COMPLETE SCHOOL PROJECT TOPICS & MATERIALS :
CHAPTERS: Chapter 1-5
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ABSTRACT
The study examined the traditional political system and the development of democracy in Nigeria. A study of Lagos state. The study focus on a timeline of ten years; from 2010-2019. The study employed the survey design and the purposive sampling technique to select 95 Lagos state politicians. A well- constructed questionnaire, which was adjudged valid and reliable, was used for collection of data from the respondents. The data obtained from the administration of the questionnaires were analyzed using the descriptive statistics techniques such as tables, percentage, frequency and mean.
The findings revealed that: the traditional political system is effective in the modern day Nigeria democratic government. The role of the traditional political system before and after Nigeria independence is potent. The contribution of the Nigeria constitution in the support of the traditional political system is high and potent. The traditional political system has been affected by factors in the modern democratic government in Nigeria.
The study concluded that the traditional political system has contributed to the development of democracy in Nigeria in the last ten years 2010-2019. The study further concluded that: Government should encourage traditional politics as these enhance political wisdom. Traditional system ethics should be pass into law in the modern Nigeria democratic government era. Traditional political system should continue play a big role in Nigeria. The senate and house of representatives should always pass a law that enable Nigeria constitution to always give the needed support to traditional political system. All factors that mitigate against the effectiveness of the traditional political system in the modern democratic government of Nigeria should all avoided. Traditional political system needs an urgent reappraisal. Traditional political ruler have expressed that they need to interrogate the definitions and movements that have proliferated – and arrive at common positions of what is the traditional political system. The traditional system must become contextually relevant to communities, not politicians. The traditional system needs to become strategic in assessing societal challenges and develop appropriately structured political programmes. The traditional system needs to develop good governance principles.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1. Background to the Study
The age-long traditional political system is seen to be one that hasn’t changed with time. This traditional political system has provided a system of administration from which law and orderliness came and provided stability in the system of governance. It’s quite essential to note that, the belief among most Western scholars was that pre-colonial African societies had no system of administration: i.e. no law and order, no government, and no civilization. This belief has long been seen as not only very erroneous however grossly subjective (Fatile & Adejuwon, 2014). It has been observed that traditional African communities, in reality, had a well organized and established system of administration where public order was provided and maintained; where laws were made and implemented; were inter-communal and intertribal conflicts were settled. The above showed that, traditional political system have been an important feature of the people and commanded a large degree of loyalty and respect among them. The general belief is that traditional leaders don’t have a place in a democratic dispensation whereby only the elected are allowed to rule. By their mode of ascension to power legitimacy, exercised by traditional leaders isn’t acceptable generally, (Erero, 2015).
By traditional political system, it is referred to as the indigenous political arrangements whereby leaders with proven track records are appointed and installed as provided by the provisions of their native laws and customs, (Orji & Olali, 2013). The aim of the traditional political institutions is to safeguard the customs and traditions of the people and to effectively manage conflicts that may arise among members of the community by the instrumentality of laws and customs of the people.
Traditional political institutions are the custodian of their people’s norms, cultures and practices. In many African setting, just as it is seen in Lagos State or South West and other part of Nigeria, selection of individuals into the offices of traditional political institutions is inherited or by selection or election by the instrument of important traditional methods. The method of selection of the occupant of traditional political institutions differs in Africa in general and in Nigeria in particular from ethnic groups to ethnic groups or communities to communities, (Fatile & Adejuwon, 2014). Traditional political institutions are signs of indigenous persons’ rights, privileges, laws, customs and traditions that include but not restricted to paramount leaders and their councils. The traditional institutions in the Nigerian context is inclusive of the chiefs-in-council, elders-in-council, title holders who may be appointed based on their contributions to the growth and development of their communities with or little no executive, legislative or judicial powers.
In African traditional setting, just as it is obtainable too in Lagos State or South West communities, the traditional institutions are charged with legislative, executive and judicial responsibilities. They make laws, implement them and interpret and apply the basic laws, customs and traditions of the people for the smooth running of their communities. Conflicts are generally managed and resolved based on the customs and traditions of the people. Traditional political institutions have diverse methods to crime and conflict management and resolution, depending on the community. What is appropriate in a community may not be in the other community. Boege (2016) agrees with this position when he argued that traditional approaches vary considerably from community to community, from province to province, from society to society. Boege (2016) as well affirms that, there’re as a lot of different traditional methods to crime and conflict transformation as there’re different societies and communities with a specific history, a specific culture and specific custom even in the global south, just like any other. He further states that, traditional methods are always context specific and aren’t universally applicable as modern or conventional methods are. Among the Lagos or South West communities specifically too, the traditional political methods to crime and conflict management and resolution vary from community to community, especially when viewed against the background of diverse ethnic groups making up the region. However, most of the Lagos State communities share common traditional methods, (ibid).
