ETHNICITY, FEDERAL CHARACTER PRINCIPLE AND THE SEARCH FOR NATIONAL INTEGRATION IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This paper examines the problems of ethnicity and how the federal character principle has been employed to manage it so as to ensure national integration in Nigeria. It is observed that the principle as implemented in the country at present has a lot of shortcomings, hence its inability to manage the problems of ethnicity and bring about national integration. This is why the principle has been severally criticized. It seems the federal character principle has come to stay. This is because, as long as Nigeria remains a federation with diverse cleavages, the need and clamour to balance these diverse interests in the country will always be there. There is therefore, the need to find ways and means of making the principle acceptable to all and sundry by dealing with the problems that comes with its implementation. This paper has accordingly, made some recommendations in this regard.