| dc.description.abstract | Many explanations have been put forward for the progressive decline in citizens’ interest in Nigeria’s political activities, particularly in electoral democracy since the beginning of the Fourth Republic. However, there is a dearth of research on how childhood socialisation and experiences inform people’s attitudes to participate or not in political activities in the country. Drawing from a mixed methods approach using surveys and in-depth interviews with 400 participants across the six Area
Councils in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) – Abaji, AMAC, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali, while relying on the rational-choice model and descriptive and thematic analysis, this paper argues that childhood socialisation experiences have a major effect on the formation of political attitudes of citizens. The paper shows further that citizens’ reluctance to participate actively in politics was reinforced by a trust deficit between them and the government, low government performance, as well as institutional and procedural impediments that characterise Nigeria’s election management systems. The study recommends that the government should actively promote civic education and enlightenment at all levels of education, while this is to be augmented by relevant institutions like the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), including by using local dialects. Further still, democratic principles should be entrenched through open government policies and practices to strengthen trust in public institutions, while boosting citizens’ political interest and participation | en_US |
