INSTITUTIONAL CREDIBILITY AS MECHANISM FOR PROMOTING SOCIAL JUSTICE IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Strong and credible institutions do not only stimulate socio-economic and political development, but makes a nation great. Advanced nations of the world with such institutions ensure the promotion of social justice, a significant determinant of good governance. In Nigeria, institutions that support good governance are not only weak but lack credibility. This is responsible for slow rate of development; a trend that has enthroned corruption, lack of accountability, exploitation, marginalisation and ethnicity, consequently breeding social injustice and continuous search for peace and security in the country. The main thrust of this paper was to interrogate how institutional credibility promotes social justice in Nigeria. To seek solution to the problem of the study, the authors posed one research question and one hypothesis based on the stated objective of the study. Data was obtained through a structured four-point Likert scale questionnaire. Data were collected from 70 lecturers in the Department of Social Science Education, Department of Political Science, Department of Private Law and Department of International Law all in the University of Calabar sampled for the study. Data collected from the abovementioned categories of scholars was subjected to statistical analysis and was analysed with the aid of Multiple Regression Analysis as the tool for data analysis. Based on the findings made from the study, it was concluded that institutional credibility significantly predicts social justice in Nigeria. The recommendation is that government should build strong institutions through character formation, moral restoration and capacity building.