Strong Institutions as Major Pillars of Democracy – SS1 Civic Education Lesson Note (Second Term)

Strong institutions are organisations that support democracy by protecting the state, serving citizens and holding leaders to account.

• Armed forces: defend the country against external attack.
• Trade unions: protect the interests of workers.
• Civil societies: watch government and defend citizens’ rights.
• EFCC: fights financial crimes.
• Nigeria Immigration Service: controls entry into and exit from Nigeria.
• State Security Service: gathers domestic intelligence.
• Nigerian Police: keeps law and order.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. define the armed forces, trade unions, civil societies, the EFCC, the Nigeria Immigration Service, the State Security Service and the Nigerian Police;
2. state the roles of the armed forces in the democratic process;
3. state the roles of trade unions and civil societies in the democratic process;
4. state the roles of the EFCC, the Nigeria Immigration Service and the State Security Service;
5. state the roles of the Nigerian Police in the democratic process.

Why are strong institutions called pillars of democracy?

Strong institutions are called pillars of democracy because they keep government stable, lawful and answerable to the people.

• Independence: they do the work of the state without taking orders from one party or person for private gain.
• Rule of law: they apply the law equally to every citizen, rich or poor.
• Accountability: they check leaders and public officers who abuse power.
• Professionalism: their members are trained and follow rules of conduct.
• Public trust: citizens respect them and cooperate with them.

What are the armed forces?

The armed forces are bodies established by the constitution to defend the territory of a state against external attack and to help deal with internal threats.

What are the arms of the armed forces?

The armed forces of Nigeria have three arms.

What are the roles of the armed forces in the democratic process?

• Defence: they protect the country’s territory and sovereignty from external aggression.
• Internal security: they help restore peace and stability when civil authorities call on them.
• Public order: they assist in maintaining public order during serious unrest.
• Support for law enforcement: they help with tasks such as border control and intelligence gathering.
• Humanitarian aid: they provide relief to victims of disasters.
• Search and rescue: they rescue people in danger, for example during floods.
• Civil defence: they respond to national emergencies and natural disasters.
• Development tasks: they carry out engineering and infrastructure projects.
• Respect for civilian control: in a democracy they stay out of party politics and obey the elected government.

What is a trade union?

A trade union is an organisation of workers formed to protect and promote their common interests.

• Members: workers in a trade, profession or industry, led by elected union leaders.
• Company union: a union that represents workers of only one company and may have no link with other unions.
• Examples in Nigeria: the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT).

What are the roles of trade unions in the democratic process?

• Collective bargaining: they negotiate wages and working conditions with employers.
• Regulating relations: they manage dealings between workers and employers.
• Collective action: they use peaceful means such as strikes to enforce agreed terms.
• New demands: they raise fresh demands on behalf of their members.
• Settling grievances: they help members who have complaints against their employers.

What are civil societies?

Civil societies are voluntary, non-profit organisations formed by citizens to promote shared values and interests and to protect the welfare of the people.

• Non-governmental: they are independent of government.
• Voluntary: people join freely because of a common purpose.
• Lawful and peaceful: they pursue their aims by legal and peaceful means.
• Influence: they seek to shape government policies and laws that are against the interest of the people.
• Other name: civil society is sometimes called the “third sector”, after government and business.
• Examples: human rights groups, professional bodies such as the Nigerian Bar Association, and community and women’s groups.

What are the roles of civil societies in the democratic process?

• Watchdog: they stop political officeholders from abusing public trust.
• Accountability: they press officeholders to account for their actions.
• Free services: they offer legal, medical and financial help to victims of oppression.
• Peaceful protest: they organise protests against unpopular government policies and actions.
• Limiting state power: they challenge abuses of authority.
• Human rights: they defend citizens’ fundamental rights and strengthen the rule of law.
• Lawmaking: they sometimes sponsor bills in the legislature.
• Public enlightenment: they inform people about important national issues.
• Societal values: they promote hard work, tolerance and honesty.
• Development: they work to reduce poverty and illiteracy in rural communities.
• National unity: their mixed membership builds unity in a multicultural country like Nigeria.
• Reform: they build support for economic and political reform.

What is the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)?

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is the Nigerian law enforcement agency that investigates and prosecutes financial crimes.

• Advance fee fraud: popularly called “419”.
• Money laundering: making illegally gained money look legitimate.

What are the roles of the EFCC in the democratic process?

• Financial security: it protects the country’s financial system.
• Fair economy: it helps create a level playing field for all stakeholders.
• Investigation and prosecution: it deals with crimes such as bank fraud, tax evasion and capital market fraud.
• Anti-money laundering: it is the national coordinator of efforts against money laundering.

What is the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS)?

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) is the federal agency that controls the entry and exit of people into and out of Nigeria.

What are the roles of the NIS in the democratic process?

• Movement control: it controls persons entering or leaving Nigeria.
• Travel documents: it issues passports to Nigerians at home and abroad.
• Residence permits: it issues permits to foreigners living in Nigeria.
• Border patrol: it carries out border surveillance and patrol.
• Law enforcement: it enforces the laws and regulations it is charged with.
• Para-military duties: it performs such duties as the law may require of it.

What is the State Security Service (SSS)?

The State Security Service (SSS) is Nigeria’s main domestic intelligence agency, also called the Department of State Services (DSS).

• Intelligence: it gathers information within the country to prevent threats.
• Protection: it guards top government officials, especially the President and state governors.

What are the roles of the SSS in the democratic process?

• Defence against domestic threats: it protects Nigeria from threats within the country.
• Upholding the law: it helps enforce the criminal laws of Nigeria.
• Protecting leaders: it protects the President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives and state governors, with their immediate families.
• Preventing threats: it works against terrorism and insurgency.
• Intelligence gathering: it collects and analyses information for the government.
• Peace: it promotes peaceful co-existence in Nigeria.

What is the Nigerian Police?

The Nigeria Police Force, commonly called the Nigerian Police, is the principal law enforcement agency in Nigeria.

What are the roles of the Police in the democratic process?

• Crime prevention: it patrols and acts to stop crime before it happens.
• Protection: it protects lives and property.
• Law enforcement: it arrests suspects and enforces the law.
• Public order: it keeps peace and order, for example at rallies and elections.
• Services to citizens: it offers a wide range of services to the public.

How do the institutions compare?

Evaluation

1. Define the armed forces and name the three arms that make them up.
2. State five roles of civil societies in the democratic process.
3. What is a trade union? State three of its roles.
4. State three roles of the Nigeria Immigration Service.
5. Mention four people the State Security Service is charged with protecting.

Assignment

Write short notes on the EFCC and the Nigerian Police. Define each one and state three of its roles in the democratic process.