Philosophy and Restructuring of Nigeria: An Afrocentric Perspective

Abstract

Nigeria is bedeviled with a political arrangement that is far removed from the cultural experience and inclination of its constituent nationalities. Before independence, there were two imperial ecosystems at play in the country: the external and the internal. While Nigeria’s independence in 1960 politically removed the external chains, internal ethno-political domination continued thereafter to undermine the socio-cultural and political development of the country. This has created a state of anomie, mutual suspicion, cross-country violence, corruption and stasis. The paper paints an analytical picture of “internal disharmony” and “economic subversion”, both of which combine to disorient the citizenry and frustrate the country’s desire to reap durable political and economic capital from its enormous human and material resources. The paper calls for an afrocentric response to Nigeria’s structural anomalies and the adoption of some tenets of traditional African political philosophy, notably its village-square representation and principle of consensual obligation. The paper recommends cultural and economic autonomy for Nigeria’s distinct groups and regions in order to enhance the maximal release of their tethered developmental energies.