Introducing a New Word into the Political Lexicon: MISGOVERNISM

I have coined the word Misgovernism to describe something that goes beyond ordinary misgovernance.

It is the systematic normalisation of bad governance, whereby leadership failures become entrenched, institutional accountability weakens, and the suffering of citizens is treated as an acceptable consequence of political power.

It is a phenomenon that is not peculiar to Nigeria. We see it in societies where poor leadership, corruption, institutional failures and unfulfilled promises become so commonplace that citizens gradually lower their expectations, while those in power become increasingly unaccountable.

The distinction is important: 

Misgovernance describes the act or outcome of governing badly.

Misgovernism describes the culture and mindset that allow bad governance to become the norm rather than the exception.

Perhaps the greatest danger of misgovernism is not simply that leaders govern badly, but that society gradually becomes accustomed to being governed badly.

And that is a reality worth challenging, wherever it exists.