-
The Quest For Political Power Through Violence
CHAPTER ONE -- [Total Page(s) 6]
Page 2 of 6
-
-
-
1.2 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This trend in Nigeria politics
poses some interesting questions for political inquiry. Nigeria affords a
good case for both the theoretical and empirical study of political
violence. We believe that the sources and dynamics of violence in
Nigeria are fundamentally comparable to those of civil violence in other
parts of the world. Though the ability to compromise by different
actors in the Nigerian political system was very remarkable, especially
after independence ,it was during this period that violence or its
potential use moved to the center of political action a weapon in the
hands of the both the state and individual.
Therefore, the relevance
of this study is seen as avenue to the political situation of Nigeria
which has anchored on violence rising from shedding of bloods of her
citizens and thereby by advocating for non-violence as a means in a
achieving a positive political quest with the shedding of blood or
rioting which is paramount in the Nigeria political arena. Non-violence
is without not a new idea in the existence of man, however, Nigerian
political elites should be schooled on the use of non-violence as a
track to contest for any political office of their choice rather than
using violence to deduce the game of politicking thereby defranchaising
some due to fear of injuries at the various electoral centers Hence,
with the death of violence and by applying peaceful methods in the
Nigeria electoral system and synthesizing the political ideologies of
Nigeria, I think Nigeria democracy shall be sustained and she will
become a model looked upon and emulated by others.
1.3 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Political
class continue to arm the youths, employ them to commit heinous crimes,
shed blood at every critical pint of life especially during election
period; water the streets with blood of the youths themselves, innocent
by-stands passersby. Politicians themselves are assassinated in broad
day and in cold; bodies, souls and destines are wantonly destroyed in
the Manichean quest for political power even the conferences held to
pontificate on the negative of political violence wee unfruitful due to
lack of tangible deliberations and implementation to harness the menace.
The political systems of Nigeria are caught in a spider web of violence
and death.
Also, in definition of Marx Weber’s idea of a state C.W
Mills succinctly defined politics as a struggle for power and the
ultimate form of power is violence.[6] This closeness between power and
violence seems to be in consonance the earlier ideology and postulations
of the Chinese dictator Mao Tse-tung who believed that power grows from
the emanation of barrel of gun.[7] The necessary consideration given to
the relationship, these differences between power ad violence was
thrown into light when the existential philosopher J. P Sartre whilst
writing the preface to Fanon’s Wretched of the Earth glorified violence,
believing that it is only violence that pays.[8] The name which Nigeria
accrued due to her growth in different diverges of economy is a
paradox. The catalogues of mismanagement, which led to this paradox,
constitute as it were, the afflictions under which Nigeria is going
through. Since her independence in 1960, Nigeria is menaced with much
problems ranging from political, economic, cultural, social and
otherwise. The superstructure is in fact in dilemma .This sometimes
makes wonder the authenticity and the real autonomy of the country some
even led to the conclusion that we are not independent.[9] The
incessant wars against our fellow country men and women in the quest for
political appointments through violence can only undermine our
collective development as a people. With the ideologies of different
philosophers aforementioned earlier and some individuals whose interest
and specialty on political violence would be of valued help in analyzing
the notion of violence and its relationship to political power will
generate an enormous questions; what is the necessity of violence in the
existence and maintenance of political power or can there be any
political power without violence?.
The aforementioned questions are
very prevalent in this our modern world with the contemporary penchant
of world wars and revolutions in which violence is ultimately is the
rising common denominator[10].With the advancement in technology man’s
inhumanity to fellow man through violence by production of weapons of
mass destruction has persistently been in outstanding pedigree has
rendered man powerless and technological modernization which should
serve as a helper to man has become his own instrument of destruction.
However, violence has gathered an outstanding impetus when it comes to
politics and politicking. Therefore, the quest for political power in
this contemporary age is now full of violent actions thereby sending
down morality to oblivion and enchanting the glories of violence to its
apex level through the acceptance of Machiavellian principle of the end
justifies the means.
CHAPTER ONE -- [Total Page(s) 6]
Page 2 of 6
-
