Abur Aondoaver Jacob

Keywords: Democracy, Neocolonialism, sustainable development, poverty, Nigeria

Abstract

This article critically examines the illusion of democracy in Nigeria, arguing that its postcolonial political system serves as a façade perpetuated by Western subjugation and elite manipulation, resulting in entrenched
stagnation. Drawing on neocolonialism theory, which highlights external economic dependency, debt traps, geopolitical interference and elite theory, which underscores internal power concentration among a comprador ruling class, the study traces colonial legacies that imposed flawed governance models, leading to repeated democratic failure in Nigeria since 1960. It deconstructs sustaining mechanisms, including vote-buying, patronage networks, and complicit media and judiciary, while analysing Western roles via structural adjustment programmes, military aid, and diplomatic leverage that prioritise foreign interests over national development. The article concludes that colonial legacies in postcolonial Nigeria have resulted in deepened poverty, and institutional decay (evident in corruption and low public trust). Thus, the article advocates for grassroots mobilisation through popular education and social media, institutional reforms driven by
enlightened mass action, economic sovereignty via domestic industrialisation, and geopolitical realignment towards autonomous
partnerships to break dependency cycles and foster equitable progress.

Author Biography

Abur Aondoaver Jacob

Department of Sociology, Federal University Dutsin-Ma, Nigeria

Email: [email protected]

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