CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The social predicament of Nigeria today is so glaring that any one who has lived long enough within the boundaries of Nigeria need not be told that all is not well with the Nigeria society. Right from the unholy scramble and arbitrary partitioning of Africa at the Berlin Conference, the amalgamation of the southern and northern protectorates to the division of Nigeria into three unequal regions, inequality and disparity were instituted. These have continued to be a challenge to Nigeria and her people as social injustice is consequently celebrated in the social, economic and political system of the country. Sadly enough, the Nigeria state with her crop of political leaders have not made any significant move towards liberating the nation from this cancerous social disease eating deep into the fabrics of the nation.

This tragedy facing the Nigeria society is not unconnected to the fact that the ruling elites continuously and consciously sow the seed of discord by pursuing only their personal and, in some cases, religious and ethnic or regional interests. As Prof. Mike Ikhariale rightly noted:

"...the leadership, political and otherwise, almost from inception, is perpetually prepared to sacrifice the future wellbeing of the post-colonial state for their immediate political and material conveniences with the result that personal interests have always superseded both social and national interests."¹

Our leaders have either refused or are unable to align their interests within the national interest such that the interests of the people takes precedence over theirs. This has in no small way  hindered nation building.

Evidently, the prevalent social, economic and political situation in Nigeria fans the ambers of insurgencies, discrimination, protests, dissimilar treatment of similar cases among citizens due to ethnic and religious inclinations and incessant call for secession by some parts of the country. It would be stating the obvious to say that the Nigeria state has different standard of measurement for different members and ethnicities in the country. Different citizens are availed with different opportunities. This has regrettably placed the country on a keg of gunpowder. A more patriotic leader would rather consider fair allocation of resources and opportunities among the peoples a way of achieving national integration.

Having considered the above Nigeria situation, it becomes expedient that an attempt be made to come up with a theory or ideology that would better the lot of Nigerians as a whole, enshrine equality of opportunity, ensure just distribution of our limited resources, fast track national development and allay the fears of ethnic domination and supremacy. It is in this line of reasoning that the 20th Century American political philosopher, John Rawls in his A Theory of Justice, conceives justice as the first virtue of a social institutions. For him, justice is fairness. He considers social justice as a fair distribution of benefits and burdens through a society. It is, for Rawls, through this that we can attain a just, peaceful and a prosperous society. It is, therefore, against this background that this work shall be examining the concept of social justice as envisaged by John Rawls in order to see how helpful it could be to our dear country, nigeria.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Philosophers as well as scholars of different ages have dissipated energy in an attempt to provide a lasting solution to the perplexing societal problems. In this bid they have articulated and formulated theories and ideals of a well ordered political state. However, every state, Nigeria not being an exception, has its own peculiar and inherent problems. The Nigeria society is faced with social disorder which manifests in form of agitations, terrorism, etc. It is as well immersed in marginalization, unequal opportunity for different citizens, lack of moral virtue and development. With these problems abounding, one is compelled to seek for solutions. Hence one seeks political theories that would help in ameliorating our conditions. One is, therefore, compelled to ask: what is social justice? How can the concept of social justice help in bringing about national integration and social order in Nigeria? What is a just society? Who determines what is just? What is the relationship between social justice and morality? In what essential ways can effective distribution of wealth help in dousing the call for secession in Nigeria? To what extent can social justice affect national development?

These and many more are crucial questions and problems that this work will attempt to provide answers to.

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The research work is aimed at solving Nigeria's perplexing problems. This work is concerned with the analysis of John Rawls concept of justice with emphasis on how it can be applied to the Nigeria society to end or fill the lacuna, tensions and ease the friction between the leaders and the lead, and the different ethnicities make up the Nigerian state.

For a fragile entity like Nigeria, it is far beyond time that a workable platform be sought by well-meaning Nigerians in order to preserve our national unity. Nigeria, since inception has been rid with political aggrandizement, nepotism and ethnic loyalty which have remained in a cog in the wheel of social order, peace and unity and development. This work is targeted at revealing the quintessential role that social justice would play in restoring the above mentioned societal problems.

