Why does Nigeria have a history of failed republics, failed governance as well as false starts and dead-ends on the path to economic development, social coherence, and peace? From 1999 when the military government of Abdusallam Abubakar handed power to the President Olusegun Obasanjo government till date, can it be said that Nigeria and Nigerians are out of the woods yet?

To some, the phrase 'good governance' has become a cliché, and it is often used to conceal rather than give actual meanings. One thing is clear though, governance is the process whereby public institutions conduct public affairs, manage public resources and guarantee the realization of human rights.

Good governance accomplishes 'governance' in a manner essentially free of abuse and corruption, and with due regard for the rule of law. In its resolution 2000\64, the Commission on human rights identified the key attributes of good governance as transparency, responsibility, accountability, participation (democracy), responsiveness (to the needs of the people).

The importance of good governance can be seen in the way major donors and international financial institutions are increasingly basing their aids and loans on the conditions and reforms that ensure that "good governance" is undertaken.

The premise behind the Separation of Powers of which good governance is an integral part, is that when a single person or group has a disproportionately large share of power and control, they can become dangerous to the citizens. The legislature makes the laws; the executive put the laws into operation; and the judiciary interprets the laws. The powers and functions of each are separate and carried out by separate personnel. No single agency is able to exercise complete authority, each being interdependent on the other.

Separation of Power is a method of moderating the amount of power in any group's hands, making it more difficult to abuse. Because there are no clear and absolute boundaries in the principle of Separation of Powers, we all must act in addition to the 3 branches as checks and balances to restrain absolutism.

It is therefore the inviolable duty of the citizenry to ensure that they participate in the process of ensuring that power is bequeathed to the right people and, that even then, such people remain accountable and "sanctionable" thereafter.

This duty must not be trivialized!