Thesis Abstract

Abstract
Patron-client politics has been a pervasive feature of Nigerian society, influencing various aspects of governance and national development. This study aims to investigate the relationship between patron-client politics and national development in Nigeria, with a focus on how this system impacts governance, policy-making, and resource allocation. By examining the historical roots of patron-client relationships in Nigeria and their evolution over time, this research seeks to provide insights into how these dynamics have shaped the country's development trajectory. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative analysis of historical data and policy documents with quantitative data on development indicators and political processes. Through in-depth interviews with key stakeholders and analysis of existing literature, the research explores the mechanisms through which patron-client relationships influence decision-making and resource distribution in Nigeria. Findings from the study reveal that patron-client politics have significant implications for national development in Nigeria. The close ties between political elites and their clients often result in the exclusion of marginalized groups from the decision-making process, leading to policies that benefit a select few at the expense of the broader population. Moreover, the reliance on patronage networks for resource allocation can perpetuate corruption and inefficiency in governance, hindering efforts to promote sustainable development. Despite these challenges, the study also identifies instances where patron-client relationships have facilitated positive outcomes for national development in Nigeria. By leveraging their networks and resources, patrons can play a crucial role in driving economic growth, infrastructure development, and social welfare programs. However, the sustainability of these gains hinges on creating more inclusive and transparent governance structures that prioritize the needs of the broader population. Overall, this research underscores the complex interplay between patron-client politics and national development in Nigeria. While these relationships can sometimes spur progress and innovation, they also pose significant risks to the country's long-term stability and prosperity. By shedding light on these dynamics, this study aims to inform policy discussions and interventions aimed at promoting more accountable and inclusive governance practices in Nigeria.

Thesis Overview

INTRODUCTION
Richard A. Joseph… is usually credited with first using the term prebendalism to describe patron-client or neopatrimonialism in Nigeria. Since then the term has commonly been used in scholarly literature and textbooks. The Catholic Encyclopedia defines a pretend as the “right of member of chapter to his share in the revenues of a cathedral.” Joseph used the term to describe the sense of entitlement that many people in Nigeria feel they have to the revenues of the Nigerian state. Elected officials, government workers, and members of the ethnic and religious groups to which they belong feel they have a right to a share of government revenues Joseph wrote: “According to the theory of prebendalism, state offices are regarded as pretends that can be appropriated by officeholders, who use them to generate material benefits for themselves and their constituents and kin groups…” As a result of that kind of patron-client or identity politics, Nigeria has regularly been one of the lowest ranked nations for political transparency by Transparency International in its Corruption Perceptions.
As Oluwafemi stated: many Nigerians may not know the term, but they know the practices and attitudes to which it refers.To understand prebendalism,it is necessary to grasp what is a prebend. The dividing line is when the office holder is able to appropriate the office, that is, convert it into his or her piece of the state. In contemporary Nigeria, and other peripheral capitalist countries, there is a short time-horizon in which resources accruing to the office can be diverted for personal and related uses, or for the capital accumulation which it facilitates. “The prebendalization of the patrimonial state”, in the Wikipedia excerpt, is therefore an apt formulation. Prebendalism is not necessarily Nigerian. It is entrenched and a pervasive nature in a country; and how prebendal attitudes were woven into what Ken Post and Michael Vickers had earlier described as a “conglomerate society”, i.e., a nation composed of cultural sections defined by ethnicity, language, region and cultural practices. Patron-client mechanisms were fundamental features of a dynamic system that linked the appropriation of state offices in Nigeria to the material and welfare of the people. A key consideration is what happens to the state itself. A prebendalized system, however, is inherently unstable. Aspirations to build a capable state, a democratic system, and a coherent nation are ultimately foiled by prebendal practices