COLONIAL MASTERS AND NIGERIAN RULERS: THE AGENTS OF NIGERIA UNDERDEVELOPMENT.

ABSTRACT 

The paper looks at the activities of the colonial masters before Independence and Nigeria rulers after Independence and identifies the era during which the country was underdeveloped. Using descriptive method of data gathering, the paper reveals that Nigerians lived a better life during colonial rule than what is obtainable now. There was orderliness, there was security of lives and property, there was good standard of education, and the infrastructures were not dilapidated. But after taking over the political leadership of the country by Nigerian politicians, things went terribly bad, especially from 1979 till date. The reason for this is not farfetched: unhealthy urge for primitive accumulation of wealth and mismanagement of the national resources by corrupt and prodigal public office holders. It is recommended that the present regime should understudy some Asian countries to know how they fight against corruption and also amend our archaic laws that impede the effort. 

KEY WORDS: Underdevelopment; Corruption; Colonial Masters and Nigerian Rulers.