In constructive sociology, it is assumed nothing is inherently right or wrong in any system or institution; rather it is the human beings who constitute and operate within the institutions that make them right or wrong. Hence, proponents of this school of thought often emphasize behavioral and attitudinal change rather than creating new institutions as a means to achieve sustainable development.
A political system thrives on its political culture no less than its formal structure through which policies are made and implemented. However, it would be noticed that in Nigeria, more attention is often paid to the formal structure than the informal structure which comprises the political culture. Political culture is a set of shared beliefs, values, norms and ideals which influence the opinions, feelings and attitudes of a people towards their Government.
Recent developments in Nigeria, especially since the endsars movement through to the 2023 elections and electioneering, have shown that even though there may have been a surge in the political consciousness of Nigerians especially the youth, political culture has been waning rather disproportionately. This is evident in the intensity and the frequency of distrust and cynicism that have been directed at the electoral institution and its process as well as the other institutions of government in the country.
Therefore the score card of the Nigerian political culture remains poor when compared to that of vibrant nations like America, Britain etc. An average Nigerian who is not too vane is either pessimistic or indifferent toward governance and the government. These set of attitudes are prejudicial to nation building and national development.
Some scholars inquired why America’s democracy has continued to endure while many other nations who practice the same style of democracy and adopt the same constitution have been unstable and they discovered that America, unlike many other nations, has a strong political culture.
A study by Gabriel Almond and Sidney Verba reveals that Americans, and to a lesser degree Britons had a stronger sense of civic duty and a stronger sense of civic competence than other nations. And many more Americans and Britons believed they could do something about an unjust law or local regulations.
By the same token the study shows Americans were more likely to say that they were very patriotic and that if war came they would be willing to fight for their country, and of course Americans know that their country has a lot of faults but they, even the most disaffected voters, believe the United States needs to change only certain policies, not its system of government.
Rather than dwelling on ethnicity and divisive politics which has become characteristic of the state today, Nigerians should draw inspiration from the spirit of Americanism to create a similarly congenial atmosphere say ‘’Nigerianism’’ in the country. Therefore, with a sense of urgency we need to work on the attitude of the people and the political culture of the nation which are foundational to our national progress.
