The Impact of Civil Society Organization on Nigeria’s Socio-political Development: an Appraisal of Civil Liberties Organization
CHAPTER ONE
Objectives of the Study
The major objectives of this research is to assess the impact of the civil society organizations, on Nigeria‟s development. The specific objectives of the study are:
- To establish the relationship between civil society organizations and democracy
- To ascertain if bad governance is the driving force of civil society organizations in Nigeria
- To determine the extent the civil liberties organization has influenced the socio-economic and political development of Nigeria
Chapter Two
Civil Society Organizations and Democracy in Nigeria
Origin and Development of Civil Society Organization in the Post Military Nigeria
In societies attempting to move from authoritarian rule to democracy, monarchical impositions or forms of ‘benevolent’ military rule to a (multiparty or non-party) democracy which allows free competitions, free association, mobilies for the securing of human rights (individual, clan, class and economic rights), the role of one of the building blocks of a democracy, the civil community or civil society, is of extreme importance” (Ian Liebenberg; 2000, p. 70). Like other social science concepts, civil society has been defined to mean different things. From its classified definition of civility (Politike Koinonia), defined by Aristotle to mean a „civilized and rational society‟, he also argued that the civil society was coterminous with the state (Keane John 1988:35).
The above definition reflects the social transition from „rude‟ forms of life to a „polished‟ and or a „civilized‟ society, hence the „civilized society‟ or civil society (Keane John 1988:35). This concept has been challenged and re- defined by scholars to suit the reality of their time.
Thomas Paine, Hegel, Alex de Tocqueville and others, for instance, contrary to Aristotle‟s view, argued that the civil society was different from the state; and the power of the state need to be regularly checked by the civil society (organized citizens) (Keane John 1988:35). In his analysis of civil society‟s development, Keane himself draws a boundary between the state and society to show two distinct and competing realms. However, this work in consideration of limited space will not review more literatures on the above concept but will adopt the definition provided by Larry Diamond and that declared by Gordon White to be the most currently used definition. The justifications for this are based on the (much) similarity of the two definitions and the rate at which scholars have quoted these definitions of and these scholars works on civil society in recent time. The realm of organized intermediary groups that are voluntary self- generating independent of the state and the family and bound by a legal order or set of shared rules” (Diamond: 1997:21). “An intermediate associational realm between state and family and populated by organizations which are separate from the state, enjoy autonomy in relations to the state and are formed voluntarily by members of society to protest or advance their interest or values” (White: 1996:182).
Chapter Three
The Driving Forces of Civil Society Organizations in Nigeria
The Perversity of Corruption in Nigeria
Corruption is the misuse of public power by elected politician or appointed civil servant for private gain. In order to ensure that not only public corruption but also private corruption between individual and businesses could be covered by the same sample definition.
Corruption is the misuse of entrusted power (by heritage, education, marriage, election, opportunity or whatever else) for private gain. The broader definition covers not only the politician and the public servant, but also the CEO of a company, the notary public, the team leader at a workplace, the administrator or admissions – officer to a private school or hospital, the coach of a soccer team etcetera. A much more difficult, scientific definition for the concept „corruption‟ was developed by Professor (Emeritus) Dr. Petrus Van Duyne:
“Corruption is an improbity or decay in the decision-making process in which a decisions-maker consents to deviate or demands deviation from the criterion which should rule his or her decision-making, in exchange for a reward or for the promise or expectation of a reward, while these motives influencing his or her decision-making cannot be part of the justification of the decision”.
Political corruption is not a recent phenomenon that pervades the Nigerian state. Since the creation of modern public administration in the country, there have been cases of official misuse of resources for personal enrichment. Nigeria is ranked 139th out of 176 countries in transparency international’s 2012. Corruption perceptions index, tied with Azerbaijan, Kenya, Nepal and Pakistan. The rise of public administration and the discovery of petroleum and natural gas are two major events seen to have led to a litany of ignoble corrupt practices in the country. Over the years, the country has seen its wealth withered with little to show in living conditions of the average human being. A Nigerian political leader, Obafemi Awolowo raised a salient issue when he said, since independence, our governments have been a matter of few holding the cow for the strongest and most cunning to milk, under those circumstances everybody runs over everybody to make good at the expense of others.
The pervasive corruption has been blamed on colonialism. According to this view, the nation‟s colonial history may have restricted any early influence in an ethical revolution. Throughout the colonial period, most Nigerians were stack in ignorance and poverty. The trappings of flash cars, houses and success of the colonists may influence the poor to see the colonist as symbols of success and to emulate the colonists in different political ways. Involvement in the agenda of colonial rule may also inhibit idealism in the early stage of the nascent nation‟s development. A view commonly held during the colonial days was that the colonist‟s property (cars, houses, farms etc) is not “our” property.
