Breaking the Chains of Social Injustice: Urgent Reforms Needed to Revive Nigeria

Nigeria’s social justice crisis is rooted in inequity, corruption, and governance failures—reforms are crucial for meaningful change.

The United Nations aims to achieve global peace, gender equality, dignity, and human rights through its focus on social justice. According to the UN, social justice is the foundation for stable and cooperative relations among nations. This is achieved by addressing socio-cultural barriers to human progress, including issues related to gender, age, and other challenges that hinder individuals in positions of power from eliminating these obstacles.

Social justice is centered on the fair distribution of resources and opportunities among all members of society. It is the responsibility of both government officials and the general public, particularly in a representative democracy, to address issues related to social justice. Unfortunately, due to the absence of government action and severe violations that result in widespread inequality, certain developing African societies have been labeled as lacking sensitivity towards this issue. The various facets of social justice cover a broad range of areas, including access to necessities, social and political rights, economic opportunities, and other benefits. The allocation of advantages to society is often a topic of debate in discussions surrounding social justice.

Nigeria's democratic nationhood is in a dire state, which has resulted in a decline in the country's social justice standards. Rather than taking steps to reform the system, leaders have continued to justify every action taken by the state, attributing Nigeria's unique cultural diversity as a reason for its democratic shortcomings. However, the government's human rights violations, political dishonesty, and declining social standards are inconsistent with the fundamental principles of liberal democracy. Despite the abundance of natural resources. . .