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Colonialism and contemporary Nigerian leadership

Colonialism and contemporary Nigerian leadership

Like many other nations in Africa, the introduction of foreign culture, values, beliefs, religion, and commerce affected, influenced, and changed the Nigerian man’s worldview tremendously; therefore, a conceptual edge is important to understand colonialism, its impacts, dynamics, and nexus with present-day Nigeria.

Colonialism remains important in Nigeria’s development discourse, as the various historical, conceptual, and empirical debates provide strong links with colonialism. It creates plausible insights into the understanding of Nigeria’s leadership. Colonialism can be assessed or described as the policy of acquiring colonies or lesser colonies, making them dependent. In a nutshell, colonialism can be seen as the governing of a state in totality. That is, the political, economic, and socio-cultural activities have been influenced by the colonial masters or the heads of colonies.

One of the greatest impacts of colonialism in Nigeria is the type and mode of government introduced. It stands as the basis of the governing mechanism used, even after independence. The system introduced a centralised governance system. The British colonial rule emphasised a centralised form of government, consolidating power in a few hands. The colonial masters adopted the indirect rule system, using traditional leaders as instruments of policy implementation. This system discouraged inclusivity and fostered authoritarian tendencies, a pattern that persists in modern Nigerian leadership. The concentration of power at the federal level continues to create friction among the country’s diverse ethnic groups.

Read also: Nigeria as I see it: Reflections on the challenge of leadership

The amalgamation of Northern and Southern Nigeria in 1914 by the colonialist, though, had brought Nigeria under a single umbrella, but it had also united disparate groups without addressing their differences. Each colonial representative had their fair share in the ethnic fractionalisation of Nigeria—from the provinces to regional grassroots. This division sowed seeds of mistrust and competition for resources and political dominance, a struggle still evident in contemporary Nigerian leadership. Politicians often exploit ethnic sentiments to consolidate power, undermining national unity.

Colonialism shaped Nigeria’s economy through extreme focus on resource extraction, leaving the country to be dependent on exports, like oil. The Bretton Woods institutions’ influence during General Ibrahim Babangida’s regime further entrenched this reliance, leading to structural adjustment programs that promoted currency devaluation, privatisation, and reduced public spending. These policies, which aimed at addressing Nigeria’s economic crisis, exacerbated it. It promoted inequality, weakened social services, and widened the gap between the elite and the poor. The continuation of oil dependency, compounded by Bretton Woods reforms, has left Nigeria vulnerable to external shocks and limited economic diversification. Today, Nigeria’s economy struggles with weak infrastructure, high poverty rates, and fluctuating oil prices, rooted in both colonial and Bretton Woods policies. The legacy of IBB’s reforms persists in Nigeria’s ongoing debt challenges, inflation, and socio-economic inequality, highlighting the need for sustainable and diversified economic strategies to break free from these historical influences.

Colonialism has also shaped Nigeria’s leadership by emphasising power over property, creating a system where access to political authority became more important than wealth. In this context, class distinctions in Nigeria are based on control over key positions of power, such as politicians, clergy, and other elites, rather than solely on property ownership. The colonial legacy of centralised governance and ethnic divisions reinforced leadership structures rooted in access to power rather than material wealth. Some definitions of class, like Saunders (1990), highlight that leadership positions are linked to one’s role within the economic and political system, which has persisted in Nigeria. Colonial rule fostered a leadership structure where those with political authority dominate, maintaining class disparities driven by power. Today, Nigeria’s leadership reflects these historical experiences, as political and economic influence continues to be concentrated in a narrow elite, leaving the majority with limited access to power.

As has been demonstrated, colonial impacts on contemporary Nigeria’s leadership are extremely heinous. Any discussion on the future of Nigeria’s leadership must take cognisance of the colonial dynamics.

By Maryam Agbaje-Atoyebi (A Leadership coach and public speaker)

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