IIARD International Institute of Academic Research and Development

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND MANAGEMENT RESEARCH (IJSSMR )

E-ISSN 2545-5303
P-ISSN 2695-2203
VOL. 3 NO. 4 2017

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Political Culture and Crisis of National Unity: The Nigerian Experience

Hillary I. Ekemam, Ph.D

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Abstract

As a political entity, Nigeria has since the amalgamation of 1914 faced the problem of disunity based on contending ethnic and regional group interests. Successive administrations have witnessed all forms of political instability which has affected national unity ever since. This paper focuses on the role of political culture in national unification and attempts to examine the extent to which Nigeria?s heterogeneous political culture can offer a useful explanation for her lingering crisis of national unity which has by extension, hindered progressive governance which is a sine qua non for political growth and development. The paper is anchored on the central question: can the heterogeneity of political culture amongst the peoples of Nigeria offer a useful explanation for its crisis of national unity? The study adopted the „Tossed salad? theoretical framework as opposed to the ‘Melting pot’ to drive our assumption that there is a relationship between politico-cultural heterogeneity and crisis of governance cum nation building in Nigeria. Data for the study is generated from secondary qualitative sources while our analysis is descriptively qualitative and historical. The paper finds that culture is a central ingredient for national unity as well as a centripetal force that binds a given society together and provides a common ground for articulation of issues of common interests that lead to growth and development. To lessen the manifest schism characteristic of the current milieu, the paper recommends among others: (1). a restructuring of the country as presently organized to a truly Con-federal political system where greater autonomy is given to regional entities on the basis of their political culture or (2). a constitutional amendment which recognizing the right of secession in the light of the intense contemporary agitations by “sovereign” nationalities for self-rule – agitation of which is manifestation of disunity characterizing contemporary Nigeria?s political

keywords:

Political culture, „Tossed salad? or Melting pot?, Cultural heterogeneity, Political instability, Crisis of national unity.

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