Introduction

Democracy and governance are intrinsically linked concepts that focus on the quality of life of the people. This chapter looks at the nature of the concepts of democracy and governance from the various perspectives of scholars and practitioners, with a view to establishing a linkage with developments in the Nigerian state. While democratic practice is generally acceptable as a means of promoting governance, its evolution in the developing countries has presented a mixture of confusion and hope. Colonialism and military rule have impacted negatively on the development of democratic culture in the African states, particularly in Nigeria. There has therefore been a recurring crisis of governance and an inability of the state to rise above the tide of incessant political instability. The deliberate subjugation of democratic principles by the colonial and military powers, through the application of force, gave birth to an entrenched militarised political culture, that has stifled democratic governance practices in the political system. This has had its effects on the characteristics and the nature of the domestic and external political environments of the country. The author synchronises this position with the contributions of other authors in a manner that presents, coherently, the central theme of the book. The author discusses the position of each author and their linkages with the theme.