Abstract

Populism became a ubiquitous term in the 20th-21st century. However, a Western narrative of the concept dominated both academic and non-academic literatures. This Western based perspective of populism was influenced by varying factors - from a disconnect between parties and the electorates (crisis of representation), antagonistic relationship between elitist parties and right wing parties or post-truth peddlers, socio-historical and economic inequality and ensuing problems to mention but a few. In an effort to delineate existing generalisations about the term populism- this article aims to espouse a methodological and normative argument which points towards a hybrid form of non-western populism as evinced in Nigeria. The first and second part of this article introduces the concept-as it operates under a constitutional democracy alongside some theoretical considerations armed by political discourse. Furthermore, a context and comparison of populism versus non-western populism is made which leads to the analytical part depicting the socio-historical birth of non-western populism. The article reveals that non-western populism is borne out of an imperialistic hegemony relation. This is in line with the socio-historical analysis of the pre-colonial, colonial and postcolonial epoch in reference to Nigeria. It was also revealed that non-western populism in Nigeria can be a reactionary as well as revolutionary tool against democratic elitism.

Keywords: Hybrid, Hybridity, Colonialism, Postcolonial, Populism, Non-Western Populism, Democracy