Nigeria at 100 Years: The Process and Challenges of Nation Building

Abstract

A one Nigeria nation came to being in 1914. And when Nigeria is compared with most third world countries, Nigeria is more developed than then these other third world countries. Even though some modest achievement has been made, there are still some policy, human attitudinal contradictions and other challenges which have made Nigeria State unable to provide all that Nigerian citizens are expecting from the Government, to move it to the club of developed countries. As such some people argue that the colonial policy which resulted in amalgamation of kingdoms into Southern and Northern Protectorates and in particular the later amalgamation of Southern and Northern Protectorates into Nigeria was a mistake. Some groups from the South have argued that Nigeria was formed without the consent of the respective tribal groups and kingdoms that make up Nigeria and so it should split into their desired independent States. Another group appeared from North to reject the secular nature of the Nigerian nation and preferred that if Nigeria must remain one it should be an Islamic country governed not by the existing Constitution of Nigeria as amended but by Sharia law and would make that possible even through violent means. Though other reasons have also been advanced as the cause for instability of Nigeria like regional resource control and religion, this paper is of the view these other ones are tools for mobilization of mass support while that the crux of the matter is the dream to actualize individual political interest of elites. History has shown that because some persons have not succeeded to get elected or appointed into the next desired public office which they dream to hold, for them this can be possible through making Nigeria ungovernable or have it disintegrate that they would now get the opportunity to connect and control those in power or hold position of authority themselves to secure economic power more influence. This paper then sees nation-building as a continuous process and sustainable development for both the masses and elites can be achieved in Nigeria without violence and schism through the use of insurgent tactics. The paper is of the view that it is wrong for Nigerian problem is that of leadership alone but from both leaders and the rest of the Citizens of Nigeria irrespective of age, gender, region, tribe and religious inclination. This paper recommends that it is only when there is genuine worship of God as foundation of all cultures and there is a change from illegal acts by both leaders and the followers that sustainable development would be firmly rooted. Where this cannot be possible because there are no saints and there are no sinners, then the way out is for all groups and societies to increase their level of tolerance of the others weakness and or strengths for peaceful coexistence and co-activity to have one Nigeria without regrets.

Keywords: Amalgamation, Nation, Nation-Building, Nation Building Process, Nation–State