Chapter Four
Civil Liberties Organization and Socio- Political Development in Nigeria
Civil Liberties Organizations and the War Against Corruption in Nigeria
Having seen the pervasity of corruption in Nigeria in the precious chapter, it is now therefore imperative that we see the role civil liberties organizations play in the face of a corruption filled society like Nigeria; but not without first giving a brief look at the history, mandate structure and programme of the civil liberties organization. The civil liberties organization (CLO) was founded by a group of young laywers led by Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), it was founded in 1987 and soon grew into the most active human rights group in Nigeria. The civil liberties organization is a non-governmental organization, set up for the defence and expansion of human rights and civil liberties.
The civil liberties organization is a membership organization with sixteen (16) state branches outside Lagos. It has a staff of 23 and is headed by a national adversary council and a board of Governors. The organization is divided into the following project areas. Litigation; police and prison; women‟s right, national expansion (membership); Annual report; Campaign and empowerment (lectures, community development, involvement, liberty magazine; environmental action (in oil producing areas); documentation and research; resource center, African monitoring group; ethics in government.
The civil liberties organization investigates human rights abuses and campaigns through litigation, publications and communication with the government on behalf of people whose rights have been abused. The civil liberties organization publishes a quarterly magazine entitled; liberty and a journal of Human Rights law and practice. Its prison project has produced two major reports on prison condition and a number of smaller publications. It has also published a number of reports on police brutality, military decreases, government impunity, the death penalty and annual reports on the human rights situation in Nigeria. Its legal aid project has represented over 4.000 indigent victims of human rights abuses.
Chapter Five
Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations
Summary
Civil society organization and socio-political development is like a match made in heaven. With the drop in socio-political development in Nigeria blamed on corruption, poverty, unemployment, human rights violation and most recently terrorism. To a lay man, socio-political development simply means building positive outcomes and reducing negative outcome in a society. To a layman for a society to be termed socially developed, issues like; poverty, crime, cultism, robbery, school disengagement, poor health sector, environmental degradation etc. must be at a minimal level, while the opposite of the above mentioned should be on the increase, to boost societal harmony and peaceful co- existence. On the other hand, political development means the development of the political apparatus and agencies of a society to enable good governance, peaceful succession and political stability. A combined development of the two is termed socio-political development hence the civil society organization has taken it upon themselves, to ensure this is achieved. A lot of civil society organization fight tooth and nail to ensure a combined socio-political development in Nigeria. With corruption, poverty, unemployment human rights abuse, terrorism etc having eaten deed into the fabrics of Nigerian socio-political sphere, there are lots of work to do, as the civil society organizations, who have taken it upon themselves are facing great challenges to achieving this enormous project. Hence, this research work, tends to expose the various problems facing civil society organization in the face of achieving this goals. This research work started with the introduction of the topic, going ahead to define socio-political development, civil society organization. To further make the work more comprehensive, some civil society organizations and functions were mentioned, further moving to the problems of achieving socio-political development in Nigeria, having mentioned poverty, unemployment and human rights abuse pervasity and then rounding up the work with the efforts civil society organizations have made in the fight against the forces undermining socio – political development in Nigeria, using our appraisal, the civil liberties organization.
The work recommend among other things: reformation of our valuing system; social transformation; leadership training for proper orientation of the ruling class and the improvement of awareness and enlightenment for socio-political development in the way it will address the issue of poverty, corruption, human rights violation, terrorism, unemployment, as they are the set backs of socio-political development in Nigeria.
Conclusion
Based on the findings of this research work, the researcher can rightly assert that attention be drawn to the devastating damage corruption; Human rights violation poverty, unemployment, terrorism etc. has done to Nigeria especially or paying particular attention to the area of socio-political development. Civil society organizations, involving the civil liberties and other civil society organizations are putting everything they have in place to fight corruption, poverty, human rights violation, unemployment and other social vices as identified by this research work as the backbone of socio-political underdevelopment in Nigeria.
On the issue of poverty, Yusu (2000:198), says that over 45% of Nigerians live below the poverty line, while two third (2/3) of this group are extremely poor. He also indicated that poverty in the country will rise by two third (2/3) and almost half of the population will be below poverty line by year 2010. Most recently, the figure has risen, placing Nigeria among the country with citizens below poverty line, far away from other countries of the world in 2012. On the part of corruption, reports have shown that over the past five (5) years, the issue of corruption has been on the increase as virtually all government officials leaving office has been accused of money laundering and embezzlement of public fund unemployment, terrorism and other social vices have contributed in so many ways to the socio-political underdevelopment in Nigeria.
