THE RULE OF LAW AND DEMOCRATIC PRACTICE IN NIGERIA IN THE LIGHT OF HOBBES’ CONCEPT OF CIVIL LAW

Abstract

This work focuses on Thomas Hobbes’ theory of civil law in relation to Nigeria’s political situation. Hobbes postulated that there must be civil law in the civil society in order to check the excesses of the people who go into social contract. He upheld the supremacy of the law and advocated for the equality of all before it in order to forestall lawlessness and man’s inhumanity to his fellow man. The same law must be applied/administered to everybody at the same time and at all times and nobody should be deemed above it. However, the reverse seems to be the case in Nigerian context. The civil law seems to be made only for the poor and the less privileged in the society while the rich and the influential flout it without attracting proportionate punitive measures. The problem is that the poor masses are gradually waking up from their age long moral, legal and political slumber and might resort to self-help in order to extricate themselves from the shackles of sociopolitical slavery and abuse. This work therefore adopts the methods of conceptual and textual approaches in an attempt to advance solutions capable of saving Nigeria from its political quagmire. Adopting and applying Hobbes’ political theory within Nigerian political space could be the desired socioeconomic and political catalyst for change. This article aims at giving both the leaders and the led a good sense of direction in order to save Nigeria from free fall into anarchy