Managing Minority Problems in Nigeria: The Case of the Ethnic Minorities of the Niger Delta Region

Abstract

At the root of most if not all internal conflicts in the world, particularly Africa today, is a struggle by some previously autonomous units to free themselves from the grips of a domineering multinational state; in Africa and by extension Nigeria, the nationalities question variously called tribalism or ethnicity has long been accepted as the flagship of national politics and central organizing theme of politics of who gets what, when, how and even why. Observers/scholars in the political realm think and believe the long-drawn-out super power rivalry emasculate political development in Africa and of course the former Eastern Europe by sweeping the “Nationalities Question” under the carpet rather than answering it. For most African Multi-National States, like Nigeria, the questions are quite simple. (1) Is it possible to create a viable national state from a conglomeration of nationalities that were previously independent and performed all the functions of a modern ‘nation-state’? (2) If yes, under what conditions are these nationalities prepared to remain part of the multi-national state? (3) Do they have an exit option, if at any point in time they feel grossly dissatisfied? These and many more are a few questions this paper attempt to provide answers as we make progress in this discourse

Keywords: ethnic politics, managing minority problems in Nigeria. Niger Delta-nationalities question, multinational states, modern nation state, nationalism.