ABSTRACT
The
paper examines conflict and political stability in Nigeria: Causes,
Consequences and Prospects. It observes that the occurrence of conflicts in any
society could be more violent, leading to wanton destruction of lives and
properties. It notes that conflict hinders sustainable national
development. The paper observes that
while a situation of absolute stability may be attained in Nigeria, relative
stability for the country is vital for it to achieve its desired ends. It is the views of the paper
that in spite of the structural deficits and some other problems, the country
still holds a better prospect that accentuate instability to be completely
attenuated.
INTRODUCTION
Conflicts are common and unavoidable in all human
society. All over the world, conflicts
occur because society is made up of people with differing interests and
values. In most societies, conflicts
occur when parties in a state of independence perceives divergent views or
believe that their aspirations or goals cannot be achieved simultaneously. Therefore, it is only natural that where
there is inequality in access to the control of natural resources and political
power for instance, there would be discontent, opposition and controversy.
Africa is a vast continent with different peoples and
cultures. There has been increasing
number of violent conflicts in Africa, especially during the end of the cold
war. A number of violent conflicts have erupted in both developed and
developing countries, inflicting
sufferings and pains on the people and placing enormous stress on the
environment (Gyabaah: 2006).
African countries are plagued by the crisis of
Perverted religion, sectional and political upheavals. The consequences of the
above are Unimaginable for a country like Nigeria, where these three devils
have existed unchecked. Nigeria, being a
multi-religious and ethnic society, had experienced massive ethnic, sectional,
religious and political violence that has led to grievous socio-economic and
political consequences on the psyche of the nation. These conflicts have led to the destruction
of lives and property and also brought untold sorrow on the people in the last
fifty years of our nationhood. Today,
there is a tragic extinction of credible and charismatic leaders at all levels
in every geo-political configuration as a result of violent conflicts and
political instability in the political system which has made the country lack
nationalistic and patriotic leaders who have the interest of the people at
heart.
Conflicts and Political Instability in Nigeria:
Causes, Consequences Afegbua Issa Afegbua and Prospects
This paper examines religious, sectional and
political conflicts in Nigeria. This
work is divided into six sections. First, the paper starts with conceptual
underpinning. Second, it examines the
various dimensions of conflicts. Again, we look at the reason why conflicts
re-occur in Nigeria. Fourth, is the
examination of the issues of globalization and localization of violence. Finally, the paper examines the implications
and costs of conflicts on the country’s quest for sustainable national
development. Sixth, delves ways of
conflict resolution and management in the country. Finally, focuses the way forward.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
There have been numerous efforts at defining
conflicts and description such as “armed conflict” violent conflicts abounds in
development literature. More generic
definitions often overlap with violence and present conflict as hostilities
leading to the use of physical force or power, threatened action against
another person, or against a group or community that either results in or has a
high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm,
maldevelopment or deprivation. (Wito, 2000).
Imobighe (2003:20) argues that conflict represents a
condition of disharmony within an interaction process usually as a result of a
clash of interests between the parties involved in some form of
relationship. Burge (1921:272) argues that
conflict is designed to resolve divergent dualism (and achieve) some kinds of
unity even if it be through the annihilation of one of the conflicting parties.
Scholars like Wilson and Kolb (1947:714) sees
conflict as a negative totality as dysfunctional or destructive process and the
breakdown of communication. Stedimon (1991), notes that conflicts result from
human interaction in the context of incompatible ends where one’s ability to
satisfy needs or ends depends on the choices, decisions and behavior of others.
Zartman (1991: 300) sees conflict as the violent exhibition or expression of
incompatibility” though conflicts may become violent according to sedman
(1991:370) violence is not an inherent aspect of conflict but rather a
potential form that conflict may take”. Jonathan et al (2003) defined conflict
as a contested incompatibility that concerns government or territory of both
where the use of armed forces between two parties results in at least battle
relateddeaths.
Dudley (1999:9) also came up with a similar
observation of conflict. According to
him, conflict is an inescapable part of our daily lives, an inevitable result
of our highly complex, competitive and often litigious society. Nnoli (2003:1)
opines that conflict refers to contradictions arising from perceptions
behaviours, phenomena and tendencies.
