ABSTRACT
The study examined the impact of civil servant organization on Nigeria political development. A case study of Non Governmental Organization in Ilorin, Kwara. Members of Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) were chosen as a case study, questionnaire containing fourteen items based on Likert style rating was used to collect data for thus study from the data collected. The research was analysed using Chi-square method on a statistical table. Therefore, it was gathered from the research work.
The impact of civil society, organization have not have been quantitatively and qualitatively realized in dealing with issues of urgent national importance confronting the country. Research findings revealed that the impact of civil society organization was on the negative side due to lack of finance, lack of innovation, organization weak among others.
As a result of this, the research work contains useful recommendations towards finding lasting solution to the short coming among the Members of Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) as contained in the main report of this report.
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
- Background to the Study
The role of civil society organization in the struggle for civil rule on Nigeria Political and sustainable development cannot be overstated indeed. They were at the vanguard for the liberation struggle that contaminated in the achievement of independence in 1960. In pre-colonial and post colonial government especially during the military regime, the Nigerian print media was the standard bearer of the civil society organizations as they sought to expose acts of authoritarianism mismanagement and corruption in the polity. Adewumi, (2006)
The return to civil rule in 1979 after years of military interregnum raised expectation for a possible resolution of the hydra-headed socio-political and economic crisis bedeviling. The nation since independence in 1960, but that hope truncated by military junta who felt that politicians have learnt nothing from the despicable and objectionable practices of the first attempt at democratic rule in Nigeria Dag Hammarskjold Foundation (1992). The military that had little or no experience in governance when they first took power in 1966 gradually settle down in government.
The late 1980s and 1990s saw the campaign by pro-democracy groups and political organization for the democratization of African states in what has been describe as the second libration movement, Ninalowo (2004). The first libration
movement was said to have been inconclusive because it was hijacked by reactionary forces who sought to truncate the philosophy and ideology behind the libration movement which bought independence to most African states.
The resort to authoritarianism and one party rule in most African stats demonstrated the lack of direction and vision. Factors which sustained the libration movements and achieved independence for most African states. This very people that the first liberation movement sought to liberate became victims of economic mismanagement, social degradation and political high handedness. While the euphoria that greeted the return to multi-party democracy in most Africa states was party credited to internal forces championed by civil society organizations external forces gave the process impetus.
However, the expectations that democratization in Nigeria since 1999 would stem the tide of economic decline, political dislocation and social emancipation has largely been unfulfilled. It would appear the civil society organization have lost its stem or have caused by the totalizing influence of the state. These are some of the issues this study seeks to unravel. Transition Monitoring Group (2007),
To address issues related to the subject of discourse, the paper is pigeon holed as follows: the first section is the conceptual and theoretical issues central to the paper. The second examined the types and nature of civil society organization and political development in Nigeria: The way forward. The first prescribe ways civil society can consolidate the gain of political development in the country.
Statement of the Problem
Civil society organization as conceptualized in the west may not easily fit into the Nigeria socio-economic and political environments. Therefore it may be difficult to talk about a universal understanding of the phenomenon of civil society in the age of political development.
Since 1999, the country has experienced some vibrant and robust associational life. The civil society organization are springing up by the day in Nigeria. Notable among which are the Joint Action Front (JAF). The Save Nigeria Group, United Action for Democracy (UAD), Campaign for Democracy (CD) Trade Union Such as; The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) among others have joined the fray. In some cases civil society has challenged mis-management and corruption in all branches of Government even where such organization has not been epitome of transparency and the rule of law. In the make of the campaign for the return to civil rule, some publicly recognized progressive and pro-democracy activists were co-opted into joining the ruling military Junta under General Babangida and Abacha abandoned their pro-democracy constituency, some are waiting in the wings to jump into moving train of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to enrich themselves.
According to Gyimah-Baadi 1999, the ability of civil society to help deepen democratic governance and put it beyond reversal remains in serious doubt consequently, the mobilization orientation of these organizations is limited to urban
centres and elite while important social forces in rural areas are neglected. According to Ibonvbere 2000, this raise against popular opinion that civil society should be captured and incorporated into popular movement that can engage in political pedagogy particularly among the poor in rural-urban centres can be captured and used to established new relationship between excluded citizens and the state apparatus.
Many civil society organization lack the very democracy they are trying to promote or sell to the larger society as its members are treated as second class citizens by their leaders.
Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of the study is to find out the impact of civil society organization on Nigeria political development.
