The Social Contract under Strain: A Hobbesian Analysis of Governance and Insecurity in Nigeria

Abstract

The primary goal of this study was to determine whether the Nigerian government continues to uphold its "contract" with its people or whether the pervasive insecurity indicates a breakdown in legitimacy and authority. Thus, using the political theory of Thomas Hobbes (15881679) and his notion of the social contract, the study investigates the ongoing problem of insecurity in Nigeria through a Hobbesian lens. Hobbes' argument revolves around the idea that people give up some liberties to a sovereign authority in return for security, law and order. The Nigerian experience, however, calls into doubt the sustainability of this agreement in the face of pervasive violence, such as banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, and inter-communal strife. This study examines whether the Nigerian government has fulfilled its basic duty to ensure the security of its people or whether the ongoing insecurity is an indication that the government's legitimacy is in question. The study investigates the degree to which citizens' trust in the state has declined, resulting in the emergence of self-help mechanisms and non-state security actors, through a qualitative analysis of existing literature, policy papers, and security reports. It also examines how the state's inability to operate as a Hobbesian Leviathan is caused by deficiencies in governance, corruption, and institutional weakness. The paper therefore, makes the case that a strained social contract is reflected in the widening divide between the state and its people, which has consequences for both national unity and political stability. In the end, it recommends a reassessment of security strategies and governance frameworks in order to rebuild public trust and reiterate the state's fundamental responsibility as the guarantor of peace and security.