Economic hardship, the declining value of the naira and mounting pressure on professionals to earn multiple incomes are weakening community life and making it increasingly difficult for Nigerians to sustain participation in social organisations, historian and global scholar, Professor Toyin Falola, has said.
Falola said the economic realities confronting the middle class had forced many professionals to prioritise work, family responsibilities and survival over social engagements, with implications for voluntary associations and community relationships.
He spoke while delivering a lecture titled “Globalisation and Social Clubs” at the golden jubilee anniversary of the Ibadan Social Group, where he examined the changing dynamics of social participation in an increasingly interconnected world.
According to him, declining attendance at club meetings and other social gatherings should not automatically be interpreted as a loss of interest or loyalty among members, but understood against the background of economic hardship and competing demands on their time.
He noted that many professionals were now compelled to depend on two or three sources of income to maintain their standard of living, leaving them with less time and energy for community activities.
“The world economy is a mechanism for devouring the hours of working professionals,” Falola said, highlighting the combined pressures of long working hours, transportation costs, traffic congestion and the need to pursue additional income-generating opportunities.
He explained that professionals in cities such as Lagos and Ibadan often faced lengthy commutes after work, while still having to attend to family responsibilities and other personal commitments.
Such circumstances, he said, made regular participation in social clubs increasingly difficult, even for members who remained committed to their organisations.
Falola argued that it was therefore unfair for social organisations to regard poor attendance solely as evidence of disloyalty or declining commitment.
“It is neither a lack of morals nor a lack of loyalty to the institution that brought about this situation. It is a sensible reaction to the real constraints of economy and time,” he said.
The professor warned, however, that the cumulative effect of these pressures could gradually weaken the relationships, shared responsibilities and personal bonds that sustain voluntary organisations.
He also examined the growing influence of digital communication, noting that online platforms had made it easier for members to remain connected without the cost and inconvenience of travelling to physical meetings.
However, he cautioned that digital interactions might not fully replace the depth of personal engagement and shared experiences required to build lasting relationships and institutional solidarity.
Falola urged social clubs to recognise the changing realities of their members and reconsider traditional approaches to participation and engagement.
He said organisations needed to develop more flexible ways of bringing members together while demonstrating greater value to them in the face of economic and time constraints.
According to him, sustaining community life requires a better understanding of the pressures confronting working professionals and deliberate efforts to preserve meaningful relationships, solidarity and collective responsibility.
Falola maintained that the survival of social organisations would depend partly on their ability to adapt to changing economic circumstances without losing the shared values and human connections that underpin their existence.