In a nutshell, it is envisaged that this work will give a well articulated, thoughtful insight into the grounds that will further advance the core of democratic tradition in Nigeria. These grounds are conditio sine qua non for arresting and curbing the agitations, tensions in the country as well as ensuring equal opportunity and distribution of wealth.

1.4 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This work will primarily concern itself with the elucidation and clarification of the concept of social justice in the political philosophy of John Rawls. It shall also clarify other related concept as fairness, equal opportunity as well as how these affect social order, national unity, development in the Nigeria society. The work is situated within social and political philosophy. It shall be limited to the Nigeria  society, however, this does not suffice to say that references will not be made to other nations in the course of the research.

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This research is worthwhile in a number of ways. The work be an exposition of the concept of social justice and fairness in order for scholars as well as the general readers to precisely and clearly see and understand the meaning of the concept and the import it has for the corporate existence of the Nigeria nation-state. Being that Nigeria is rid with social injustice with tension and agitation from different parts of the country, this work will be an eye-opener to how these persistent problems can be allayed and order, unity and development will be enthroned. Also, the work will give an insight into the relation between social justice and morality so that at the end, the readers will be able to note the import of social justice and draw the nexus between social justice and morality.

More so, it shall bring to limelight how continuous negligence of the above concept and its adoption will further institute chaos, disorder, tensions, uprisings and agitations. This is because the feeling of marginalization and injustice gives a helping hand to the above societal problems.

Exposing the possibilities of action, this work will suggest possible ways of ending the numerous problems pervading the atmosphere of the contemporary Nigerian society.

1.6 METHODOLOGY

The project work will employ the method of analysis. Using the above method, there will be a detailed analysis of the concept of justice, social justice, fairness and how social justice could aid in solving the problems pervading our troubled Nigeria. Also, by analysing these concept, the work shall bring to the fore their relations to the Nigeria society.

The method of data collection is from primary and secondary sources. Books on justice, social justice, global justice, distributive justice, fairness and equity shall serve as primary sources while the secondary sources may include relevant commentaries from articles, journals, internet materials and other documentations relevant to the research. This project work comprises of five chapters: chapter one concerns itself with the general introduction of the study, the background of the study, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, significance of the study, methodology and definition of terms. Chapter two deals with the review of relevant literature. Chapter three gives a detailed explanation of the concept of social justice as construed by John Rawls. Chapter four focuses on the relevance of the concept of social justice to the Nigeria society. Lastly, chapter five has to do with the evaluation and conclusion of the research work.

1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS

For the sake of proper understanding, the research shall undertake a definition and clarification of basic terms used in the course of this research. The following terms may need to be defined for clarity:

1.7.1 JUSTICE

Justice as a social concept eludes a generally accepted definition. However, justice is commonly used to mean giving everyone his due. Justice, for Rawls, "is the first virtue of social institution."² Justice implies the consistent and perpetual rendering to each his due. It is characteristically concerned with how each member of the society is treated- 'to each his.' While justice is centrally concerned with how individuals are treated, it does not neglect how groups are treated. Hence it takes into consideration how state resources are allocated to different groups and categories of citizens.

For some scholars, justice entails treating similar cases similarly and dissimilar cases dissimilarly. That is to say that treating the same case differently is unjust; two similar cases, in a just society, should be treated alike. This formalistic definition of justice would lead to the enshrinement of injustice in the rules of the society. A just society must allow for the extenuating factors and attend to excuses.

