Teaching Social Studies for Relevance, Development and Sustainable Democracy in Nigeria in the 21st Century: The Challenge and Prospect

Nigeria, as a developing nation, shares with the other third world countries the problems which are prevalent in the developing nations of the world, and which have their root in such psycho-social factors as values and attitudes. The country which enjoyed a pride of place and was severally referred to in the western press as the ‘Giant of Africa,’ and the ‘Last Bastion of democracy in Africa,’ seems to have lost this pride of place among the comity of nations in spite of her rich human capital and abundant natural resources, all of which are waiting to be harnessed. Indeed, Nigeria is still described as a destabilized and failing nation because of the numerous political and social vices prevalent in the system. The country is experiencing systematic failure in the social, political, economic, and technological aspects of the nation’s life. The nation is plagued by political instability, porous borders, flagrant disregard for the rule of law, sectarian violence, advance free fraud – 419, militancy, terrorism, endemic corruption, erratic power supply, and thuggery, among others.