Mialli (1992), enriches this view by projecting that conflict emerges
where a clear contradiction exists or is perceived to exist between the
participants who view the outcome as extremely important.
From
the above analyses, it is clear that conflict is a behavioural pattern
involving two or more individual ties, which can be inter-personalities,
inter-groups, inter-organizations and inter-states.
Journal of Social Science and Public Policy Volume 2, December
Another concept central to this discourse is
sectionalism. The attribute of sectional
behavior is exclusiveness and the pursuit of parochial interest. Here, there is an intense struggle for separateness. This may lead to discriminatory practices in
all facets of life. Since conflict
itself cannot be ruled out in a society, the coming together of different
ethnic groups brings conflict.
DIMENSIONS OF CONFLICTS
Nigeria as a heterogeneous society in terms of
ethnic, religious and cultural pluralism is prone to conflicts. (Agagu:
2004). Over the last 50 years of
Nigeria’s political independence, the
country has been confronted with varied crises and violence. These conflicts have affected the foundation
of Nigeria unity and corporate existence.
In Nigeria, there are three dimensions of conflicts. These are political dimension,
sociocultural/Religious dimension and Economic and Industrial dimensions. (Odunniyi: 2004)
POLITICAL DIMENSION
This dimension of conflict is endemic in Nigeria and
it includes: issues such as electoral crisis, inter-governmental relation
crisis over resource sharing etc.
Nigeria has a history of electoral crisis. The 1964 electoral crisis marked the watershed
in the nation’s political history. The
political and electoral manipulation in the old western region escalated to
other parts of Nigeria and led to a National crises which eventually became
part of the problems that culminated in the first military coup in 1960, which
terminated the first Republic and later led to the Nigerian Civil War: While the First Republic collapsed as a
result of factors arising from regional intra-party crisis, the second Republic
too collapsed under the same circumstances. (Otite: 1999)
SOCIO-CULTURAL/RELIGIOUS DIMENSION
Inter-religious confrontations and the proliferation
of sectional groupings in the last 50 years of Nigeria’s nationhood are other sources of tension and
instability in the polity. Religious
extremism, fanaticism and intolerance in some parts of the country, becomes an
extension of inter-ethnic, inter-communal conflicts. Inter-ethnic struggles over issues that
borders on Public Office and resource sharing take another colouration in the
formation of ethnic militias. For
instance, the OOdua People’s Congress (OPC), Arewa Youth Forum (AYF), Boko
Haram,
Bakassi boys, Egbesu Boys, The MASSOB in the east and
the sub-nationalities in the Niger Delta region had resurfaced over the
years. Their formation and goals merely
reinforced the primordial ethno-political agenda of the ethnic groups they
represent. These sectional groups
instigate violence and abuse human rights including illegal arrest, detention
and execution of innocent citizens.
These sectional groups engage security forces in armed confrontation,
leading to the causality and destruction to property (O’Neil, 2004). These sectional militia’s incessant
confrontations with security agents since about 1995 have turned the Niger
Delta region to a permanent battle ground.
(Agagu: 2004) Religious uprising in the northern part
of Nigeria, especially since 1981, when the country witnessed matasini
religious uprising, notably Kano and Kaduna.
Many other religious riots have taken place in other northern towns such
as Zaria, Kafachan, Maiduguri
Conflicts and Political Instability in Nigeria:
Causes, Consequences Afegbua Issa Afegbua
and Prospects
and
recently Jos. The latest incidents in
2010, in Plateau and Bornu states, where a group of religious extremists, who
claimed they are against Western civilization, broke into prisons and released
prisoners, is the height of lawlessness in the 21st century Nigeria.
Economic and Industrial Dimension of Conflict is
caused by the Incessant Industrial resentments
by labour over unfavourable
government’s economic and industrial policies has been another major
source of disharmony in the system.
Contentious issues have always been those concerned with situation of
service and official economic policies, since 1999, no year has gone by without
a major industrial conflict. The
governments at all levels have very poor records of managing industrial
disagreements and unrest, between it and labour unions in the country. The government, even under a democratic
dispensation, lacks proactive strategies and skills in managing such crises
until they escalate into uncontrollable violent levels. (Ola, 2004).
