Violence and Disenfranchisement in Nigeria: Consequences for Citizens' Engagement and Good Governance

• In Event: Front and Center: Violence in Politics

Abstract

This research investigates at the connection between violence and disenfranchisement in Nigeria, emphasizing the effects on good governance and citizen engagement. Using a qualitative approach, this study examines how different types of violence—such as insurgency, community conflicts, and electoral violence—have been used as disenfranchisement instruments, weakening people' rights to take part in the civic process. The results show that violence has been used to silence the public, sway election results, and preserve the existing power disparity. Good governance and the establishment of democracy in Nigeria have been undermined as a result of the widespread disenchantment, indifference, and disengagement from the political process. The study comes to the conclusion that in order to reverse the trends of disenfranchisement and encourage citizen engagement in Nigeria's democratic process, it is imperative to address the underlying causes of violence and advance a culture of peace, tolerance, and inclusive government.

Keywords: Nigeria, good governance, citizens' engagement, violence, disenfranchisement, and democratic consolidation.

Author

• Olusola Olasupo, McMaster University, Hamilton