1.7.2 SOCIAL JUSTICE

According to Prof. Mike Ikhariale, social justice is the "official policy/disposition of fairness to every citizens."³ A socially just society would consider the fair allocation of resources and opportunities amongst the various members of the state. Most issues of social justice centres or revolves around issues of allocation. A just society is one that renders to its members what is due to them; that which does for the members that which it ought to do and that which they have a right to have done for them. Social justice includes both moral as well as legal justice. It has to do with the proportional allocation of outcomes, goods and evils, rewards and punishments, jobs and privileges in accordance with a valid moral principles. In other words, "social justice is any system of distribution and redistribution which is governed by valid moral principle."⁴ However, it is difficult to determine which moral principle that is valid. Generally, a just society balances good over evil. The concept of social justice is an important social reality because it enhances healthy interactions among groups and allays conflict and social disintegration.

1.7.3 DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE

Distributive justice is concerned with fairness of distributions of outcomes - goods and services, pay, and promotion. Research on distributive justice began as a response to dissatisfaction with opportunities due to pay and promotion in work settings. According to T. R. Tyler, et al, "people judge situations to be fair if their ratio of inputs to outcomes is comparable to that of others."5 Studies on distributive justice deals with how to attain greater satisfaction with the distribution of scarce resources. Findings has shown that distributive justice generally supports the theory of equity. It deals with identification and articulation of a model of outcome fairness in a work settings. Here, it shall go beyond the work settings to address the allocation of resources to the component states of Nigeria. In other words, it shall take into cognizance how the federal government allocate resources to different states and ethnicities making up the Nigeria state.

1.7.4 RETRIBUTIVE JUSTICE

Retributive justice is seen as "bringing suffering to bear on a wrongdoer."6 It encompasses a wide variety of responses and concerns ranging from issue of punishment, to efforts to reform offenders and restore the social breach created by an offence. Although people do not consider it sensible and necessary to compensate one for following a rule, they feel that those who have broken rules should be punished. Also, people feel that those who intentionally break rules should be more severely punished than those who unintentionally break rules. Retribution for an offence committed should be proportional to the harm caused.

In a way, breaking rules with impunity encourages others to do same. Hence, concerns about "retribution involves issues of social order and are regulatory in nature."7

1.7.5 SOCIAL INEQUALITY

This has to do with the uneven distribution of resources within the society. Social inequality occurs when resources in a given society are distributed unevenly, typically through norms of allocation, that engenders specific patterns along the lines of socially defined categories of persons.8 This implies that social inequality can be instituted by the rules governing a society whereby some privileged individuals or groups in a society receives a fair share of the limited resources while others do not.

1.7.6 FAIRNESS

Fairness is the quality of treating people equally or in a way that is right and reasonable.9 Fairness goes beyond equal treatment to mean deservedness, that is, one getting what one deserves. In some instances, fairness is based on need where those who are in greater needs get more. Fairness further implies sameness, equality and the state of being free from any form of discrimination. In a fair society, everyone would have equal opportunity. Fairness is defined by Oxford Advanced Learners' Dictionary as impartial and just treatment or behaviour without favoritism or discrimination.10

1.7.7 DEVELOPMENT

According to Behrooz Morvaridi, "development is the progressive improvement in a social, economic well-being of people so that they may live longer, healthier and fuller lives within any given political entity."¹¹ Development is eternally concerned with the betterment of the lot of the people - socially, economically and otherwise. It is centrally geared towards the improvement of the wellbeing of the human living condition. Notwithstanding, the definition of development has remained contentious over ages. For some scholars, it is aimed at "good change which makes the society more equal, based on a fairer income distribution, gender equality, and equality of individual opportunity to access services such as education and health."¹² In the "capability approach" of Amartya Sen, development is defined as a tool enabling people to reach the highest level of their ability, through granting freedom of action, that is, freedom of economic, social and family action etc.

1.7.8 DESERT

The concept of desert holds that people are endowed with talents and success depends on willingness to use them as well as preference and decision. It entails that individuals are responsible for their actions, hence they are deserving of the reward or punishmwnt accruing to their action and choices.

In a nutshell, development is the improvement of both the people and the society itself to the good of the people.