Abstract

The Nigerian has bedevilled with corrupt practices that those involved in this hydra-headed monster act are often celebrated honoured with national merit awards rewarded with electoral victories and political appointments This irresponsible act on the part of the governance and the governed goes to show how corrupt practices have been institutionalised and accepted by many as a norm This has been the bane of Nigeria s economic and technological advancement By the country s scenario been captured the paper attempted to uncover the reality of occult practices as the cause of the docility of Nigerians in the manipulation of elections and the consolidation of political offices by the Nigerian elites in the present democratic era Using the historical and library methods the research situated belief in African supernatural being practiced by the Nigerian elites in the various ethnic groups in Nigeria as the cause of docility among Nigerians in the face of corruption The paper was divided into several segments with an introduction as the first and the clarification of key concepts as the second The third segment looked at African and Nigerian democracy while the fourth presents the emergence of the new elites in Nigerian democracy from 1999 to date The silencing of the Nigerian masses through occult practices is the focus of the fifth segment while the sixth unveiled the effect of occult practices on the masses in Nigerian democracy The paper recommended public education on corruption and legislative enforcement achieved through sanctified and proactive judiciary for a way forward The final word of the paper is that as long as personal gain remains the motive for political activity Nigerian democracy and the masses will continue to suffer