The research would as well help to gain an insight into the nature and character of civil society organization in Nigeria and their struggle in political development in the country. The study would also give some recommendation and the way forward to the efficient and effective in carrying out their rules and consequently improve standard of their performance as a civil society organization.
Research Questions
For this study, the following questions have been raised to be answered:
- What are the current issues surrounding the civil society organization in Nigeria?
- Is there any way forward for civil society organization in Nigeria political development?
Research Hypothesis
In studying the impact of civil society organization on Nigeria political development; the following hypothesis have been formulated to guide the study.
Ho1:- There is innovative idea in the mode of operation by evolving new political and economic culture in Africa
Ho2:- There was strong mobilization orientation of civil society in rural areas more than centres and elite
Ho3:- There is a consistent and persistent civil society in promoting the country‟s political development in the face of intimidation and attack by government.
Ho4:- Civil society organization are not dependence on government for funds and other logistics supports
Significant of the Study
One major significance of this study is that it enable the researcher to find out the issues and problems of civil society organization in Nigeria political development and how these problems are resolved.
More so, the recommendation, if carefully studied would serve as a bench mark to further studies and investigation on political science education. Public interest would
be directed towards the relevance of civil society organization on Nigeria political development.
It is also hope that this study will facilitate qualitative education which is very vital to economic, social and political development.
Scope/Delimitation of the Study
This study is limited only to two Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) of Kwara State. The study examines only the impact of civil society organization on Nigeria political development.
Definition of Terms
Civil Society: Is the aggregate of non-governmental organizations and institutions that manifest interests and will of citizens. It also seen as an individual and organizations in a society which are dependent of the government.
Civil Society Organization (CSOs): Refers to Non Governmental Organization (NGOs) is used to describe a wide range of organization, networks, association, groups and movements that are independent from government and that sometimes came together to advance their common interest through collective action
Organization: can be define as a social unit of people that is structured and managed to meet a need or to pursue collective goals
Political Development: Results when the existing structure and culture of the political systems is unable to cope with the problem which confronts it, without further structural differentiation and cultural secularization
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
The chapter is concerned with review of work of several scholars relating to the subject matter of the study. The literature review was examined under the following sub-headings,
- Concept of civil society organization
- Civil society organization and political development in Nigeria; the way forward
- Civil society organization; types and nature
- Civil Society Organizations in Transition Politics in Nigeria.
- Repositioning the Civil Society Organisations
Concept of Civil Society Organization
Civil society has reached extensive scholars attention in recent years especially in the quest for consolidation of the reform agenda of the post cold war global system. This era is dominated by socio-economic and political reforms which are essentially of the neo-liberal variant.
According to Haynes (2001) in an effort to consolidate changes that has seen most third world countries embracing neo-marked reforms and political liberalization leading to multi-party democracy, civil society organizations are seen as veritable tool for achieving these goals.
Civil society as a concept belongs to the “tribe” of contested concepts which generates disputes over their actual meanings from a broad perspective, civil society refers to those non governmental organizations which stand between the state and society which either co-operates or conflates or both with the state in the course of their activities.
Ekeh (1994) civil society refers to those areas in the over-all society in which there are institutions and associations that exists and function independently of the state. This view is supported by Arato and Cohen (1992) by advocating for the independence of civil society from the modern state. Taking a functional and concrete view of the concept; Osaghae (2011) contends that the civil society organization refers to the non- state sector of the public realm which mediates the relationship between the individual and the state. The basic features inherent in this understanding of civil society are that they are autonomous of the state and public to the extent that they are autonomous of the state and public to the extent that they are involved in setting the normative order- for the state in pursuit of the common good. It is clear from the fore-going that civil society not only conflates but could cooperate with the state in realizing the good of better citizenry and society.
According to United Nations (2009) sustainable development is seen as development that meets our present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The United Nation identified three elements which
should work together to ensure sustainable development. These are economic development, social development and environmental protection.
U.N (2009), Ayeni (2010) argues that these three components must be conceptualized together, planned together and implemented together to achieve the desire results. Here lies the importance of civil society organization as watch dog o the citizens in keeping government alive to its responsibilities.
President Jonathan has had to accuse civil society of being bias and used by opposition elements in the public sphere to uncritically mobilize the people against his administration. But the government has also found reasons to mobilize civil society organization to drum up support for his administration in a political environment where crowd of whatever name could be lived for a token to canvass and press for all kinds of personal and group agenda.
State-society relations take place in the context of politics which itself is grounded in the nature of society as Osaghae (2011) has argued; the nature of politics in Nigeria is largely determined by the nature of the society, especially the values which governs behaviour in the public realms.
