The cover story from the fourth edition of PLAC’s online magazine, PLAC BEAM reveals how Nigerian civil society has evolved from fighting for democracy in the era of military rule, to working to deepen and sustain its gains at this time. Most of the leading civil society organisations currently active in Nigeria trace their origins to the country’s years under military rule, precisely between 1984 and 1999; starting out as critics of abuse of power, violations of human rights, corruption and general oppression liberally dispensed by those who had violently usurped the sovereign will of the citizens.
From criticism, these voices logically evolved into a pro-democracy movement, organising street marches, rallies and campaigns to demand an end to military rule. When eventually the military conceded and set a date in 1999 to return to the barracks, the pro-democracy groups quickly evolved into watchdogs observing the transition and electoral process to ensure that the tenets of democracy were respected. Click here to read more: https://bit.ly/3LgjfBt