a. Definition of civil society
Civil society is a non-governmental organization formed for the purposes of promoting and protecting the interest of generality of the people as well as mobilizing them for participation in the governance and development of the society.

b. Impediments to the effectiveness of civil societies in Nigeria

Civil societies are vulnerable to political manipulations.
Corruption on the part of membership.
Divided loyalty/interest on the part of members.
Misinforming the public or engagement in propaganda.
Their activities are often antagonistic to government hence; they do not get the needed attention from the government.
They are often rigid in their views of public interest.
Internal wrangling/personality clashes of the leadership.
Inadequate funding.
Overdependence on external sources for funding and operational support.