A Professor of Political Economy, Governance and Political Inquiry at Federal University Lokoja, Abraham Musa Peter, has called for a fundamental transformation of Nigeria’s state structure, warning that the country’s vast resources will continue to yield little development without institutional reforms and accountable leadership.
Prof. Peter who is the current head of department, Political Science stated this while delivering the institution’s 43rd inaugural lecture on Wednesday at the Felele campus of the university.
Speaking on the titled “Between the Ritual and the Ingredients: An Inquiry into the Political Economy of Governance in a Post-Colonial State” Prof. Peter drew a sharp distinction between what he described as the “rituals” of democracy such as elections, constitutions, and institutions, and its true “ingredients,” including justice, prosperity, accountability, and human development.
Speaking on the theme of the post-colonial state, the scholar defined it as a system whose institutions and governance practices still reflect the legacy of colonial domination.
He argued that Nigeria exemplifies this condition, noting that despite its abundant natural and human resources, the country continues to grapple with widespread poverty and underdevelopment.
Describing the situation as “Nigeria’s paradox,” Prof. Peter highlighted the contradiction between the nation’s wealth and its socio-economic realities, citing statistics indicating that about 63 per cent of Nigerians estimated at roughly 140 million people live in poverty, alongside high unemployment, inadequate healthcare, weak educational systems, insecurity, and deteriorating infrastructure.
He identified five major structural challenges hindering Nigeria’s development: corruption and elite predation, weak institutions, overdependence on oil, leadership deficits, and ethno-religious politics, lamenting that these factors have combined to divert public resources from development priorities and undermine national integration.
Prof. Peter further criticised the country’s democratic experience since 1999, describing it as largely “procedural” rather than “substantive”, acknowledging that Nigeria has sustained its longest uninterrupted democratic period, stressing that regular elections have not translated into improved welfare for citizens.
The head of political science department pointed to persistent electoral violence, vote-buying, weak political parties, and declining trust in electoral institutions as major democratic challenges.
He also decried the influence of money politics, which he said has reduced electoral competition to financial strength and excluded competent individuals from leadership, stressing that corruption has led to infrastructure decay, poor service delivery, and weakened public trust in government.
He also identified legislative inefficiencies and policy inconsistencies as obstacles to sustainable development, noting that Nigeria’s future depends on transforming the state into a “genuinely developmental institution” capable of promoting social justice, national security, and human development.
He called for a reimagining of the state as an instrument of collective well-being, urging scholars, institutions, citizens, and leaders to play active roles in driving change, urging universities to produce knowledge that serves the public good, while citizens must demand accountability from leaders.
Earlier in his address the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Professor Gbenga Solomon Ibileye, described the steady rise in the number and quality of inaugural lectures as a reflection of a deliberate academic tradition rooted in discipline, depth, and clarity of scholarship.
“It is my pleasure, once again, to chair an inaugural lecture, my fourth in this capacity, and the 43rd in the life of this University. The numbers keep climbing, and so does the standard,” he said.
Speaking on the theme of the lecture, titled “Between the Ritual and the Ingredients: An Inquiry into the Political Economy of Governance in a Post-Colonial State,” the Vice-Chancellor employed vivid metaphors, likening governance to a cooking process that requires both proper ingredients and the right method.
He noted that the concept of “between” in the title suggests a disconnect between available resources and the systems used to manage them.
According to him, many post-colonial states, including Nigeria, often struggle not due to a lack of resources but because of ineffective governance processes.
“You may gather every ingredient the recipe demands, the land, the oil, the people and yet, for want of the right method, produce a governance that no one can bring themselves to accept,” the VC stated.
He also pointed out the reverse scenario, where governments perform ceremonial functions flawlessly while failing to deliver substantive outcomes, describing it as “a pot standing quietly, eloquently empty.”
Professor Ibileye further reflected on the challenges of post-colonial governance, noting that inherited systems were designed for different contexts, leaving nations to continually adjust structures that may not fully align with their realities.
He commended the inaugural lecturer for adopting a metaphor-driven approach, describing it as a powerful tool for engaging audiences and simplifying complex political and economic concepts.
The Vice-Chancellor emphasized that the use of the word “inquiry” in the lecture title signals intellectual humility and a commitment to asking critical questions rather than imposing ready-made solutions.
Highlighting the relevance of the lecture to everyday realities, he noted that discussing governance through the lens of food and cooking resonates strongly in a country where citizens are acutely aware of economic challenges.