Indiscipline in Nigeria: Causes, Patterns, Interventions and Implications for National Development

Abstract

The concept, ‘discipline’ has two broad meanings, namely, discipline as a field of knowledge, and discipline as order. The latter is the focus of this paper. Discipline as order has several sub-categorizations. These include the order by conduct and action which results from training, instruction, and education; the order maintained and observed by persons under control or command; a system of rules of conduct. Discipline is also used to denote control gained by enforcing obedience or compliance especially by use of punishment. In sum, discipline implies controlled and orderly behavior. By contrast, indiscipline means absence or lack of order. Simplistically defined, it implies unruly, wild, undomesticated and uncontrolled behavior. But when defined moralistically, indiscipline encompasses more serious violations such as crimes. Therefore, indiscipline refers to deviation from prescribed norms whether such norms are mere folkways, matters of etiquette or serious crimes.