ETHNIC CONFLICT AND NATIONAL STABILITY IN NIGERIA (A CASE STUDY OF OBASONJO’S REGIME)
ABSTRACT
For the country Nigeria, the years 1999-2003 was years of great suffering caused by ethic crises. In the Northern part of the country, the ethnic conflict between the Muslims and Christians was climaxed with the introduction of shaira law in some Northern States. At the Southern part of Nigeria also a lot of ethic crisis has been witnesses among the various ethic conflict that blew across Nigeria between 1999 – 2003, which has left in its trail unprecedented human, economic, social and ecological disasters. Exacerbating this is the public perception that the government has been insensitive and slow in addressing fundamental issues affecting Nigeria, such as poverty alleviation, resource distribution, infrastructural development and security. An air of anxiety and uncertainty continues to pervade the Nigeria society despite the democratic administration that is in place. In view of these, this work was carried out to look at those factors that have been responsible for the various ethic upheavals that have plagued the country since the new democratic era. It is believed that these factors which ranges from class struggles, economic inequality and the incompatibility in political and economic allocations have intensified the occurrence of ethic conflict in the country, thereby hampering the national cohesion and stability in the country. Thus, the resultant effect is the level of underdeveloped and insecurity that is prevalent in Nigeria. This work was solely undertaken to rescue Nigeria from the strange hold of ethnic conflict. It is our conviction that we can diffuse ethnic tensions by educating the ruling class and the masses alike on the need to place humanity and nationality above ethnicity and to resist the urge to mobilize ethic sentiments for destructive ends. For it is only when the country is stable that it will attract investors, since nobody or cooperation will like to invest in a trouble nation.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Our country Nigeria was created by the British colonialist who performed the task of bringing the various ethnic nationalities together in 1914 to form a single nation state, right from creation Nigeria has been a plural society made up of three major groups of Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba, while the minority groups include, Efik, Igala, Tiv, Jukun, Urhobo, Ijaw, Ibibio etc, infact, recent studies puts the figure at about 374 ethic groups (Otite, 1990:26). Thus, consequent upon the cultural heterogeneity of Nigeria, there has aroused though times of different kinds of ethnic conflict. This conflict had at times, pitched the Hausa’ against the Igbo’s in a very violent conformation. The introduction of Sharia legal system in the North them cause serious conflict in some state in the North equally in the southern part of the country, the Yoruba and the Hausa have also confronted each violently. There are also evidence of the various intra-ethnic conflicts witnessed among the minority groups, like the lfe-modake, TIV, Jukun, and the constant clashes that has become a daily occurrence in the Niger Delta regions of the country. The various conflicts that have taken place shows that the unity of the country is at stake.
On May 29, 1999, Olusegun Obasajo was sworn in as Nigerian democratically elected President since 1983 four years into the democratic experiment, Nigeria continues to face economic, political and social uncertainties. Flash points of ethnics communal religions and resources conflict persist the economic environment is unstable. The Niger Delta crisis has get to be resolute, and environmental degradation in oil producing regions remains a problems. Exacerbating this is the public perception that the government has been insensitive and slow in addressing fundamental issues affecting Nigerians such as poverty alleviation resource distribution, infrastructural development and security. An air of uncertainty continues to pervade the Nigeria society, thereby negating the maximum utilization of both the abundant human and material resources in the country for the total development of socio-political and economic sectors of the nation. As Rot child (1969:54) said “ethnic conflicts has a clear chance of following the part to a serious imbalance or disjunction between order and development at any level of the social structures.
Although, various policies has been made to address the problems posed by ethnic conflicts to the country, both by the colonists and the indigenous post colonial leaders. It seems that their main objectives have been to contain and not to eliminate ethnic conflicts. This is for the mere fact that the Nigerian state has regularly been part and parcel of ethnic crisis, as a result of its ethnically, discriminatory policies and more specifically because of the ethnic coloration of those who controls or dominate it. Nigeria is at cross read, ethnic crisis has been a great hindrance to our national stability the consequence of breaking the country are hard to imaging likewise the prospect another civil war which is more dreadful sand (1994:10) asserted that ;the greatest problem of Nigeria nationhood is ethnic consciousness. This study was undertaken against the background of the renewed ethic groups. Even in the current democratic government where all is expected to contribute to the overall development of the nation.
