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Between Intellectual Responsibility and Political Commodification of Knowledge: Nigeria's Academic Political Scientists under the Babangida Military Junta, 1985–1993

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 May 2014

Ade Kunle Amuwo
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Abstract:

The academic political scientists—mainly professors—who were hired by the Babangida military government in Nigeria between 1985 and 1993, ostensibly to theorize and articulate a new political culture and morality through the political transition program (PTP), have been objects, both then and ever since, of serious criticism concerning their role and contribution to a program that promised much but delivered little or nothing. The major criticism is that the political scientists, despite an initial commitment to help the military fashion a new political order, lost their “science” by providing an intellectual cover for the general's schemes and enriched the “political,” including the politics of corruption and self-enrichment. We examine this critique and show that these individuals, by choosing to remain in office—if not in power—even after witnessing so many broken promises by the regime, tarnished their intellectual integrity and moral credibility. Appointed to serve as an instrument of legitimization for the regime, they contained, constricted, and shrank the political and intellectual space rather than facilitating intellectual and democratic empowerment.

Résumé:

Résumé:

Les spécialistes universitaires en sciences politiques—surtout les professeurs—qui furent officiellement engagés par le gouvernement militaire de Babangida au Nigeria entre 1985 et 1993 pour théoriser et mettre en place une nouvelle culture et une nouvelle moralité politiques grâce au programme de transition politique (PTP), ont fait l'objet de sérieuses critiques, à l'époque et depuis lors, sur leur rôle et leur contribution à un programme qui a fait beaucoup de promesses mais n'en a tenu aucune, ou que peu. La critique la plus importante à l'égard de ces spécialistes en sciences politiques est qu'en dépit de leur engagement initial à aider le pouvoir militaire à façonner un nouvel ordre politique, ils ont perdu leur « science » en fournissant une couverture intellectuelle aux intrigues du général, et ont enrichi les « politiques », y compris les politiques de corruption et d'enrichissement personnel. Nous examinons ici cette critique et nous montrons que ces personnes, en choisissant de rester en fonction—sinon au pouvoir—même après avoir été témoins de tant de promesses non tenues de la part du régime, ont terni leur intégrité intellectuelle et leur crédibilité morale. Nommés pour servir d'instruments de légitimation pour le régime, ils ont contenu, resserré et rétréci l'espace politique et intellectuel plutôt que de faciliter la prise de pouvoir intellectuelle et démocratique

Type
Research Article
Information
African Studies Review , Volume 45 , Issue 2: African Universities in Crisis and the Promotion of a Democratic Culture , September 2002 , pp. 93 - 121
Copyright
Copyright © African Studies Association 2002

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