Ethnic Militia as a Social Pressure in Nigeria's Fourth Republic Politics
No Thumbnail Available
Date
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Description
The character of the Nigerian state which is anchored on rent and the centralization of power have combined to
make quest for power in the country contentious. The entrenchment of differences and rivalry among the ethnic
groups to control the soul of the Nigerian state led to several violent confrontations prior to the country's
independence. The successive post independent regimes failed to initiate far-reaching policy measures to coalesce
ethnic differences into positive ventures that could create a pan Nigerian identity. Instead, most of the policies
undertaken were rather aimed at suppressing ethnic consciousness and minimize the challenge it poses to the
legitimacy of the state or the authority of the incumbent regime. The result of this is the heightened hegemonic
contest for power at the centre by the ethnic groups. This competition for ethnic domination has, over the years,
assumed varying forms in the politics of Nigeria. However, the phenomenon of ethnic militia as a strategy for
political contention seems to have become an instrument for achieving political ends. This tactics is paying off as
legitimate way of attaining power. Therefore, this paper examines ethnic militias as a social pressure group in the
Fourth Republic for political contention.
Keywords
H Social Sciences (General)