In Memory Of The Social Contract Theory

When an eighteen century French political philosopher, Jean Jack Resouseau propounded the theory of social contract, he meant that a general will be formed; as such individualism comes to an end. Every individual becomes a part of the general will and therefore cannot claim right over the state.
The concept of general will, according to Resouseau will bridge the gap between the government and the people; both should be bound together by common interest. He maintained that the government was only the agent of the sovereign people and not the master.

Going by this political philosophy, the government is a product of a contract among the people, and derives its powers from them. “Government should exist for the benefit of the people who have the right to change it when it proves no longer satisfactory.

Ironically, in developing and under-developed economy like Nigeria, the music is different from a soothing musing of a minstrel, to a war song, orchestrated by marshal drum beats. The story is different. The concept of general will has gradually given way to a class interests. Some governments do not exist for the benefit of the people, except for the political supporters, party members, sycophants etc. The sovereign people have lost their rights to change the government when it is no longer satisfactory.

Today, colonialism in Africa is a story, but the scars remain in our political system. Africans were separated from the government by the colonial masters and now, great Nigerians are separated from the activities of government. They are denied access to contribute to the process of governance. For instance, in the budgeting system. The contributions of the people, for whom the budget is prepared, are not needed. The budget is kept very secret from the people. Request for it is viewed with suspicion. The budget is a document that belongs to the people. They should be shown in the (website) net. A recent investigation by Niger Delta Citizens Platform on Budget (NDCDB) shows that Bayelsa alone displays its budget on the internet for public debate and analyses among the Niger Delta States.

Taking the local government administration as a case study, one would surely notice that at the ward level, who becomes the councilor, is the exclusive preserve of the powerful power-brokers. The local government chairman, law makers, the commissioners, others are the exclusive preserve of the highly political class. The government is no more created by social contract between the people, but by and for the political capitalists. Our local government politics has become an arena for the rich, a play ground for the powerful and a grave side for the weak, the meek and perhaps, those with sincere decision to serve the people.
Today, Akwa Ibom people are singing the song of 2nd term for their public office holders. Even the Royal fathers who should be criticizing the government when necessary, and who should be seen as sacred entities, are all in the same choir, singing weird songs.

The government was supposed to be the agent of the people; the officers are supposed to be servants of the people. But the reverse is the case. Because of persistent poverty and acute lack of integrity, the government becomes the master, “the honourables, the distinguished senators, the excellencies”, even when some of them are not distinguished or excellent.

Let us remember that the social contract demands us to end individual wills and to imbibe the general will approach. Our public office holders should see themselves as servants of the people and not their masters, by so doing, the much needed socio-economic development, built on a solid foundation of political acceptability w`ill find its way into our Socio-political system.

Paulinus Nta wrote in from Ikot Abasi