AQUINO Journal of Philosophy

Multicultural democracy often promises political recognition for diverse cultural groups, yet such recognition rarely translates into substantive inclusion within state institutions. Liberal models of multiculturalism, particularly those advanced by Charles Taylor and Will Kymlicka, foreground cultural identity and group-differentiated rights, but remain entrenched in normative assumptions that marginalize non-Western epistemologies. In deeply plural societies like Nigeria, the reliance on symbolic recognition such as ethnic balancing, zoning arrangements, and elite-based power-sharing has not addressed the structural exclusion embedded in democratic governance. Rather than fostering political belonging, these measures have entrenched ethno-political divisions and undermined democratic legitimacy. Rethinking multiculturalism in this context demands a shift from liberal recognition to participatory inclusion rooted in indigenous democratic practices. Drawing on indigenous governance mechanisms such as communal deliberation, consensus building, and non-centralized authority, the framework of Indigenous Inclusive Democracy offers an alternative political logic that privileges agency, voice, and belonging over mere representation. Recasting democracy through this lens not only reorients multicultural theory but also challenges the epistemic dominance of liberal paradigms in postcolonial contexts. The Nigerian case illuminates the limits of Eurocentric democratic models and affirms the viability of decolonial frameworks for reimagining inclusive governance.

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