Gendered Students’ Activism and Rebound of Democratic Values in Nigeria: Advocacy for a Paradigm Shift

Abstract

Globally, students have continued to play critical roles in nation-building as advocates of good governance and development. The trajectory of Nigeria’s democracy and good governance hold much to students’ activism. The radical ideology of the students’ leaders support for decolonisation and opposition to military interregnums became signposts of Nigeria’s democratic evolution. In recent time, the gains of democracy such as equal political participation, credible elections and good governance are on the decline as a result of gender disparity in students’ activism. Students’ activism, a supposed conscience of the nation is now dominated by the male students, thereby marginalising female voices that are critical to inclusive democratic participation. Arguably, there is paucity of studies on the role of female students’ activists and how such has impacted the growth of democracy in the Fourth Republic. The study is a qualitative approach with data sourced from relevant secondary materials via journals, textbooks, and case studies report, with the use of feminist theory. The study identified cultural stereotypes, absence of institutional quota for female representatives in campus activism and violence- laden nature of African politics responsible for the declining of students’ activism and which has become a significant barrier to the growth of Nigeria’s democratic institutions. The study recommends for strategies to counteract gender exclusion in students’ activism; integration of female students into campus activism; emphasising policy –based reforms such as institutionalising gender quotas within students’ unions structures to promote equal representation; collaboration of students wing with the leadership of ASUU and prosecution of violence entrepreneurs in African politics in order to ensure renaissance of democratic values in Nigeria.