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ABSTRACT
The fundamental problems that are closely associated with the Nigerian States include the problem of corruption, ethnicity, leadership failure, economic crises, and lack of political integration. Nnamdi Azikiwe suggests that Neo-welfarism is aimed at solving these fundamental problems in Nigeria as a nation-state. The study is aimed at analysing Azikiwe’s perception of contemporary problems and to appraise the extent to which his Neo-welfarist ideology tends to provide fundamental answers to Nigerian political integration and economic system. This study argues that Azikiwe’s Neo-welfarist ideology is not a totally and unquestionably reliable guide to Nigeria’s economic development and political integration, even though, his eclectic and pragmatic method which he suggests is attractive. The study reveals that the Neo-welfarist ideology is not precisely enough in its purported assumption and assimilation of the good elements in the different socio-economic and political ideologies. This study adopts the analytical framework in addressing or discussing about Azikiwe’s Neo-welfarist ideology and its moral implications for democracy in Nigeria. Azikiwe’s perception of contemporary economic and political problems as it affects the Nigerian state is examined in this study. The problems militating against the pursuit and realization of the greatest happiness of the Nigerian peoples or by a larger section of humanity, Azikiwe maintains brings to the fore the need for a widespread economic development and political integration in Nigeria. Azikiwe presents Neo-welfarism as a normative outcome of his harmonization of the good element of a country. In his theoretical viewpoint, the Neo-welfarist ideology is not only the panacea to the much needed development of post-colonial African societies. Thus, Azikiwe maintains that Neo-welfarism should be adopted by all nation-states of the world as the most suitable ideological framework for tackling contemporary challenges of economic development and political integration.
