Bad-Belleism in Nigerian Academia: Intellectual Sabotage and the Cankerwormic Decline of Scholarly Integrity.

Abstract:

This article examines the phenomenon of Bad-Belleism, a Nigerian idiomatic term that denotes envy-driven antagonism, and its corrosive impact on scholarly integrity within Nigerian academia. Drawing on cultural critique, narrative inquiry, and ethical analysis, the study explores how intellectual sabotage, rivalry, and systemic envy contribute to what is metaphorically described as a “cankerwormic decline,” a slow, hidden erosion of academic values, collegial trust, and knowledge production, much like how a cankerworm gradually destroys a plant from within. Through reflective case narratives and discourse analysis, and a structured Google Forms survey administered to 95 early-career researchers and faculty from universities across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, the paper reveals how informal power struggles, citation erasure, and gatekeeping practices undermine scholarly collaboration and epistemic justice. It argues that Bad-Belleism is not merely a social nuisance but a structural pathology that erodes the moral fabric of academic institutions. The study calls for culturally grounded reforms, ethical leadership, and decolonial pedagogies that restore integrity and mutual respect in scholarly communities. Ultimately, it challenges readers to confront the question: Can a knowledge system thrive when envy becomes its hidden curriculum?