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Ethnic Militia And National Integration In Nigeria
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Nigeria, a sovereign state with multi-ethnic groups was amalgamated in
1914 by Fredrick Lugard, the then Governor-General of the Federation.
Prior to this period, each ethnic group was administered by traditional
rulers with basic provision for the existence of effective organs of
government in formulation and execution of government policies which the
people freely embraced. According to Anifoweshe (2000), the
pre-colonial riles in Nigeria promoted strong government that prevented
ethnicity and identity crisis among different ethnic groups that made up
the amalgamated state. The 1914 amalgamation however signalled eventual
introduction of indirect rule system of administration which to some
extent promoted unity and national integration among the nationalists of
different ethnic groups of the amalgamated protectorates.
Furthermore,
the spirit of brotherhood among pre independent nationalist leaders
eventually led to successful independence of Nigeria in 1960 with
commencement of the first republic which also promoted the needed unity
and national integration in Nigeria until 1966 when both the military
coup and the Igbo massacre led to the collapse of national unity and
marginalization of some ethnic groups in socio, political and economic
distribution by the ruling elite despite Gen. Gowon’s declaration of 3Rs
and “no victor†and “no vanquished†policies of government shortly
after the civil war. The effects of non committed implementation of the
policies in Nigeria is the cause of insecurity, ethnicity and the
national identity crisis that resulted to the formation of various
ethnic militias that is today threatening unity and national integration
in Nigeria Anifowoshe (2000). Since 1999 when the country returned to
democratic governance, the scenario of the ethnic militia and insurgency
has become tragic, spanning from the North, East and South. The
emergence of various ethnic groupings clamouring for equity in the
sharing of national resources had been attributed to the feeling of
marginalization which the groups believe had been going for years
without being addressed. This is especially so, in the Niger Delta
region, where most of the oil resources of the country are located and
the various nationalities within the region feel they had been short
changed in the distributional resources which resulted to the formation
of different ethnic militias in the Niger Delta area.
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ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]This research is on the issue of Ethnic Militia and National Integration in Nigeria with the activities of the movement for the actualization of the sovereign state of Biafra as a study case. The issues of ethnic Militancy and National Integration have become subject of recurring decimal since Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999. Prior to this period, successful administrations had battled with the implementation of various programmes intended to resolve the associated issues fuelling ... Continue reading---
