Human Rights and Democratic Development in Nigeria:The Missing Link

Abstract

Human rights have become a buzzword in the 21^st century. Apart from its global legitimacy, it has become an index of measuring the level of good governance and has an organic link with development. Development here connotes the capacity of a people to reproduce themselves within a social context. All through ages, human rights have engendered democratic development principally because of a sustained social action, in most cases leading to the payment of the supreme sacrifice. After all, freedom is not given by the exploiter to the exploited on a platter of gold. Stupendously, in spite of flagrant violations of human rights by successive governments in Nigeria, it has not triggered a sustained social action to ensure democratic development. Although, some sparing efforts have been made, they fizzle out over time. This negative attitude has heightened Government impunity and deceit. Therefore, the focus of this paper is to examine why Nigerians are not conscious of their rights. ? Why is government not accountable to the people? In carrying out this task, the qualitative method of data collection was used with an emphasis on triangulation. It was discovered that Nigerians are not dogged in the protection of their rights, thinking that development can come to them by the benevolence of government. It recommends that Nigerians should not agonize, but doggedly and consistently organize to demand and protect their rights, at all times. Anything less will make democratic development elusive.