Practicable Solutions to the Problems of Ethnicity and Regionalism in Nigeria

Ethnicity is a popular cliché used to describe or analyze various forms of anomalies in the Nigerian nation building. It is defined as “a label for social groups who feel a distinct sense of difference by virtue of common culture and descent” (Glazer and Moynihan; 1975). In Nigerian context, ethnicity is defined as a social phenomenon associated with the identity of members of a competing communal group(s) seeking to protect and advance their interest in a political system. The relevant communal factor may be language, culture, race, religion and/or common history.