MACHIAVELLI’S THE PRINCE IN NIGERIA TODAY

Abstract

While the ideas espoused in The Prince have been interpreted in various ways by
various scholars, it is generally believed that the ideas cannot be isolated from the
political situation of Machiavelli’s city-state, Florence, and Italy at the time of its
writing. This article is an attempt to present a comparison between the political
situation of Florence and Italy of Machiavelli’s time and that of the present-day
Nigeria. It argues that Nigeria’s present political situation can be understood in
the light of Italy’s political situation during the time of Machiavelli.Though the
Florence and Italy of Machiavelli’s era is quite different in culture and
civilization from contemporary Nigeria, findings from the article indicate that the
two political situations are similar in terms of central features described in The
Prince relating to human nature, lack of national cohesion, and the application of
violence and cruelty in socio-political activities. The article will suggest that
Nigeria can learn from Machiavelli’s argument that what was needed in Florence
was a strong ruler who could provide a unifying force that would allow the citystate
to transit from political weakness to political stability. That said, it does not
in any way imply that the views canvassed by Machiavelli in The Prince were the
perfect solutions to the problems confronting Florence and Italy of his time, nor,
that they are the solutions to the present problems confronting Nigeria. It only
uses the political situation of Italy during the time of Machiavelli and his
argument for a strong and united Italy as insight into the political problems of
Nigeria and to make recommendations as to how these problems may be
addressed.