LEGITIMIZING HUMAN RIGHTS NGOS: LESSONS FROM NIGERIA

Drawing on lessons from the human rights NGOs in Nigeria, this book argues that most NGOs in Africa will need to do almost all of the following if they are to overcome the popular legitimization crisis that they currently face and begin to acquire the desired levels of social influence within the African and Nigerian polity:

? Cultivate a broad based and active membership that is sourced from the grassroots and that exercises far more real power within the relevant organization. This process of mass mobilization will help narrow the conceptual and physical distance between them and the vast majority of the Nigeria people.