Reflections by Chris Kwaja
Across Africa, rebellious tendencies are rising amidst declining state capacity to effectively deliver on good governance (inclusive, just and accountable), security and development.
In his seminal work “Why Men (People) Rebel”, which was published in 1970, Ted Gurr provided us with a psychological and sociological framework for understanding the root causes of rebellion, premised on the theory of relative deprivation – the absence of accountability, equity and Justice.
The point to note is that rebellion is not caused by absolute poverty or hardship, but by a perceived gap between what people believe they deserve and what they get from the elites. In today’s Nigeria, the elites use religion and ethnicity (politicised identities) to disempower the people, by ensuring the quality of education they get limits their individual and collective capacities to think critically as a basis for action.
No wonder religion and ethnicity plays active role in politics, and a far lesser role in ensuring good governance, as long as many of them serve as merchants on pulpits and palaces.
- Chris Kwaja
The views expressed by contributors are strictly personal and not of Law & Society Magazine.
