Monocultural Economy A Development and Deepening Crisis of Development in Nigeria, 1960 -1999

Abstract

Since independence in 1960, Nigeria has in effect been engaged in the gargantuan enterprise of nation-building expressed in socio-economic security and prosperity, dynamic and stable democratic polity, and sustained national unit and integration. It has not been possible to achieve. It's a well-articulated goal because of the poverty of stable, well-focused, visionary, and responsible leadership and consequently poor economic planning. The political economy has largely remained monocultural and praetorian. The adoption of the Structural Adjustment Programme has not helped much in changing the monocultural character of the economy. The paper argues that for Nigeria to overcome her crisis of development; there has to be concerted and sustained efforts at bringing about positive attitudinal changes in both the leadership and the followership and a redefinition of the philosophy "of 'governance. There has to be a vigorous prosecution of behavioral and attitudinal adjustment programs if Nigeria must retreat from the inescapable path to self-destruction, she has found herself at the threshold of the 21st century. The polity must be made impermeable to the military by nurturing a caring, protective, and responsive government.