African States, Democracy and Political Indicators of Development: The Nigerian Scorecard

Abstract

This paper discusses African states, democracy and the political indicators of development while laying emphases on the Nigerian scorecard. The purpose of the modern African state is indeed still highly confounding and the embedded puzzle is largely attributable to democracy discontents. There was the supposition that democracy would lead to development on the continent. However, it is the position of this paper that this assumption is becoming increasingly mislaid. The paper adopted the documentary method of research which entails the use of textbooks, journals, internet and other documented materials and subsequently interrogates the linkages between democracy and development among African states with specific focus on Nigeria. It tables the political indicators of development and assesses the performance of the Nigerian state against the background of these indications. The thesis of the work is that as long as the political indicators of development are in deficiencies in Nigeria, democracy and development will remain immensely disarticulated. Relying on elite theory, the study concludes that elitist personification of the state and its institutions remains the major impediment to the linking of democracy with development in Nigeria. It recommends reforms of the institutions of the state to serve as catalyst for development in the country.