IMPLICATIONS AND COSTS OF CONFLICTS IN
NIGERIA
The implications and costs of conflict across the
country are multi-dimensional. The
outbreak of violent conflicts in the last 50 years leaves much to be desired in
Nigeria. The following are some of the
implications and costs of conflicts in Nigeria.
First, loss of revenue, the Nigeria’s government
losses sizeable Chunk of revenue wherever there are crises in the country. For instance, tax charges and rates on varied
items by local governments cannot be collected during violent crises, implying
loss of revenue for development purposes.
(Ajakaiye: 2000)
Government’s revenue generation capacity is been
affected mostly during industrial unrest.
Incessant Industrial Strikes are major characteristics of the nation. For instance, the 1993 strike by Civil
Servants across Nigeria, respectively cost the state and Federal Governments
between N4 million and N720 million in
terms of service (Adeniyi, et al, 1993)
Another implication of conflict is the loss of lives. Violent crises in Nigeria have resulted in a
number of causalities. The Civil war
1967 – 1970 had produced the largest causality in which an estimated two
million lives was claimed by the hostility.
Other minor wars in the country have also recorded loss of human lives.
Loss of human lives has implications for the nation’s
economy as the killings have effects on the agile workforce. The Niger-Delta violent conflicts have
claimed the lives of hundreds of oil workers and expatriates. (O’Neil, 2004).
Third, is discouragement of Foreign Investment growth
in the country. Violent conflicts in
Nigeria have also retarded foreign investments in flow and growth. No foreign investor will be encouraged to
invest in an unstable economy like Nigeria.
The presence of relative peace, security and stability is a cardinal
motivational factor for foreigners.
Continued insecurity and instability in the country has not only
discouraged transnational corporations
Volume 2, December
to invest in the Nigerian business climate, but has also
caused the established ones to divest by way of folding up their business. (Ajayi 2002).
Again, religious, sectional and political conflicts in the
country, has led to the influx of refugees and displaced people. Inhabitants of the war affected zones had to
flee to either the neighbouring states, or communities as internally displaced
people (IDP) or to neighbouring countries as refugees. Besides the economic implications to the
nation, the refugees and IDP constitute unexpected strangers in their new
places of abode with the consequent increased pressure on social amenities such
as housing, water supply and hospital facilities and constituting security
risks to the new environment. (Nnadozia
2004).
The allocation of natural resources for trouble shooting
instead of development purposes is another implication of conflicts in
Nigeria. The Police and the Military
have had enough internal inter-ethnic, inter-communal, sectional and
inter-religious groups – government hostilities to contend with within the last
50 years of Nigeria nationhood. The
implication of violent conflicts in the voting of more financial and material
resources for trouble – shooting and beefing up security nation-wide and equipping
the police with modern sophisticated weapons and more logistic facilities, such
as power bikes, helicopters for aerial parade, amoured vehi3cles etc. for
trouble-spots and subsequent deployment of men and materials to affected areas. This extra financial spending on incessant
trouble-shooting in the country can rather be spent on education, energy,
roads, water supply, telecommunication, employment opportunities, establishment
of new industries, etc. (Olaniyan : 1998).
GLOBALIZATION AND LOCALIZATIONS OF VIOLENT
CONFLICTS
Asaju (2004) says that virtually, every country is tormented
by one form of violent conflict or another.
Violence is not restricted to developing countries alone; the so-called
countries of America and Europe are also caught in the web of violence. These developed countries that hitherto
notable for peaceful existence and security, are today scared of terrorist
attacks the culture of violence pervades all countries. This culture of violence has invaded our
living rooms and public arena. Most
countries, through the print media, electronic media and internet service, have
globalized access to violent world. The
following forms of violence in high and low places can be identified globally
and locally.
First, is cultic violence, Cultism is a means of subtle
violence against the collective will of the people who do not belong to the
cultic clique. Cultism is no longer
peculiar to our Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Institutions, where the lives
of young scholars are terminated in very gruesome manner, but it is clearly
manifesting itself in our political system, where leaders are members of secret
cults.
