Religion and ethnicity are worst problems of nigeria, and not. However, nigerian nationalism by the 1940s was already facing regional and ethnic problems to its goal of. Nigeria with over 300 ethnic groups, over dialects, who practiced several. Ethnic politics and its implications for the survival of democracy in. It has been aided by bad leadership which often has been forced on the citizens. The major causes of ethnic conflict in nigeria include. Pdf federal solutions to ethnic problems liam anderson. Observably, most developing countries are ethnically diverse. Historical perspective nationalism, within the african context, simply refers to an act of political awareness or consciousness of the colonized people. Finally, the article discusses the effects and impacts of ethnicity in nigeria visavis the problems of ethnicity in nigeria. Ethnic structure, inequality and governance of the public. For instance, in the case of appointment, round pegs are no longer found in round holes. Ethnic politics has become a formidable force in the political life of nigeria.
Framed in this way, the problem basically derives from the rationality of nigerian federalism as diversity in unity, since it makes sense and is not inconsistent or. Introduction nigeria is a country of over four hundred 400 ethnic groups and numerous sub ethnic groups with different backgrounds. Religion and ethnicity are worst problems of nigeria for decades, and not corruption. The recurrence of ethnicity and citizenship question generate the debate whether citizenship in nigeria is inclusive. The problem of ethnicity as it emerged under the auspices of colonialism ensured that. Ibrahim university of maiduguri, department of public administration, bama road, maiduguri, borno state, nigeria abstract. Constitutionally, nigeria opted for federalism and secularism to manage ethnic and regional misunderstanding like south africa, a bill of rights was included in the 1999 constitution, which was intended to allay the fears. Rivers state house of assembly abstractthe need for political stability and virile democratic culture in nigeria is a great concern to all nigerians and the international community. Prior to 1914, the ijaws izon o tu of the niger delta wer e a free people, and thus, enjoyed the relatively. The thrust of this paper therefore is to examine ethnic conflict in nigeria and political instability in the face of competing national interest, using the 19671970 civil war as a. Pdf challenge of ethnicity, politics by identity and prebendalism to. Nigeria is a multi ethnic and culturally diverse society that has witnessed conflicts arising from this ethnic and cultural diversity. Solutions to problems of ethnicity in nigeria legit. There are many ethnic groups in nigeria, and members of a particular ethnic group tend to be loyal to their own.
Ethnicity, ethnic crisis, and good governance in nigeria core. Since nigeria got her independent in 1960 till date, she has been faced with the challenge of closing the deep cleavages among its heterogonous peoples. The sentiment attached to the issues of corruption among political leaders has. Ethnic politics and its implications for the survival of. Ethnic conflict and political instability in nigeria. Nigeria is a union of separate ethnocultural units that occupied land terrains that were former british colonies. Southeast nigeria is largely christian and is dominated by the igbo ethnic group. Ethnic minorities and federalism in nigeria oxford. The experience of the 2015 presidential election in nigeria by dr. Conventional wisdom suggests that ethnicity is phenomenally problematic in africa it is held partly responsible for the irrationalities of the development project, for political instability and weak national identity. This paper examines the political implication of this diversity and the problems created by it for the survival of democracy in nigeria. Influence of ethnicity and religion in nigerian elections. As one of the most effective framework for governing a pluralistic society, nigeria adopted federalism to manage her multi ethnic state. Nigeria united nations research institute for social development.
Ethnic diversity may lead to increased civil dissonance. Implications of ethnic identity for national integration. It could manifest in the area of religion, economy, education, military, politics, and among professionals. In line with the above, multi ethnic countries, such as nigeria, faced a major problem of managing diversity. In the nigerian context, ethnicity tends to be understood as the employment and or. Without doubt, one can say that ethnicity influences political. Causes of ethnicity ethnic consciousness in nigeria. Ethnicity, ethnic crises, good governance, sustainable national development. However, despite all these, there are issues which point to the fact that ethnicity is not the problem in nigeria but nigerians themselves who choose to abuse ethnicity for their own tribal interest.
