DEMOCRACY AND POLITICS OF GODFATHERISM IN NIGERIA:

THE EFFECTS AND WAY FORWARD

Political godfatherism is one of the factors that embedded democratic setting in Nigeria since

first republic. In view of this, this research work is primarily designed to examine democracy and

politics of godfatherism in Nigeria with emphasis on its effects and way forward. The study

adopts primary and secondary data to analyze some critical issues, like political violence, vote

buying, disenfranchisement and some other political and socio-cultural factors that embedded

democratic setting in Nigeria since 1999 till current political dispensation engaged by godfathers

and godsons. The study further explores the relationship between godfathers and godsons with a

particular attention to who become the next strongmen in the area of politics and who retains the

status quo. This study examines some key concepts, such as democracy, political violence and

political godfatherism. Finally, the study concludes with recommendations in order to ensure

good governance and political stability in Nigeria.

Democracy in Nigeria has had a chequered history. From the ‘Wild-Wild West’ experience of

the first republic through prolonged autocratic military regimes and the truncated second and

third republics to the present democratic dispensation, democracy has suffered debilitating

experiences in the country. The perennial travail of democracy is predicated on a number of factors, including ineffective structures and institutions, the foreboding presence of the military, corruption, money politics and godfatherism .

However, Godfatherism has become a scary phenomenon in Nigerian politics. 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 socio-  economic in nature and mutually productive for both parties, its politicization would appear to have contributed to the criminalization of politics. For example, the Hausa have a well-institutionalized system where the godfather is known as “Maigida” (landlord or head of household). Godfathers reign across all spheres of the society: academics, legal, and religion environment.

Therefore, the clamour for democracy in Nigeria is to improve both political and socio-economic

situation of the country through massive involvement in the policy making, but reverse is the

case as those that attained political power in both legislative and executive arms of government

got to the seat of powers through the support of some political ‘godfathers’ in various states cum

the center, however, the desire of political godfathers is to hold political and socio-economic

powers both at the center cum the component units as mechanisms to politically influence the

activities of political office holders, that is, the Governors and some Legislators in terms of

appointing people into various positions, such as Ministers/Commissioners, Chairmen of the

boards, Secretaries to the various Institutions, DPM and Treasurers of Local Governments as

well as allocation of some developmental projects into various localities within the state or center

as well.

Consequently, the impact of the godfathers on Nigeria’s general elections was unprecedented.

Godfathers are those who have the security connections, extended local links, enormous financial

weight to plot and determine the success of a power seeker at any level of a supposedly

competitive politics. Although godfatherism has an institutionalized feature in Nigerian politics over the years, its contemporary manifestations suggest that it has assumed epidemic proportions,  becoming one of the greatest threats to democratic consolidation in Nigeria. The recent activities of some Nigerian godfathers could be likened to attributes of mafianism; however, some still see the existence of godfathers as the balancer of power in a democracy. Akinola (2009) believes in the need to have a good-hearted individual (people’s hero) at the sole realm of absolute power, a godfather distributes power as he deems, and anoints who rules. But, godfatherism has taken a strange dimension in Nigeria’s political environment. It has become a menace pulling down the foundations of masses-driven governance, thereby denying Nigerians the much-deserved dividends of democracy. since 1999, when Nigeria joined the comity of democratically governed countries, it has continued to experience an unprecedented rise in political violence ranging from increased crime wave, armed robbery, political assassination, and religious riots as a result of crises loomed between godfathers and some godsons, see the case of godfatherism, which reached its climax during the wanton destruction of lives and properties that witnessed the violent confrontation between a godfather (Chris Uba) and governor of Anambra state (Chris Ngige) and Dr. Olusola Saraki and his godson, late Admiral Mohamed Lawal in 1999-2003 administration in Kwara State which witnessed various political dimensions ranging from the destruction of lives and properties, electoral malpractices/violence, disenfranchisement of many qualified electorates through the engagement of thugs and lastly, the invitation of vote buying system between godfather (Dr. Olusola Saraki) and his godson (Late Admiral Mohamed Lawal) who wanted to become political dictator in the state. In conclussion, there is hardly any state devoid of the existence and influence of godfathers, though the level of such influence varies.

 In America, the political candidate wiggles around, seeking group and individual endorsements for their candidacy. Also, in other advanced societies, group influence and endorsement could be more valuable than a powerful individual .

In essence, godfatherism is a threat to the Nigeria’s nascent democracy. This makes it imperative

in this paper to explore the ugly phenomenon of godfatherism and its effect on democratization

in the country.

CONCLUSION

From all indications, godfatherism is a major debacle to political stability in any given society

because it involves the employment of all illegal means to achieve their political objectives

during registration of voters and conduct of both primaries and general elections in the state cum

the center. 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 nation-state and using their political influence to bend the public policies.

WAY FORWARD/RECOMMENDATIONS

To put an end to political crisis created by political godfathers in Nigeria, the following factors

as identified by Bernard, (2009) must be considered as first priority so that all illegal acts will be

minimized;

i.          Political awareness campaigns should be put in place to put an end to political

murders.

ii.         Elective posts in Nigeria should be made unattractive. The idea of paying jumbo

salaries and allowances to elected public servants should be stopped.

iii.        Money, self-centredness and selfish influence should be de-emphasized in partisan

politics through vigorous public enlightenment about the fundamental human rights of both the political aspirants and the electorates.

iv.        The electoral law should lay emphasis on proper conduct of primary elections in

order to enhance the rights of the electorates in the choice of their candidates or representatives.

v.         Selection of candidates for elections or declaring candidates “unopposed” should be

outlawed and random plebiscite should be introduced by the INEC in the respective

constituencies to ascertain the popularity or acceptance of candidates chosen by political parties through primaries.

vi.        Alternatively, the INEC should request for and duly treat preliminary public

petitions against candidates chosen at the primaries.

vii.       A provision should be made for independent candidature in the electoral law in order

to cut the wings of political godfathers.

viii.      Misuse of the powers of incumbency should be curbed by appointing interim

government in place of incumbent President, Governor and Local Government Chairmen shortly before the next elections. This will curb the practice whereby the aforementioned public office holders preside over the elections in which they are contestants and collude with godfathers to rig elections in their own favour with their paraphernalia of office.

ix.        Electronic voting should be adopted for all elections in the country in order to minimize electoral fraud.

NEWS PAPERS

The Nation, April, 11, 2011. Pg 3& 12

The Nation, April, 12, 2011. Pg 9

The Nation, April 14,, 2011. Pg 2

The Nation, April 20, 2011. Pg7

The Nation, April, 21, 2011. Pmudaganiyu2011@gmail.comg6.

Next, Tuesday, May 31, 2011

TAIRU TAOFEEK KOLAWOLE

MASS COMMUNICATION HND II

MATRIC NO: 136072046