Ntui, Victor Ntui Ph.D
Department of Philosophy
St. Joseph Major Seminary
Ikot Ekpene – Akwa Ibom State
vicntui@gmail.com
+234806 335 4138

Abstract
In this article, “Kant’s Ethical Imperative: A Paradigm for Political Development in the
society.” I argue that Political development is the driving force that propels other aspects of
development. Politics is the engine room where every other segment of development is
wheeled. It thus seems that in Nigeria, political development lacks the modus operandi that is
a prerequisite for the developmental strive that is needed to move the nation forward. The
reason, it can be argued is the absence of a solid moral base upon which the edifice of
politics and governance can be anchored. It is our premeditated opinion that Kant, in his
ethical imperative has paved the way forward, that can extricate Nigeria from this quagmire
and redirect her politics for the development that politics is intended to accomplish. I have
deplored the philosophical method of appraisal to synthesis Kant’s Ethical imperative of
Kingdoms of Ends for political development in the society.
INTRODUCTION
When one examines closely the history of political development in Nigeria, one
would be struck by the fact that from 1914 to 2019 more than a century of Nigeria’s cooperate existence, Nigeria has not been able to attain the political development that is much
desired. We shall because of the scope of our paper limit our discussion to the last two
decades (1999 to 2019). Our interest is not in constitutional development but on the structures
and institutions of political development and their impact on the body polity against the
overall good of the citizenry. It is apparent these structures and institutions are not tailored
towards the improvement of the lots of the masses as they are not founded on any moral base.
Against these indices one can rightly describe the political edifice of Nigeria as suffering
from moral epilepsy. This is engendered by the collapse of moral values, political
recklessness and ideological bankruptcy. Omoregbe supports this view when he states, “it is
clear to all right thinking Nigerians that the basic problem of the nation is a moral one.”1
Moral rectitude is a sine qua non for probity. It is clear this is grossly lacking in our political
life. Otakpor makes the point even clearer when he asserts, “… that a sober reflection on the
moral life of the nation would reveal that all is not well with it… All this is because there is
Logos: AfricanJournal of Philosophy and Studies. Vol. 3, 2020
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no morality.”2
In this presentation, the fulcrum of our supposition rests on the fact that
political philosophers, we serve as the watch-dog, the gadfly and the conscience of public
life. It is our well thought out opinion that Kant’s ethical imperative holds the key to moral
reawakening and political revival of the Nigerian political system. Kant’s ethical imperative
is the paradigm for the political impasse and quagmire of the Nigerian society.
Because of the scope of this paper, we shall limit our discussion to just one
imperative; the imperative of‘Kingdoms of Ends’. Kant posits that man is living in a moral
kingdom, where he is viewed as an end in himself, as a sovereign, not a subject, a law giver
of the laws he is called to obey. We shall using these formulation of this imperative, x-ray the
Nigerian political structure with regards to the value it attaches to the human person, his
freedom, rights, dignity, his equality and respect for his person. Every right thinking Nigeria
would agree that in Nigeria the human person is a tool, for the satisfaction of the political
aspirations of politicians. The instances are just too many to mention. These include among
others: workers welfare, lack of freedom of opinion, lack of respect for human dignity and
brutality of all sorts etc. Kant argues that the human persons should be the epicenter of all
political actions.
Our contention in this presentation is that Kant’s imperative is the panacea to
Nigeria’s political quagmire. We shall very briefly examine Kant’s ethical imperatives,
articulate the imperative under consideration, and examine also the Nigeria political scenario
and using Kant’s imperative chart the way forward. We shall conclude with a critique of Kant
and an evaluation of the article.
Kant’s Ethical Imperatives
Kant believes that ethics is the most important branch of philosophy.3 This is because
it deals with the morality of all human actions. He anchored his moral philosophy on four
primary principles. It is on these principles that human actions can be seen as moral actions.
These principles include:

  1. Goodwill. 2. Reason. 3. Duty. 4. Law
    Goodwill is unconditionally good. “A Goodwill is good not because of what it
    performs or effects, not by its aptness for the attainment of some proposed end, but simply by
    virtue of the volition.”4Reason: Kant argues that reason ought to control human action.
    Reason is the controller of human action. Reason examines and sanctions actions considered
    good and discards those considered bad.5 It is the capacity to reflect, originate and inhibit
    Logos: AfricanJournal of Philosophy and Studies. Vol. 3, 2020
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    92
    human action.6 The function of reason in moderating human action serves as a check on the
    excesses of the impulses of passion so that goodwill can produce good actions. Kant sees
    reason therefore as: “a practical faculty”7
    and the minimum requirement for morality. For
    him, it is because man is rational that he is moral.
    Duty: Kant makes the emphasis that duty ought to be done for duty sake. Human
    actions for them to be moral action must be devoid of all self-inclination and selfish interest.
    Duty is the action performed following the dictates of reason and goodwill. He makes the
    distinction between actions that are done from duty and those that accord with duty.8 Actions
    done as duty require and action done because duty requires. It is the latter that is duty for duty
    sake. Kant defines duty as the necessity of acting from respect for the law.9 Duty then is as
    the law commands and not as I command.
    Law: The necessity to act in a certain way is for Kant a law. Law is that which
    commands and compels. Kant argues that moral law is a function of reason. Kant says that
    the moral law can be known through reason. From this it follows that only rational creatures
    can be held morally accountable.10
    Having laid this foundation we shall now examine Kant’s ethical imperatives. Certain
    concepts are Kantian in nature and can only be understood in the context and perspective in
    which he used them. “Moral principles are always framed as commands, according to Kant…
    He refers to commands by their grammatical designation as imperatives.”11Imperatives tell us
    what to do which we ought to do. “The conception of an objective principle, in so far as it is
    obligatory for a will is called a command (of reason) and the formulae of the command is
    called an imperative.”12 Imperative is a term coined by Kant to designate what he considered
    as unconditional, necessary and absolute moral law which he believed to be the rational
    foundation for all moral conduct. This imperative applies unconditionally to all without
    exception. The imperative commands actions as ends and not as means. Angeles defines it as
    “the necessary and absolute moral law believed to be the ultimate rational foundation for all
    moral conduct.”13
    Kant distinguishes between the hypothetical and the categorical imperatives.
    Hypothetical imperative commands conditionally and is usually prefixed by “if.” It is a
    means to an end and not an end in itself.
    Categorical imperative on the other hand, is unconditional, without qualification or
    limitation. It is not premised with ïf” but “must.” It is universally binding on all rational
    creatures. Kant defines it as “act only on that maxim whereby thou cast at the same time will
    Logos: AfricanJournal of Philosophy and Studies. Vol. 3, 2020
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    93
    that it should become a universal law.”14 Soccio puts it succinctly, “it is acting on the
    principles of acting on principles.”15 And “by maxim Kant means the rule according to which
    an action is done. It is the principle behind any action.16 Seung calls it the subjective rule of
    behaviour.17 Though this imperative is one Kant formulated it in various ways:

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