Again, economic violence also exists in most countries. This violence is the unbridled exploitation
of the poor by the rich. It is the
economic maneuvering of economic resources of the state into the pockets of
capitalist.
Conflicts and Political Instability in Nigeria:
Causes, Consequences
and Prospects Afegbua
Issa Afegbua
Third, Armed brigandage and ethnic militias has developed in
most countries. Conflicts in the Niger
Delta have taken a different dimension,
even with the Amnesty put in place by Government, the problem of armed brigandage
still exists and persisted in the Niger Delta and Peace is yet to take place in
that region.
Fourth, the issue of hostage-taking, kidnapping and ritual
violence across the globe is a common phenomenon. In Nigeria, lives are becoming more unsafe by
the day, cases of kidnap and ritual killings in the south eastern part of
Nigeria, is yet to be checked by both the state and Federal Governments.
Politics, especially in developing countries like Nigeria,
is full of violent killings and clashes.
Ethnic conflicts in most parts of Africa usually have political
undertones and colourations; there have also been terrorism across the
globe. Countries across the globe have
experienced institutional, authoritative, psychological violence,
epidemiological and homicidal violence persists unabated.
REASONS WHY CONFLICTS RE-OCCURS IN NIGERIA
The pertinent question in this section is why do we have the
re-occurrence of violent conflicts in the country? Why is it difficult for all
the stakeholders in government and outside government find a lasting solution
to this perennial problem that has thrown the country into a state of chaos and
political instability in the last 50 years?
Imobighe (2003:29) says conflict seems insurmountable in
Nigeria because Nigeria is preoccupied with chasing shadows and not the
fundamental causes of conflicts in the country.
The government at all levels of governance has not preoccupied
themselves with the fundamental issues and objective conditions of the Nigerian
polity, which were the root causes of these conflicts. Consequently, the needed regular system of
re-examination and correction, which are part of the vital ingredients for
conflicts mitigation, within a given polity are yet to form part of the
Nigerian political culture. (Imobighe:
2003).
Another reason why conflict persists and keep-on-reoccurring
in the country is that the master minds, which instigate, mobilize, sponsor and
even armed the rioters, are allowed to go scot-free. They are never prosecuted or tried in any law
court, and if found guilty sentenced to a long term of prison sentence. Some of the people, who sponsor violent
conflicts, are the elites and powerful members of the society. The feeling is that these people are
untouchables and their followers see them as such. Many of these masterminds go back to plan
another rounds of n such conflicts and violence, since they are never been
brought to book for their heinous crimes.
The Police and other security outfits have not been
adequately trained to manage crises. The
use of police and other security outfits has left much to be desired. In most cases, the rioters are “too hot” for
the untrained and unsophisticated police to handle in times of violence
outbreak. The rioters are well equipped
and carry sophisticated firearms.
Volume 2, December
The judicial and other panels of enquiry on civil
disobedience and violence never had their recommendations implemented by
government. This is another reason why
conflict persists and keeps on reoccurring in Nigeria.
Another reason why
conflicts reoccur in Nigeria is the too much reliance on the official action
with little assistance from the civil society groups in the country. There must be a bottom to top approach to
conflict management than the top to bottom government approach. To prevent the reoccurrence of conflicts and
violence in the country, the government must go into partnership arrangement
with civil society and community leaders throughout the country. (Deng & Zartman, 1991).
THE WAY FORWARD
Conflict is generally perceived as unwholesome because of
its destructive manifestations in terms of killings, maiming and wanton
destruction of property, its impact on human and national development also
makes conflicts unpalatable.
Nigeria, with diverse ethnic, religious and political groups
should learn to embrace a culture of dialogue in managing, the endemic disputes
that pervades the country. The country’s
political leaders at all levels of government have a spearheading role to
play. They should stop making inciting
statements that will disunite us as a country and plunge the country into
crisis, but rather they should focus their attention on those things that
unites us and promote peaceful coexistence among the citizenry. The present crops of leaders in the country
have failed in the above role and instead they constantly promote tension in
the system, thereby consistently over-heating the polity.
