Post-colonial State Formation and the Crisis of Governance in Nigeria
Nijerya'da Sömürge Sonrası Devletin Oluşumu ve Yönetişim Krizi
Abstract
This study explores the relationship between post-colonial state formation and the persistent crisis of governance in Nigeria. Gaining independence in 1960, Nigeria attempted to construct a modern state upon the administrative legacies inherited from British colonial rule. However, these externally imposed structures failed to align with the country’s complex socio-political realities, resulting in systemic fragmentation and weak institutional performance. The central aim of the study is to examine how the colonial mode of governance continues to shape state capacity and governmental effectiveness in contemporary Nigeria. A qualitative research approach was adopted, utilizing comparative political analysis. Data were gathered through official documents and academic literature. The findings reveal that the Nigerian state faces major challenges in asserting monopoly over the use of force, delivering public services, and generating political legitimacy. The colonial legacy—marked by indirect rule, centralized administration, and exclusionary governance—has fostered an environment of ethnic division, bureaucratic incoherence, and clientelist political networks. These conditions have exacerbated institutional fragility and limited the prospects for effective governance. The study concludes that addressing the crisis of governance requires a multidimensional approach involving deepened democratization, decentralization of power, and institutional reform toward transparency, inclusiveness, and accountability.
Bu çalışma, Nijerya’da post-kolonyal dönemle birlikte şekillenen devlet yapılanmasının, günümüzdeki yönetişim krizleriyle nasıl ilişkilendirilebileceğini incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. 1960’ta bağımsızlığını kazanan Nijerya, sömürge döneminden devraldığı idari yapıların kalıplarıyla yeni bir devlet inşa etmeye çalışmış; ancak bu yapıların yerel toplumsal dinamiklerle uyuşmaması, yönetimsel süreklilik ve kamu hizmetlerinin etkinliği açısından ciddi kırılmalara yol açmıştır. Bu bağlamda çalışmanın temel amacı, kolonyal yönetim tarzının, devlet kapasitesi ve hükümet performansı üzerindeki uzun vadeli etkilerini analiz etmektir. Çalışmada nitel araştırma yöntemi benimsenmiş; karşılaştırmalı siyasal analiz çerçevesinde resmi belgeler ve ikincil literatürden yararlanılmıştır. Sonuçlar, Nijerya devletinin şiddet tekelini tesis etmekte, kamu hizmetlerini etkin biçimde sunmakta ve siyasal meşruiyet üretmekte ciddi zorluklar yaşadığını ortaya koymaktadır. Kolonyal yönetim anlayışının devam eden etkileri, etnik bölünmüşlük, bürokratik parçalanma ve siyasi patronaj sistemleriyle birleştiğinde, yönetimsel kırılganlığı daha da artırmaktadır. Çalışma, demokratikleşme süreçlerinin derinleştirilmesi, yerel yönetimlerin güçlendirilmesi ve kurumların şeffaf, kapsayıcı ve hesap verebilir şekilde yeniden yapılandırılmasının yönetişim krizinin aşılmasında temel rol oynayabileceğini savunmaktadır.
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Makale Bilgileri
- Makale Türü Araştırma Makalesi
- Gönderildi Şubat 20, 2026
- Kabul Edildi Nisan 3, 2026
- Yayınlanmış Haziran 15, 2026
- Sayı Sayı 16 (2026)
- Bölüm Araştırma Makalesi
