Pre-colonial African Socialism and Anti-Corruption Values in Nigeria

Abstract

African socialism especially as expounded by the former Tanzanian President Julius K. Nyerere signifies a set of ideas and principles, as well as attitude of mind inherent in traditional African society that distinguishes it from other kinds of socialism. It is rooted in the belief that Africa has always contained much indigenous socialism some elements of which include communal ownership of land, the egalitarian character of society, and the extensive network of social obligations that led to considerable cooperation. This paper draws heavily on Nyerere's concept of 'Ujamaa' and a synthesis of sociological theories to examine elements of African cultural values and perceptions in practice during pre-colonial times that could serve as potential tools for combating corruption in Nigeria. Data for the paper were derived from extensive and critical review of the theoretical and empirical literature on culture and corruption. The analysis interrogated the influence of colonialism, capitalism and globalization on African culture especially their past communalism and egalitarianism and more importantly how the misapplication of these foreign cultural values contributes to higher levels of corruption in Nigeria. On the basis of the findings, the paper argued that pre-colonial African socialism offers opportunity for dealing with corruption by creating an atmosphere of hard work and self-sacrifice on the part of individuals for the benefit of the society at large. It
recommended not just a resuscitation of these highly prized communitarian values through cultural reorientation but also practical steps by the government to create employment opportunities, tackle poverty and reduce inequality in the Nigerian society.