Epistemological Reflections on the Existential and Ontological Implications of Governance and Conflicts in Nigeria

Abstract

It is cognitive that armed conflicts and all the politically motivated forms of violence arising from ethnic-serving economic, political and  religious positions, interests and ideologies constitute security threats to democratic governance in Nigeria. What are the motives, nature  and cost of political actions and the interests to grabbing political power? Governance that is constitutionally driven. These are  basic and existentially constitutive of the essence of the human person. The constitution imposes certain obligations on the State towards  the citizens. This include protection of lives and property, by equitable distribution of State resources, administration of justice  and equity. To the extent that a government discharges these reflects its quality of governance. If man is social by nature, and in  observance of the law of the land relinquished rights to self-protection of lives and property and a government is place, how then do we  understand and account for conflicts among citizens of a polarized political society? Using a quasi hermeneutic and expository methods  the paper brings reflective insights to bear upon the ugly association of governance in conflicts in Nigeria. It reveals an aporia, an  epistemological illusion of consciousness of our historical experiences. It posits that the hitherto persistent state of insecurity in Nigeria is  a direct indictment on most successive governments who were concerned with panel beaten interpretation of the constitution for  sectional interests and self-aggrandizement. However, it is believed that present constitutional provisions no matter how „bad. it is can  drive for good governance if only there is the good will to do so.