Towards Nigeria’s Nationhood: The Contributions and Challenges of Civil Society, 1990-2022

In any local or national setting, the role of the civil society cannot be overemphasized. The aim of this paper is to provide a holistic dimension of the contributions and challenges of these non-state actors in campaigning for good governance while ensuring that the government is accountable to the governed in the period under review. The paper interrogates these research directions: i) What is civil society? ii) What are its contributions to nationhood in the period being reviewed? iii) What are the challenges of the third sector in Nigeria’s drive for nationhood? This paper presupposes that civil society in Nigeria is significant in terms of advocating for accountability, transparency and good governance, restraining state abuses, supporting people oriented bills, strengthening public scrutiny while ensuring public participation in governance since the 1990s. The discussion centered on the third sector theory which considered the need and impact of citizens in determining how leaders conduct the business of governance. Challenges encountered by these organizations over the years include repressive policies, exclusion by leaders in initiating policies and programs, among others. Primary – oral interviews and secondary sources were adopted in providing a comprehensive analysis of the subject matter. The authors having taken note of the strategic roles of civil society concluded in the discourse that these groups put in more efforts in ensuring that political leaders are continually accountable and responsive to the masses for major developments to occur. The masses on their part must checkmate the activities of those in positions of authority.