THE CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATION, GOOD GOVERNANCE AND DEMOCRATIC CONSOLIDATION IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The civil society organisations (CSOs) have been associated with the wave of democratisation in many countries, including Nigeria. Since they participated actively in democratic transitions, the organisations are also expected to play major roles in democratic consolidation. The transition from many years of military authoritarian regimes to popularly elected administrations in Nigeria was welcomed and celebrated with high hopes and expectations of good governance and a resultant good life that democracy will usher into Nigeria. However, it has been eighteen years on and the hopes seem to have been dashed as a vast majority of Nigerians live and groan under harsh economic realities. This paper adopted a secondary method of data collection and analysis to investigate the problem. The study was anchored on the Marxian theory of the post-colonial State as the framework of analysis. The study noted that CSOs in Nigeria lack the capacity and potency to live up to expectations as the conscience and bedrock of a democratic society. It is recommended among others that for the CSOs, as a body, in Nigeria to mature, flourish and assert itself, it needs partnership and cooperation with their counter-parts in the advanced democracies. It should also seek to understand, aggregate and articulate the needs of the citizenry and constructively engaged the State for the sake of good governance.