Governance paradigm in public administration and the dilemma of national question in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper reviews the developmental oscillations in the field of public administration or what scholars usually describe as paradigm shifts up to the one of the current emphasis described as the governance model, which subscribes to the use of stakeholders, networks, collaboration, and partnerships in policy and government processes. This paper examines how this core principle or tenet of the model relates to the broad issues of governance in Nigeria, a multi stakeholder, ethnically constituted polity. It is argued that the idea of quota, federal character and other means of power sharing for inclusive government that have been tied to administrative law and practice from the Nigerianization policy of late 1950s till present have not properly doused the aspirations of some major stake holders (ethnic groups) of the country. Hence, the recurrent calls for political and economic restructuring of the country. As a result of this, far-reaching governance and public service reform measures in the country have remained ineffective. The paper suggests that the sticky point in a country like Nigeria about governance challenges is how to build a consensus around some enduring socio-political and economic organisation and interrelationship of various groups or stakeholders.

Keywords

• governance paradigm
• national question
• ethnic groups
• nigeria