This paper examines the principles of Islamic theocracy in its advocacy for a paradigm shift in the Nigerian political system, with a view to engendering good governance.
Good governance remains the expectation from every ruling political party, especially in this democratic dispensation of the Nigerian Nation. The need to ensure that the citizenry enjoy the dividends of democracy as often promised during various electioneering campaigns is envisioned to be the motif for different agendas and political slogans by different administrations. Unfortunately, different political agendas have a record of setback in the history of political leadership and governance in Nigeria.
The Nigerian state from independence has experienced a number of forms in the governance of its citizenry. A cursory assessment of its state politically and socio-economically reveals that it has grown from struggle to trouble and from bad to worse. This recorded retrogression by the Nigerian nation over a period of its corporate existence as a political entity is to be partly blamed on the systems of government institutionalised
so far and partly on the drivers of the institutions engendered by those systems of government.
The above painted background informed our proposal of purely Islamized theocracy as a better alternative system of government capable of orchestrating good governance in Nigeria. This proposal cannot be divorced from the truism that there is a Supreme Being behind the existence and creation of Nigeria as a state.
A paradigm shift, as the vocal point of this paper, will be examined by briefly looking at governance in Nigeria, democratic rule and the Nigerian nation, theocratic conceptualization of governance, Islamic principles of theocracy towards enhancing good governance in Nigeria and implementation of Islamic theocracy in Nigeria. Our discussion of these sub-topics gives rise to some recommendations and followed by conclusion.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. A Brief Survey Of Governance In Nigeria
3. Democratic Rule And The Nigerian Nation
4. Theocratic Conceptualization Of Governance
5. Islamic Principles Of Theocracy For Good Governance In Nigeria
6. Implementation Of Islamic Theocracy In Nigeria
7. Conclusion
8. Recommendations
Objectives and Topics
This work explores the viability of integrating Islamic theocratic principles into the Nigerian political system to address systemic failures in governance. The research argues for a paradigm shift that replaces current political inefficiencies with concepts of accountability, justice, and consultation, aiming to foster an egalitarian society without necessarily adopting a formal religious state label.
- Historical survey of governance and democratic experiences in Nigeria
- Conceptual evolution and definition of theocracy
- Islamic governance principles such as Shūrā, ‘Adālah, and Muḥāsabah
- Structural implementation of theocratic ethics in a modern political state
- Accountability mechanisms and the role of leadership in governance
Excerpt from the Book
4. THEOCRATIC CONCEPTUALIZATION OF GOVERNANCE
To start with origin and evolution, the word theocracy originates from the Greek theokratia . The components of the word are theos which means “god” and Kratein which means “to rule”, hence rule by god or government by god. The concept known as theocracy was first coined by the historian Flavins Josephus (37CE – c.100CE). In explaining the organization and political system of the Jewish commonwealth of his time, Josephus contrasted theocracy with other forms of government such as monarchy, oligarchy and republics. In the process, he ordained the Jewish government as theocratic by ascribing the authority of power to God and by persuading all the people to have a regard to Him as the author of all good things (Theocracy. International Encyclopedia of the Social Science. Retrieved 17th November, 2018 @http://www.encyclopedia.com.)
It is observed that the concept of theocracy that we have now, as will be examined later in this paper, is a product of manipulation witnessed by the old concept of theocracy alongside few other concepts (International Encyclopedia, 2018). This oldest meaning, as conceived by Josephus, is the one in which ministers, judges or priests are not to assume political power as reflected in modern concept of theocracy (International Encyclopedia, 2018). A good example of this is the perception of theocracy as a state in which priests exercise political power or more precisely, a state ruled by ministers (Oxford Dictionary, 1939).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the historical political struggles in Nigeria and proposes Islamic theocracy as a potential alternative for improved governance.
2. A Brief Survey Of Governance In Nigeria: Reviews the evolution of the Nigerian state from the pre-independence regional model to the series of military and civilian republic transitions.
3. Democratic Rule And The Nigerian Nation: Appraises the failures of the current democratic dispensation, highlighting issues such as corruption, inequality, and judicial collapse.
4. Theocratic Conceptualization Of Governance: Examines the historical, etymological, and political evolution of theocracy as a system of government across different civilizations and faiths.
5. Islamic Principles Of Theocracy For Good Governance In Nigeria: Discusses specific Islamic political concepts like Shūrā and the Madinah model as frameworks for ethical leadership.
6. Implementation Of Islamic Theocracy In Nigeria: Explores the practical application of Islamic ethical concepts to checkmate political recklessness and restore accountability in the Nigerian system.
7. Conclusion: Summarizes the necessity of a paradigm shift toward an Islamic-informed governance system to ensure dividends for the Nigerian citizenry.
8. Recommendations: Proposes actionable steps for stakeholders to integrate moral/religious values into politics and uphold merit-based leadership.
Keywords
Governance, Nigeria, Theocracy, Islamic Principles, Democracy, Accountability, Shūrā, ‘Adālah, Muḥāsabah, Leadership, Political System, Ethics, Corruption, Paradigm Shift, Sovereignty
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The work examines the persistent issues in Nigerian governance and argues that integrating Islamic theocratic principles could serve as a pedestal for achieving good governance and moral political leadership.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The themes include the history of Nigerian politics, the conceptual definition of theocracy, Islamic political philosophy, and the practical application of accountability and justice in modern government.
What is the main research objective?
The objective is to advocate for a paradigm shift in the Nigerian political system by incorporating Islamic principles like mutual consultation (Shūrā) and accountability (Muḥāsabah) to improve the quality of governance.
Which methodology is employed?
The paper utilizes a qualitative analysis, examining historical records, political concepts, and religious texts to propose a model of governance that transcends current systemic failures.
What does the main body of the work address?
It covers the historical survey of Nigerian governance, the critique of current democratic experiences, conceptual reviews of theocracy, and practical strategies for implementing Islamic-faith-based principles.
What are the defining keywords of this paper?
The key concepts include Governance, Nigeria, Theocracy, Islamic Principles, Democracy, Accountability, and Leadership.
How does the author define the role of Shūrā?
Shūrā is defined as the institution of mutual consultation, which provides a platform for members of a state to voice opinions on public interest matters, ensuring decisions are informed by collective wisdom and divine guidelines.
Why does the author advocate for a shift toward Islamic theocracy?
The author believes that the current democratic system in Nigeria is plagued by corruption, inequality, and a lack of accountability, and that Islamic principles offer a robust, ethical alternative for restoring trust and stewardship.
- Quote paper
- Busari Moshood (Author), 2022, Internalising Islamic principles of theocracy as a pedestal for good governance in Nigeria, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1185854
