Constitutional Development and Inter-Group Relations in Nigeria: The Unending Dilemma
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Ava Publishers, Benin City
Abstract
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Awolowo's conceptualization of Nigeria as a mere geographical contraction
occasioned to serve the interest of our erstwhile British colonialists and the postcolonial
state collaborators clearly underscores her existentiality and the ensuing
social and inter-group relations that has permeated the diverse groupings since
1914. Since independence in 1960, the leadership of the Nigerian nation-state
for the umpteenth time with little or no results have engaged, dissipated energy
and scarce resources as well as employed diversionary tactics/antics of
constitutional development, reforms and amendment for enforcing the nation's
continuity. The latent manifestation of this forced togetherness is exacerbated by
various crises of marginalization, deprivation, self-secession agitation, Ethnoregional
competition for state power and resource control etc. This paper
critically examines the underlying dynamics and contradiction that characterized
Nigeria 's constitutional development process that is meant to serve as the
foundational basis upon which the essence of our collectivity is anchored. This
paper concludes that until there is an all inclusiveness of the various diverse
nationalities (whether majority or minority) that make up the Nigerian nation-state
in altruistically having defined stakes in the nation-state, the present razz mantas
that constitute the crux and modus operandi of our inter-group relations and
interactions is nothing but a futile exercise that will not advance our national
aspirations.
Keywords
HM Sociology