These political elite deliberately fan the embers of
violence in order to promote their private interest. These leaders sponsor ethnic and religious
violence across the country. They
finance militant groups for hidden personal interest. The elites are behind the outbreak of most of
the crises in the country. Again, the
government must provide jobs for the jobless and restive youth across the
country. There is the need for a
national youth rehabilitation programme at all levels of government. Most youth engage in violence because they
are jobless.
These groups of people are idle and they need to be assisted
by government to kill boredom and inactivity.
It is therefore reasonable for government to engage them positively, by
providing jobs for them. Providing jobs
for them will re-direct their energy to productive activities that can enhance
the development of the country’s economy
Again, government needs to redesign the strategy in managing
crises in the country. For instance, the
use of military operatives to quell crises or to trouble-shoot internal civil
disobedience should not always be seen as the only best way to manage internal
crises. This method will merely compound
and aggravate the problems, military solution to manage crisis will only
increase the number of causality perpetuated untold hardship. It will lead to what
Conflicts and Political Instability in Nigeria:
Causes, Consequences Afegbua Issa
Afegbua and Prospects
the late Fela Anikulapo described
as a situation of sorrow, tears and blood in the lives of the rioters.
The Public should learn to have confidence in the judiciary. Groups, individuals and even governments must
learn to embrace the tradition of judicial settlement of disputes. The judiciary is first and foremost
established to arbitrate conflicts between individuals, groups and government
institutions. The public and government
at the three tiers of governance should give the judiciary the needed support
to be able to perform its duties objectively, effectively and without any
partiality.
Again, the National Assembly in conjunction with the
Executive arm of government in the country needs to work out an enduring crises
management and resolution. There should
be a need for committees on conflict management and resolution in the National
Assembly. There must also be a
department or unit in the presidency that will be in charge of conflict
management and resolution. Our leaders
need to create avenues for discussing and designing a popularly accepted
non-violent national strategy for managing conflicts in the country.
REFERENCES
Abia V.BE
(2008), “Understanding Nigerian Government and Politics” “Lagos: Gofaflash Publications
Abdullahi W (2004),” Beyond the Yobe Taliban War The comet”,
Lagos April 29
Agagu A.A and
Ola R.f (eds) (2004),” Dev Agenda of the Nigerian State” Lagos Flag Publishers.
Ajayi .A
(2004, ) “Afenifere to Revive NADECO against Obasanjo” Nigerian Tribune, Ibadan
2 April.
Ajayi. K
(2002Conflic), Management in Nigeria: The search for a national strategy
Conference Journal of management “volume
2 No 1 December.
Barratus, F. (1969),
Ethnic Groups and Boundaries, Beston: Little Brown & Co.
Ekiyor H.A. and Lawal, M. O. (eds) (2006)” Studies in
Nigerian Development” Lagos, Irede Printers
Limited.
Dudley B. (1988),
“Nigerian Government and Politics” London Macmillan.
Nioli, O. (2003),
Communal Conflict and Population Displacement: An introductory Note”
“in O.
Nnoli (ed) Communal conflict and population Displacement in Nigerian. Enugu,
Pan-African Centre for
Research.
Volume 2, December
Odunniyi, M.
(2004), “federal Government moves to halt unrest in Niger Delta” Thursday, Lagos, April, 2010.
Ogunmakin, O. (2003),
“ Cdossal loss to airlines, parastatals.
The Punch, Lagos, July, 9.
O’Neil, S. (2004) “Five killed in Delta gun battle” The
comet, Lagos, April, 29
Otite, O.
(1999) “On Conflicts, Their Resolution, Transformation, and management” in
O’otite and I. O Albert (eds). Community
Conflicts in Nigeria, Ibadan Spectrum.
Thanks Chris for the wonderful article which is very helpful. A prof wrote on THE IMPACT OF POLITICAL INSTABILITY ON IMPLEMENTATION OF NIGERIA POLICY ON SECONDARY EDUCATION It will help others
ReplyDeleteGood write up, really helpful.
ReplyDeleteNICE ONE
ReplyDelete