Social Justice in Nigeria: Exploring the Dialectics of Good Governance and Socioeconomic Development

Abstract

Good governance and socioeconomic development are intertwined concepts that have largely been elusive in Nigeria, resulting from poor leadership, weak institutions, pervasive corruption, ethnic and religious conflicts among others. This paper critically investigated the gap between good governance, social justice and national development in Nigeria. To realise this objective, the paper examined the nexus between good governance and socio-economic development and how these impinge on social justice in the country. The paper argues that governance template in Nigeria promotes inequality and underdevelopment and even when it appears that efforts are made to implement social justice, what obtains in practice is that a few individuals are enriched while the majority are deprived. The paper further notes that because of the outflow of resources perpetrated by a few, there have not been ample resources to go round. Thus, the implementation of social justice has been fraught with certain discriminatory policies culminating in its politicization and commercialization.  This paper is of the view that social justice exists for a few who control the economic and political power in the country. This paper therefore, recommends that, there is need to enthrone purposeful leadership and good governance for rapid socio-economic development for social justice to thrive in Nigeria.