To Be or Not to Be? : A Theoretical Investigation into the Crisis of National Identity in Nigeria

An issue that influences political discussions on Nigerian nationhood is the reality of the ethno-religious identities that make up that country. The stakeholders in Nigerian politics have tried to find ways of consolidating the unity of their country amid signs of failure evident in the emergence of dissident and oftentimes violent groups calling for self-determination. The recent Boko Haram crisis is a case in point, which has seen a call for an Islamic state in the north. The resurgence of MASSOB and IPOB in the southeast, with their protests and rallies advocating for Biafra, is also a sign of deep-seated desire of certain ethnic groups for self-determination. It is argued that the core problem with Nigeria will be found in the reality of diversity and oftentimes incompatibility of the entities that make it up. Discord and a lack of consensus are apparent among the political elites and ethno-religious groups, on what the Nigerian nation is and should be. Building on extant literature, this article problematizes the resurgence of ethnic consciousness in Nigeria and presents a way forward out of the quagmire the nation finds itself in.