International Journal of Sub-Saharan African Research (IJSSAR)

Background: Since the First Republic, Nigeria’s political landscape has been dominated by an elitist political framework. Elitism has continued to shape the country’s political culture, particularly in the Fourth Republic, when practices such as godfatherism, electoral fraud, political violence, and the privatisation of public resources became avenues for capturing and controlling state resources. Although these practices were not new to Nigeria’s political history, they became more pronounced during Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration and worsened under subsequent administrations.
Objective: The study examines the socioeconomic impact of state capture and development crises on women, youth, and children in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic. It argues that the influence wielded by the political elite is not always exercised for the common good but is often directed towards personal interests. This has contributed to socioeconomic problems that adversely affect vulnerable groups in society, particularly women, youth, and children.
Method: The study adopted a qualitative research method, while a structural analytical approach guided the analysis. Data were obtained from secondary sources, including textbooks and journal articles. Elite theory was also adopted as the theoretical framework for the study.
Result: Findings indicate that Nigeria is deeply immersed in state capture, a structural arrangement through which the political class influences policies and controls the allocation of state resources for personal benefit. In Nigeria, state capture is perpetuated by the elite through several mechanisms, including the systematic weakening of state institutions, electoral manipulation, and violations of the rule of law.
Conclusion: Through godfatherism, electoral manipulation, weak institutions, and the embezzlement of public resources, the elite class has effectively redirected Nigeria’s commonwealth towards personal aggrandisement.
Unique Contribution: The study contributes to the existing literature on state capture by examining its socioeconomic impact on women, youth, and children.
Key Recommendation: Key Nigerian institutions, including the judiciary, anti-corruption agencies, the electoral body, and the legislature, should be structurally reformed and sufficiently insulated from elite interference to enable them to function as effective checks on power.