Moreover, the issue of underdevelopment, according to Rodney (1972) is as a result of an unequal interaction between two societies. The more these unequal relationships last, the more the backwardness of the less privileged ones. Therefore, corruption practices, human rights abuse, poverty and unemployment have all fingers pointing to them as the cause of socio-political development in Nigeria. There is an unequal interactive base between the government and masses, more like there is an obvious lacuna between the government and the people hence the adverse effect on socio-political development. Be that as it may, the civil society organizations in the country are trying so hard to bridge the gap between the two. The problem being lack of fund and effective support from the masses and stakeholders involved in socio-political development of Nigeria.
Hence, making corruption, poverty, human rights violation, unemployment and terrorism history is the surest way of making the problems of Nigeria a history and therefore ensuring a positive jump in socio-political development.
Recommendations
This research work, having found out the problems associated with socio political development, through the activities of civil society organizations, which civil liberties organization is part of, and their fight against those problems, which include, poverty corruption, unemployment, human rights abuse etc. The researcher therefore gives the following recommendations which will help eradicate all these problems in our country Nigeria. They include:
- The government should be aware of its responsibility to the people who voted them into power and remember also to be accountable to them. So therefore to curb corruption, the government should setup an independent judiciary which will be responsible for trying and penalizing offenders of corrupt practices, the body should be placed above every citizen of the country and should be independent. The activities of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is a good one, but should be complimented with a similar independent body that should be involved in the trial and prosecution of offenders.
- The mass media have over the years been a strong part of the fight against corruption, poverty, unemployment and human rights violation; hence I recommend that the mass media be given an increased role in the Nigerian polity. Despite the signing of the freedom of information bill into law, the government and its agencies has to an extent continued to put the mass media in the dark in the wake of making important decisions and policies. Most of the policies, meetings and decisions that are very crucial are done recently on closed doors, which is not helping If the government seeks to the transparent, then all meetings and policy making should be done in the presence of the mass media as seen in other developed countries of the world, except on issues bothering on notional security or other delicate issues.
- Increased participation of the civil society organization will do more good than harm to Nigerian‟s socio-political development, to ensure proper flow of socio-political development, the researcher suggest that civil society organization founders and or representatives should be included in the legislature in both the national and state assemblies. Their membership should be based on elections organized by themselves (civil society organizations) and done in a way that all bothering issues such as; women rights, child abuse, human trafficking, child mortality, human rights abuse, unlawful detention and other causes be duly represented in both the federal and state houses of assembly, so that they can take part in the country‟s decision making process, to avoid unnecessary strikes, protests and civil unrest as the people‟s views must have been presented by the various civil society organizations representing their interest.
- The issue of poverty must be duly looked into; hence the researcher suggests a greater interest of government be drawn to the issue of poverty in the country. Government at all level should be concerned on this issue and hence, should invest heavily on agriculture and individualization, which would further create job opportunity and hence reduce poverty in the Government should also put every Nigerian graduate and undergraduate on a payroll, to ensure the reduction of the poverty level of the country. This can be achieved, if the enormous incomes generated from crude oil sells are effectively utilized.
- The researcher further suggests that the issue of human rights abuse and violations should be attached with a heavier punishment, to scare people away from the act, because I believe that if the issue of child abuse and other human rights violation are given proper punishment and prosecution, there will be a drastic reduction in the act as the people feel the punishment involved in the act is not enough to stop them from the
- Effective support should be given to civil society organizations in the fight for increased socio- political development, the masses should be aware that the fight is for them; hence all hands must be on desk to ensure the achievement of the goals and objective of the various civil society organizations across the country. Hence, the masses should endeavour to attend seminars, retreats and conferences organized by civil society organization to enlighten them on the need for socio-political development through the fight against corruption, poverty, human rights violation and unemployment
- The family and religious organizations are not left out in this fight; hence I recommend that the family being the start point of child‟s development should ensure that the right orientations are impacted on their children, so that they can grow from it. Furthermore, religious organizations should ensure their preaching and teachings should be aimed as fostering socio-political development. They should teach against corruption, human rights abuse, and draw the attention of the government and its agencies to the issues of poverty, unemployment etc.
If these recommendations are noted and taken into due considerations, then Nigeria will be celebrating a new leaf turned in terms of socio-political development and the various civil society organizations will have less work to do or better still engage in some other activities rather than the aforementioned problems of socio-political development in Nigeria.
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