Fragments of a democracy: Reflections on class and politics in Nigeria

INDEPENDENT POLITICS IN NIGERIA BEGAN WITH THE PROMISE OF DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC PROGRESS. THESE NOTIONS BECAME DEEPLY ANCHORED IN THE LANGUAGE OF POLITICS AND PUBLIC LIFE, EVEN THOUGH THE REALITY OFTEN PROVOKED THE DEEPEST SKEPTICISM ABOUT THE LIKELIHOOD OF ANY SIGNIFICANT ADVANCE IN DEVELOPMENT OR DEMOCRACY. AFTER ALMOST THREE DECADES OF INDEPENDENCE, NIGERIA'S MILITARY REGIME IS PREPARING TO RETURN TO CIVILIAN RULE IN 1992, AMID PERSISTENT CRISES OF EXTERNAL INDEBTEDNESS, ECONOMIC STAGNATION, WIDESPREAD UNEMPLOYMENT, AND UNPRECEDENTED DIVISION. IT IS WITHIN THIS CONTEXT THAT DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA MUST BE UNDERSTOOD.