TOGETHER, BUT UNEQUAL: INTERROGATING SOCIAL JUSTICE IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This paper examined the nexus between social justice, national development, and nation-building in Nigeria. It adopted the qualitative and historical descriptive method of analysis because by its nature, the topic was not amenable to quantitative analysis. One of the important findings of the paper is that though Nigerian citizens have remained together within the same political space in spite of many challenges, there are obvious cases of inequality and glaring examples of the negation of the principles of social justice by the leadership class. The result of the breaches of the constitutional provision for social justice is Nigeria’s inability to consolidate her diversity to achieve national development and nation-building as is the case in other heterogenous federations like the United States. The paper concluded that a possible way out of this quagmire is for the federal government to adopt concrete official measures to encourage attitudinal and behavioural changes among both the leaders and ordinary Nigerians in order to ensure a faithful adherence to social justice which is considered a panacea for the challenges of national development and nation-building.