The bane of the traditional political system in the earlier periods had been their actual or suspected participation in partisan politics. In modern Nigeria, the institution no longer has business in partisan politics. Instead, the traditional rulers are uniting in the wars against the common enemies of disease, poverty, ignorance, corruption, crime, drug addiction, armed insurgency, impunity in public office, youth delinquency, and so on. Many, like the Sultan of Sokoto, Oba of Lagos, Emir of Kano, Awujale of Ijebu, Alake of Egbaland, and so on, have become the voices of the voiceless, speaking out courageously on issues of general concern, locally, nationally and even internationally, (Falola, 2014). They have become development catalysts and agents for mobilization for policy implementation, monitoring, and review of policy options.
In reality, our traditional political institution today is perhaps at its peak of global acceptance and approbation compared with other periods since the colonial times. A nationwide study carried out in 2014 by Professor Sylvanus and four other senior academics revealed an overwhelming support in all parts of the country for the traditional political institution as being important to the lives of the people. This is owing to a combination of factors, like, the counter-reaction to globalization, the waning confidence in our current political institution, and the growing calibre and leadership abilities of the emerging traditional leaders. The institution has thus remained a mystical factor in the lives of the ordinary citizen, (Adegboyega, 2016). It has shown resilience by being adept at adapting itself to its changing circumstances whilst holding to its core custodianship of the customs and traditions. The institution has successfully re-invented and renewed itself at every critical period by “running fast enough to stand still.”
The concept of democracy originated from the Greek word “dēmokratía”, meaning “rule of the people”, which was derived from demos “people” and krátos “power” or “rule” (Wikipedia, 2017). Appadurai (2015) described it as, a system of government under which the citizens exercise the governing power either directly or through representatives periodically elected by themselves. However, Schumpter (1967) reduced the concept to the procedural aspect when he defined the democratic method as the institutional arrangement for arriving at political decisions in which individuals require the power to decide by means of competitive struggle for people’s vote. This definition buttressed the viewpoint of Marxism that the concept connotes the dictatorship of the proletariat majority rule. From the foregoing, it is not out of place to say that democracy is a form of governance that does not only take the plight and consent of the populace but as well the participation of citizens in the selection of public office holders through free and fair elections. It is a form of governance that accommodates the participation of the people in all facet of public administration. This was corroborated by J.S Mill, as quoted by Agena and Odoh (2016), who argued that democratic governance is superior to other forms of administration simply because the rights of every individual are expected to be secured from being violated. As a result, democracy can be said to be a set of ideologies of governance that allow for the majority of the people to choose their leaders and as well guarantee them a broad range of civil rights. Democracy, which gives high credence to the rule of law stated certain right amongst others right to life, right to dignity of human person, right to personal liberty, right to fair hearing, right to private and family life, right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, right to freedom of expression, right to peaceful assembly and association, right to freedom of movement, right to freedom from discrimination and right to acquire and own immovable property anywhere in Nigeria (Nigerian Constitution, 1999). However, what is the nature of traditional political system in the modern day democracy in Nigeria? (Munoz, 2015).
The Nigeria democratic experience as witnessed since 1999 calls for reflection on whether democracy as a political ideology for Nigeria has realized its values. Traditionally, democracy as a political ideology is supposed to give power to the citizens, promote the pursuit of public interest and improves social order. But, what the current democratic experience has offered us is nothing other than economic and social problems manifesting in high level of insecurity. All these problems are militating factors against national development of democracy and good governance in Nigeria, (Lawal & Abe, 2016).
A number of measures are still essential as we continue to uphold the position of the modern traditional political system in our body politic. First is the need for a constitutional provision for the institution. In the present constitutional arrangement (1999), the laws governing the traditional institution are enacted at the state government level only and provide strictly for consultative and advisory functions for the State Traditional Councils set up by these laws. There is no equivalent provision at the Federal Government level. Having withstood the vicissitudes of the colonial and post-colonial regimes and now achieved a workable role within our democratic culture, it becomes imperative that this new balance of roles is well captured and given legal backing in the constitution.
The constitution, at the least, should identify the role of the traditional institution in communal life, like mobilizing the community for enlightenment, education, economic empowerment, peace building, safety, security, and custodianship of and leadership in advancing our culture. The constitution should as well enshrine the non-involvement of traditional leaders in partisan politics as has been recommended by the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN) to the National Assembly. On the other hand, the constitution should as well adequately protect the traditional institution from undue meddling and interference by the political elite and the moneyed class, (Odumosu, 2013).