ELITE POLITICS AND CULTURAL HEGEMONY: ENSLAVEMENT TO DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Nigeria as the most populous nation in Africa has a nascent democracy, but this democracy is at the brink of destruction as a result of elite politics and cultural hegemony. These play out scene in the activities of some northern and southern oligarchies via party politics, Boko-haram, Arewa Consultative Forum, Ohaneze Ndi Igbo, O’odua People’s Congress, Afenifere, Miyetti Allah, IPOB among others which has ensued in underdevelopment, unemployment, violation of human rights, bad governance and policies, destruction of lives and properties. This paper examines the concepts of elite politics, cultural hegemony and democracy in Nigeria with a view to showing the danger it portends to Nigerians. It will explore the drives of these politicians and hegemons to determine if they can coexist with democracy in Nigeria. The study adopts the methods of analysis and dialectics in order to clarify and understand the issues of discussion. It finds that the activities of some politicians and hegemons aim at enslaving Nigerians and her nascent democracy, since there is no sovereign consensus in the society and proper leadership election process. This paper suggests John Rawls overlapping consensus and proper leadership election process among the citizens will bring emancipation and restructuring of Nigeria to guarantee justice, peaceful coexistence, development, and sustenance of democratic values.