrast to the roles played by godfathers in nigeria s democratic practice between 1958 and 1983 akinola, 2009. While the forms and pattern may vary from one location to another, the purposes and results of godfatherism. Pdf godfatherism and the future of nigerian democracy. The influence of godfatherism in nigeria politics in the.
The nigerian nationalist leaders and some of the builders of nigerian federation such as. Godfatherism and political party financing in nigeria. Using nigeria s fourth republic as a reference point, this paper examines the effects that these practices have on the future. The phenomenon has become a fundamental menace plaguing nigeria s elections and choice of candidates from existing alternatives.
The antecedents of the current state such as repression, predatory political behaviour and. International journal of management and social sciences research ijmssr issn. The politics of godfatherism and regionalism has become a phenomenon in the political development of. Problems of godfatherism in nigeria and possible solutions. Godfatherism and electoral policties in nigeria with abstract, chapter 15, references and questionnaire. Republic when leaders of the three major political parties northern people.
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