The Problems Of Nigeria In Nation-Building

Nigeria's first and only Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, way back in 1958 affirmed that "...Nigerian unity is a British invention for the country..."
The political development of Nigeria witnessed the rise of rivalry among the three major ethnic groups of the country - the Hausa/Fulani, Igbo and Yorubas. Balewa's affirmation buttressed the fact that the country had no unity which is always a major prerequisite for nation-building. Lack of the spirit of unity has caused Nigeria a lot of political crises. Nationalism and patriotism in Nigeria went in the positive direction until the 1950s when the country slid into ethnicized and regional politics. Major political parties of the country became regionally based.

The NCNC had its base in the Eastern region, while the Action Group and the Northern Peoples Congress had their respective bases in the western and northern regions. Between 1960 and 1966, Nigeria witnessed one crises or the other. They include the controversy over population census which was conducted in 1962 and repeated in 1963, the political crises in the western region and problems associated with allegations of electoral irregularities and malpractices in 1964. These developments shook the foundations of the Nigerian state in the late 1960s.

Many factors are however responsible for the problems associated with nation-building in Nigeria. They border mainly on linguistic differences and religious differences . Nigeria's lingua franca is English but not all Nigerians understand or are proficient in it. The Nigerian government's national programmes that foster unity among its citizens are not always comprehended by a vast majority of the citizenry since they are mostly published in English. Nigerians themselves also find it difficult to amicably exchange their cultural values in the face of diversified medium of language communication.

Religious intolerance is a clear factor that undermines the spirit of unity in the country. Many religious riots have been witnessed in the country which has led to loss of lives and property. Blood-letting associated with these riots deepens a sense of resentment and even vengeance that keeps the country in a perpetual state of fragility. Way back in 1977, religious sentiments almost marred the noble works of the constituent assembly set up to review the draft constitution of Nigeria's second republic. Delegates from the northern part of the country disagreed with their counterparts from the south over the role of Sharia laws in the country's politics. In the fourth republic, controversies over the Sharia implementation in some states of northern Nigeria has led to religious riots with attendant loss of lives in Bauchi, Kaduna and Jos. These riots, sadly led to reprisals in southern cities like Aba, Umuahia, Onitsha, Lagos and Shagamu.

It is important to also stress that poverty is another leading factor that militates against proper nation-building efforts in Nigeria. The country is blessed with rich natural and human resources but wallows in poverty. Corruption among the political leaders of Nigeria is chiefly responsible for this poverty which breeds ignorance and this is a serious bane to nation-building in Nigeria.
To be continued...
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