Repositioning Lockean idea of natural rights: Nigerian Experience

Abstract

Having natural rights by individuals is one of the oldest
philosophical questions confronting humanity. This brings
divisions in intellectual postulations among political scholars.
For ages, nearly every scholar feels that every individual has
certain inalienable rights that are beyond societal control. To this
end, John Locke, A British philosopher confirms the existence of
such rights. To Locke, the beauty of these natural rights is that
they are universal, inherent, equal and inalienable because they
are given to man by God. They may be suspended, rightly or
wrongly, at various places and times, but the idea of these
inalienable rights cannot be taken away. Hence, one can no more
lose these rights than one can stop being an individual. Locke’s
postulations have left many contemporary scholars with sceptic
mind because allowing individuals completely with natural rights
will return the society back to a state of nature where everyone
will be struggling to protect these rights. This paper focuses on
the philosophy of natural rights in John Locke’s political theory
in view of exposing its shortfalls and possible applicability in
current circumstances focusing on the Nigerian State. Further,
the study targets at dissolving the extremists positions on Locke’s
philosophy of natural rights. This study therefore concludes that
Lockean philosophy of natural rights is not ideal and achievable
in contemporary societies like Nigeria because not only that it is theological, it is fallacious and will leave individuals with
absolute rights.