These institutions in nigeria are beginning to subscribe to pressure of ethnic influence, a condition that tends to plague the nation as issues of national interest are being perceived from ethnic underdone in the face of gross insecurity bedeviling the nation. Aug 07, 2018 major causes of ethnicity in nigeria 1. This diversity has resulted into two major problems namely. First, ethnic conflict can also result from failure to accommodate ethnic majorities within the state. Ethnic politics and regional sentiments are responsible for nigeria s slow spate and pace of political advancement and democratic process. A historical analysis of ethnic conflict in nigeria grin. Nigerians had no control over the central power and often were kept. In the spirit of indirect rule, the major administrative and political units of nigeria were made to coincide with the spatial locations of the three major ethnic groups. To overcome the problems of ethnicity in nigeria and reach the principle goal national unity, it is necessary to unite people in as many aspects of life as it is possible. Nigeria s underdevelopment, with special reference to her political, economic and social domains. Origin of ethnicity and its impact on nigerian nationality. Jun 14, 2017 the major problem facing nigeria today is the inability of the federal government to resolve the issues regarding ethnicity and religion. Actually, much of the material on nigeria has been inspired by the paradigms of the study of ethnicity in the social sciences generally. Reasons for africas problem will continue to multiply.
Ethnic minority problems and governance in nigeria. The first issue to note at the federal level is a correlation between ethnicity. A critique 1 reply go down religion and ethnicity are worst problems of nigeria, and not corruption. Mar, 2021 international journal of research and innovation in social science ijriss volume v, issue ii, february 2021 issn 24546186 ethnic politics and nigerian democracy. In all ramifications, the profound problem of nigeria is ethnicity. This means that it was in the urban setting that what we refer to today as ethnic group first acquired a common consciousness. The task of addressing these seeds of conflict planted by the british has been a complex one.
This paper expounds such conceptual issues as ethnicity, cultural diversity, federalism and national integration and then presents the historical background to ethnic and cultural conflicts in nigeria. Sardauna local government area which is located in southeast of taraba, northeast nigeria was part of the. It thus demonstrates through the study of odua investment company limited oicl, a regional economic bloc in south west nigeria that regional integration has the potentials of revamping the economy of the country. Most often, ethnic sentiments are used in place of merit and skills. The established academic models on ethnic issues have also been shown to. A history of identities, violence, and stability in nigeria. How i wish our self acclaimed corruption fightersleaders will fight and deal first with the evil of religion and ethnicity in nigeria. Even though ethnicity constitutes one of the most dynamic and troublesome issues in society, theorization in this domain still leaves much to be desired. The nigerian tate is pluralistic in natures, that is, it is a multiethnic state or nationstate with over 300 groups, of diverse ethnic and religious identity. It is the embodiment of values, institutions, and patterns of behavior, a composite whole. Ethnic conflict and sustainable development in nigeria. As common with most of the new states of africa and asia, no problem has more fiercely challenged political order in nigeria than ethnoreligious conflicts. This problem is very topical in sardauna local government area of taraba state.
Akonai2004 argues that the colonial politics of divideandrule is mainly responsible for the propagation of ethnicity and ethnic rivalry in nigeria as the british. The case of the ethnic m inorities in the niger delta. Solution to ethnic problem in nigeria 2020 see the way. Insurgency and national security challenges in nigeria. Nigeria is made of numerous ethnic groups which include the yorubas, ibos, hausas and many other groups numbering up to two hundred and fifty world fact book, n. This problem is one of the major qualms confronting the progress of liberal democracy in nigeria since 1960, to the extent that ethnic sentiment has gradually crept in to find a place in every faced of nigerian political activity. Undoubtedly, the colonial urban setting constitutes the cradle of contemporary ethnicity in nigeria. Nigeria is a complex country in africa with over 300 ethnic groups and 120 different languages spoken throughout the country. Influence of ethnicity on human resource management in. The thesis demonstrates that ethnic diversity has always been a part of the people living around the niger. Nigeria is usually characterised as a deeply divided state in which major political issues are vigorously some would say violently contested along the lines of the complex ethnic, religious, and regional divisions in the country cf.
