DEMOCRACY, GOOD GOVERNANCE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE

Abstract

After a protracted time of military interregnum, the waves of democracy blew across Nigeria in the month of
May 1999. It came like the sun in the month August (August break), after several days of rain causing flood,
cold related illnesses with bloomless of the beautiful sky and no sun to dry clothes for simple outings. Nigerians
were happy as democracy is a participatory government that represents the interest of all. It actually began
good with the intention of the government to deliver good and people oriented governance with keen interest in
science and technological development, sustainable economic growth with high regards to ecological
environment. Democracy and good governance however began well in 1999 through 2014 and became
comatose between 2015 and 2023. During this period, the democratic institutions failed, the rule of law was
kept aside, the judicial arm of government failed as there was no true justice for the common people, there was
high wave of crime across the country such as increase activities of insurgency, kidnapping banditry, religion
and tribal divide, armed robbery, unemployment, massive migration of youths and professionals to western
countries, environmental depletion through massive logging, blatant electoral theft, and corruption was at it’s
peak with no abatement. Theories of liberalism was adopted by the writers of this paper to try to explain the
phenomenon on the topic under investigation. Accordingly, liberalism laid emphasis on political and of course
moral philosophy based on individual rights, liberty, consent of the governed, equality, right to estate and
equality before the law. John Locke propounded the theory of liberalism in the 17th century. Expository research
method was adopted and the recommendations were that government should adopt the principles of democracy
in all its operations, that government should also include the practice of sustainable development in its policies
and programmes by the enforcement of laws that protect the environment as well as strengthening the electoral
process.