Role of Psychology in National Development
The paper examines the role of psychology in national development and the extent to which psychology has been utilized by the different cadres of leadership to impact human and socio-economic and political development, Noting that a major indicator of national development is the sense of autonomy and personal freedom for innovation decision making and problem solving blended in the disposition of the collective to self-reflect and take responsibility for the outcomes of their decisions and actions. In the neo-colonialist context, scholars and pan Africanists have advocated for the complete detachment from the colonial mentality for full Africanization of ideologies that define governance and socio-political process that impact positively on citizens. The paper reviews attempts by African Governments to achieve this within the context of the various initiatives by African Union Heads of Governments. It questions how much contributions the discipline of psychology has made to these processes. The paper concludes by evaluating the contributions of psychology to African development on the basis of indigenous theoretical precincts or euro-centric paradigms.
Prof. Andrew Zamani
Andrew E. Zamani is a Professor of Clinical Psychology and a MASHAV Scholar. He is a John Hopkins University Trained Behavioral Science Academic Mentor. Widely described as quintessential, Prof. Zamani has spent over four decades of his work-life in clinical practice, initially at the University of Jos Teaching Hospital, Jos and later on at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada. Professor Zamani is a transformational leader, one who has expanded the fortunes of Psychology through constructive engagement with government and private sectors. He is Fellow of the Nigerian Psychological Association, Association of Practicing Psychologists of Nigeria and the Nigerian Association of Clinical Psychologists.
A three- time President of the Nigerian Psychological Association, Prof. Zamani has also served as the Chairman of it’s League of Fellows. . He is the current President-Elect of the Pan-African Psychology Union, Executive Council Member of the World Association of Cultural Psychiatry. He is a two-times Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences; Nasarawa State University, Keffi; Immediate Past Director, Quality Assurance and the current Director, Institute of Governance & Development Studies at the same University.
So far he has led the Institute to develop partnerships on training and capacity building with the Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution, Nigerian Army College of Logistics, Tukura Buratai Research Center, Public Service Institute of Nigeria and the Pan-African Institute of Development West Africa among others. These partnerships have made his Institute the flagship academic Centre of the University.
He is Editor in Chief of Ife Psychologia, Gender and Behavior, African and Journal of Applied Psychology. He is on the Editorial Board of African Journal of Drug & Substance Abuse, Central Nigerian Journal of Psychology, Nigerian Journal of Basic & Applied Psychology and African Journal of Psychological Assessment.
Professor Zamani is the Board Chairman of Mandate Health Empowerment Initiative:Gbagyi Indigenous People Empowerment Initiative, Community Health and Environmental Research Initiative and the Association of Practicing Psychologists of Nigeria.
His research interests are culture & mental health , psychological interventions, health systems policy analysis, leadership & corporate governance, substance abuse, security & peace studies and development studies.