It is the human struggle to answer the oldest question of all: Okwudiba Nnoli (1938–2021) was a pioneering political scientist whose work on ethnicity and social science methodology remains foundational in African universities.
Politics is not just what happens in the Presidential Villa or the White House. It is the argument at the dinner table, the fight for the corner office, and the protest in the street.
Let’s unpack the three key pillars of this definition. The first key word is struggle . Nnoli does not say "cooperation" or "discussion." He says struggle . nnoli definition of politics
But in advanced political science—particularly within African political scholarship—there is a much sharper, more revealing definition. You may have heard it referred to as the .
If you have ever taken a political science course at a university in Africa, you have likely encountered this quote attributed to , a renowned Nigerian political scientist. He famously argued that politics is about: “The struggle for the authoritative allocation of values in a society.” At first glance, this sounds like academic jargon. But once you break it down, it changes how you see everything—from family arguments to national resource distribution. It is the human struggle to answer the
When most people hear the word "politics," they think of parliaments, presidents, elections, and political parties. We imagine debates on the floor of the Senate or campaign rallies in stadiums.
Because
This acknowledges a fundamental truth: Resources, power, and respect are scarce. Not everyone can get what they want. Because people have different interests (based on class, ethnicity, religion, or geography), there will always be tension.
Nnoli’s definition forces us to ask the hard questions: Who is getting what? Why? And who is being left out? The next time someone tells you they "hate politics," remind them of Nnoli’s definition. They might think they hate corruption or lies, but they cannot hate politics. As long as we live together in a society with limited resources, we will struggle over how to share our values. Let’s unpack the three key pillars of this definition
When a president appoints ministers, they are not just filling jobs; they are (power and wealth) to specific ethnic or regional groups. When a budget is passed, it allocates value (development) to some areas over others.