From Enlightenment to Eclipse: Nigeria’s Democracy in an Age of Shadows
By Abbati Bako,psc,bsis,UK Alumnus
History does not move in a straight line. Civilizations rise on the strength of reason and institutions, and they fall when those foundations are abandoned. The European Dark Age, roughly from the 5th to the 10th century, was not merely a period of economic decline. It was an age where learning was neglected, authority was arbitrary, and power was concentrated in the hands of a few, while the many lived in fear and uncertainty.
Twenty-five years after the return to civil rule in 1999, Nigeria stands at a similar crossroads. We have held elections consistently. We have a constitution. We have all the outward forms of democracy. Yet beneath the surface, there are troubling signs of regression: weakened institutions, shrinking civic space, and governance driven more by patronage than principle.
The question before us is not whether Nigeria has democracy. The question is: what kind of democracy do we have? And are we witnessing what political scientists now call “democratic recession” a slow, quiet descent into an age of shadows?
1. The Eclipse of Institutions and the Rule of Law
The first mark of any enlightened democracy is strong, independent institutions. Montesquieu taught us that liberty exists only where there is separation of powers. Meaning that separation of powers is an imperative part of democratic system anywhere in the world.
In Nigeria today, this separation is tense. The National Assembly, meant to be a check on the executive, is often criticized for its subservience to presidential priorities. The judiciary, though staffed by brilliant jurists, faces allegations of political pressure and delayed justice that erodes public confidence.
Most critically, our electoral umpire, INEC, remains at the center of controversy. The 2023 general elections, despite the introduction of BVAS and IReV, were marred by logistical failures, late arrival of materials, and questions about result transmission. When citizens lose faith that their vote will count, the legitimacy of the entire system is weakened.
A democracy without credible institutions is like a building with a beautiful façade but a cracked foundation. It stands for a while, but it cannot withstand pressure.
2. The Suppression of Reason:
From Public Debate to Politics of Division—
The Enlightenment was built on one idea: that reason, not force, should govern human affairs. A healthy democracy requires a free press, open debate, and evidence-based policy as well as fundamental human rights. Also, accountability and other 57 key elements and principles of democratic system (Prof. Albena Azmanova, Uni Kent UK, 2010).
In Nigeria, we are seeing the opposite trend. Political discourse is increasingly defined by ethnicity, religion, and personality cults rather than policy. Social media, which should expand debate, has become a battlefield for disinformation and hate speech.
Furthermore, the civic space is shrinking. Reports from Amnesty International and other watchdogs note increased harassment of journalists, activists, and protesters between 2020-2024. The #EndSARS protests of 2020 showed both the power of youth civic engagement and the state’s difficulty in tolerating dissent.
When reason is suppressed, democracy becomes a contest of noise, not ideas. And when noise replaces ideas, only the loudest and richest voices are heard.
3. Patronage over Accountability The New Feudalism:
A dark age is marked by feudalism where loyalty to a lord matters more than law. In Nigeria’s democracy, we see a modern version: godfatherism, political patronage, and opacity as well as the power of money.
The 2023 budget of over ₦21 trillion was passed with limited public scrutiny. Constituency projects, security votes, and contract awards often lack transparency. The result is a system where public office is seen as an avenue for personal enrichment rather than public service.
Political parties themselves have become weaker. They are no longer platforms for ideology but vehicles for individuals. Candidates are selected not by primaries based on merit, but by imposition. This breeds a class of leaders accountable to godfathers, not to citizens. Hence, Nigerian democracy seems to be moving into eclipse.
As Professor Muhammad Attahiru Jega once noted, “democracy cannot survive where accountability is absent.” When citizens cannot track how public funds are spent, trust dies. And if trust and accountability dies democracy bleeds and may eventually move into an eclipse of no returns.
4. Civic Disengagement: When the People Withdraw—
The most dangerous sign of a dark age is not the failure of leaders, but the withdrawal of the people against the democratic system.
Voter turnout in Nigeria has been declining. In 1999 73% of voters voted and in 2019 the turnout was 34.75%. In 2023, it fell further to 26.72%. That means nearly 3 out of 4 registered voters stayed home.
Why? Insecurity, vote buying, and the belief that “my vote won’t count.” When citizens disengage, a small minority decides for the majority. This is how democracies hollow out from within. Hence, Nigerian politicians must take note, otherwise one day the system will disappear without notice.
Civil society, once vibrant, now operates under financial and legal constraints. Yet take notes it is civil society, teachers, students, market women, traditional rulers and the Ulamas that form the backbone of democratic resilience.
The Way Forward Toward a Nigerian Renaissance:
To call this a “dark age” is not to pronounce doom. History shows that darkness is often followed by light. The European Renaissance came because a few men and women chose to revive learning, law, and civic virtue.
Nigeria’s renaissance will require three deliberate acts:
1. Institutional Rebirth:
True independence for INEC, the judiciary, and anti-corruption agencies. Electoral reform must go beyond technology to include transparent party primaries and campaign finance regulation.
2. Civic Enlightenment:
We must invest in civic education in schools and communities. Democracy is not taught only in textbooks. It is practiced in town halls, in the media, and in our daily choices. The democratic system is a game that has competing values, interest and ambition as well as a game of practicality.
3. Ethical Leadership:
Leadership must return to the idea of service. As former electoral commissioner Abbati Bako demonstrated at KANSIEC in 2007 and in public affairs, integrity is possible even in difficult systems. We need more leaders who see office as trust.
Conclusion:
Democracy is not an event. It is a culture. It is a daily commitment to reason over emotion, law over power, and the common good over private gain. If we allow institutions to decay, if we allow reason to be drowned by division, and if we allow citizens to withdraw, then we risk having a democracy in name only a democracy moving like in a dark age. But if we act now, we can still choose enlightenment. The pen, the ballot, and the conscience of the citizen remain our most powerful tools. May Nigeria find her way back to the lights. Not to allow the system to move into harakiri.
Dr. Abbati Bako,IPRC Nigeria and political strategy and communications consultant as well as researcher in Globalization Policy @Skyline University, Kano, Nigeria
abbatibako@gmail.com