SOURCE:

Faculty: Arts
Department: Religion And Human Relations

CONTRIBUTORS:

Enweonwu, A.O;
Chiegboka, A.B.C;

ABSTRACT:

This dissertation discusses federal character principles and the challenges of social
justice and national integration in Nigeria. Today Nigeria is characterized by deep
cleavages along ethnic, religious and political lines. Political and economic
imbalances exist among and between the various states or ethnic groups that make
up Nigeria. These imbalances arose from the nature and character of the post
colonial Nigerian State. These imbalances exist in almost every sector hence most
people feel marginalized. Thus, lack of adequate representation by the federating
states in Nigeria constitutes the greatest threat to national integration and
economic development. Remarkably, the socio-economic competition among the
various ethnic groups in Nigeria manifest in ethno-regional conflict and tension
that characterize Nigeria since 1960. Thus, the relationship between these groups
is characterized by fear and suspicion of domination of one state or ethnic group
by another. This leads to national disintegration and underdevelopment. Hitherto,
one would observe that Nigeria has become a place where the land, money and
wealth are shared among the nobles at the detriment of the poor. The poor suffer in
the hands of the rich. Oppression has become the food of the populace. Since
Nigeria gained independence in 1960, tribalism, nepotism, corruption,
discrimination, rigging of elections and gross injustice has dominated the
economic, political, judicial, cultural, religious and ethnic lives and minds of many
Nigerians. Data for this work was aided through the application of primary and
secondary methods of data collection with phenomenological method of data
interpretation which presented the findings the way it is without passing a
judgment. The findings revealed that the federal character principle was used as a
tool in balancing the nerves of the conflicting ethnic nationalities in Nigeria. Also,
the “indigene syndrome” and “religious syndrome” engendered by the federal
character principle and the discriminatory policies, laws and regulations
characterize the Nigeria polity. This research recommends equal opportunities for
employment, equitable share in the distribution of the resources and benefits of the
state in terms of education, access to goods and services provided by government,
proper observation of the rule of law and human right, state creation and improved
conditions of life. It also adds to and enriches the already studied cases in
Nigerian federalism and federal character and thus, provides scholars and students
carrying out research on such topics a resource material.