Trends and dimensions of ethnic conflict in nigeria ethnic conflicts could take different forms and its manifestation could arise from different dimensions in the nigeria society. Thus, some ethnic groups express concerns about inequality as they experience treatments they perceive to be unfair rhuks, 2012. Ethnic conflicts are often accompanied by gross human rights violations, such as genocide and crimes against humanity, and by economic decline, state failure. Confronting the problems of colonialism, ethnicity and the.
Nigeria is a multi ethnic nation with cultural differences between its component ethnic groups. Functional ethnicity, regionalism and regional integration of. Functional ethnicity, regionalism and regional integration. Oba of lagos religion and ethnicity is killing us in nigeria religion and ethnicity. The major problem facing nigeria today is the inability of the federal government to resolve the issues regarding ethnicity and religion. The vast majority of the population of northern nigeria identifies as muslim, and is primarily from the hausafulani ethnic group. The causes of ethnic conflict in multiethnic societies. If ethnicity is manufactured at will and manipulated to serve any number of selfish purposes, then it is only an object, the case for calling it a cause of the numerous problems regularly attributed to it would not be sustainable. Another key problem of ethnicity in nigeria is corruption, an endemic disease that has eaten deep into the very foundations of nigeria.
Apr 27, 2018 this paper examines ethnicity in nigeria. Implications of ethnic identity for national integration in. Ethnic conflict in nigeria has led to the lack of peace and harmony. This paper is set to examine demography in nigeria, highlighting its problems and prospects. Prominent among them are issues of ethnicity, politics by identity, security, religious cleavages. Problems of ethnicity in nigeria and solutions information. Ethnicity is more than skin color or physical characteristics, more than language, song, and dance. Though, these ethnic groups exist independently of each other, they had interacted with one. Ethnicity as potent contributor of political conflicts in nigeria. In southwest nigeria, which has large christian and muslim populations, the yoruba is the largest ethnic group. Ethnicity, ethnic crisis, and good governance in nigeria. The foregoing discussion of the travails and struggles of ethnic minority communities in rivers and kaduna states the former contending against economic expropriation and the latter against both cultural extinction and politicoeconomic marginalization may now be related to the wider dimensions and conditions of ethnic minority alienation and discontent in the nigerian federation.
Historical antecedents to the problem of ethnic conflict in nigeria and south africa. Today in nigeria, there is serious rivalry among these tribes such as political and religious rivalry. The established academic models on ethnic issues have also been shown to be insufficient. It has been blamed for outmoded values and regressive consciousness, for fostering. An evaluation and understanding of the political development in nigeria requires a consideration of the impact of ethnicity. Influence of ethnicity and religion in nigerian elections and. Ethnic virus has been a dangerous cancer causing social crisis, political instability and threat to peaceful coexistence, unity and national integration of nigeria as a nation. The thrust of this paper therefore is to examine ethnic conflict in nigeria and political instability in the face of competing national interest, using the 19671970 civil war as a basis of evaluation. Managing ethnic and cultural diversity for national. Although nigeria is a secular state, the country shares the attributes of christianity and islamic religion, depending on the religious inclination of the incumbent president and state governors. Nigeria and south africa both have disturbing histories of colonialism and white repression, which generated hatred and conflict among different ethnic groups. In order to combat these challenges and encourage development in the country, this paper recommend that. Here we are going to list five ways of solving the problems of ethnicity in nigeria that can unite the nation on the governmental and social level.
That is why certain people are elected into office simply on the basis that they fan the embers of ethnic superiority and not because they have the capacity to deliver. While the reforms have fundamentally transformed the nigerian state, they have yet to solve the problem of ethnic mobilization and conflict. It has continued to quietly destroy the country from within. It begins with the causes of ethnic politics in nigeria and throws light on the colonial factors responsible for ethnicity in nigeria.
It discusses why the nigerian population is increasing drastically and the possible implications of an. Southeast nigeria is largely christian and is dominated by the igbo ethnic. Introduction it is a commonplace fact that nigeria is a multi ethnic nation state with sociocultural differences between its component ethnic groups all of which have resulted into cultural dissimilarity. There are many ethnic groups in nigeria, and members of a particular ethnic group tend to be loyal to their own people in government or other exalted positions. Nigerians should aim at operating a true federalism.
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