In this study, we will try to examine the history and the causes of ethnic conflict in the country, as well as highlighting the positive aspect of ethnic variety identity social cohesion and stability. We will also look at how to harness the difference and similarities among the various ethnic groups in the development of the nation thereby building Nigeria nation state, where no man shall be oppressed or discriminates on the account of which ethnic groups the come from a nation Nigeria.
In chapter one, we shall state the statement of the problem of this study, as well as the objective, significance, the scope of the various literature by scholars in the study of ethnicity and its conflict outcomes. Chapter three we shall focus on the research method in used in the process of data collection in chapter four, we will analyze the data collected and testing it against the hypothesis of this study. And findings as well as marking recommendations on how best to manage or tackled ethic conflict. In the country for a stable nation, that will encourage the development of the socio-cultural, political and economic structures of our country Nigeria.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Both colonial powers and the ruling class that has succeeded then have used ethnicity for their own ends. In combination with poverty and shortage of results, ethnic sectarianism has left a trail of destructive violence and even threatened the territorial integrity of Nigeria there is also the problem of leadership lack of appropriate value system and unstable policy all these have been operating a contesting and development. The manipulation of ethnicity by the Nigeria ruling class has its root in the used ethnic and regional sectionalism to curb pen Nigeria nationalism and to maintain administration emphasized difference among Nigeria rather then similarities. The official British policy in the North separated the Northern ethnic groups from the Southern counterpart through the hand and native rights ordnance of 1910. The ordnance discouraged free immigration of Sourtherners to the North.
The Nigeria ruling class who inherited power at independence in 1960, continued this manipulation of ethnic difference for their own selfish interests in the process they succeeded in creating false impression that various politicians of the ethnic groups for which they spoke, and that the struggles of these parties for political dominance represented the struggle of their various ethnic groups for ascendance in society. The covertly and even openly aided motive ethic symbols and played on negative feeling arising from alleged mass support for their own personal interests. Under these circumstance the urban-based ethnicity of the past has been reinforced by ethnic communities against one another in an attempt to claim entitlement on an ethnic basis. This Hausa katat, Jukum – Tiv Kutch, Jukun, and Ogoni –Andoni blood letting are concrete examples, the civil war of 1967-1970. the dictorships general Sani Abacha and Ibrahim Babangida, the President ethnic mild fires in the Niger Delta and various other part of the country, and present shill cries of marginalization by virtually all ethnic groups in the federation have also contributed for politicizing ethnic decisions As the most populous black nation in the world, Nigeria is look upon for leadership roles in Africa. Unfortunately, the various ethnic crisis, that has characterized her history since independence in 1960 till now have once mutal distrust among the ruling class that succeeded the colonialist are the main cause of ethnic crisis in Nigeria between 1999-2003 alone claimed several thousand of lives and properties owned by the citizens has been wantonly destroyed. The frequency and the violent nature of these conflicts have caused Nigeria residing outside their ethnic enclave to live in fear of the uncertainty about.
The economic havoc, the social disruptions and political instability brought about all these conflicts, undermining the foundation of the cooperative existence of all the ethnic groups to enhance national development. It is unfortunate that in this era of globalization, many Nigerians are still openly discussing with impurity the possibility of dismemberment of the nation through succession. The recen demand by the people of the Niger Delta, and the South East for a country of their own goes a long way to show that the entity called Nigeria is in big danger of disintegration. The relative effect of these entire crisis is the level of underdevelopment that is prevalent in the country despite her 51 years of independence.
The issues of ethnic conflict have elicited much response from some scholars as regards to why the various ethnic groups in the country are inconstant conflict. It is in response to it this study was undertaken. We are going to focus on these factors that have been posing a threat to our national stability. A critical analysis of these factors that the persistent and pervasive poverty of the Nigeria people have impact in ethnic conflicts. Ringing, poverty creates alienation and socio economic insecurity, which impels people to seek solace in primary group. The constituency often conterminous with the ethnic homeland candidates wins elections not so much for the issue they stand for but because they are “sons or daughters of the soil.” Consequently they use ethnic appeal to solicit for votes, they tend to end thus reflect of their respective ethnic groups and promise to end thus reflect. This typically illustrated what happened in 2003 General Election when the Yorubas decided to pitch their tent with Obasanjor not because he is the best, but because he is a son of the soil. Equally work in mentioning if the factors of anti-class policies of successive government in the country which ensure the dominance of the ethic consciousness which leaves non-class faces such as the ethnicity to dominate the political space.
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