ethnic and religious conflicts in nigeriaethnic and religious conflicts in nigeria

However, there is uncertainty about the exact percentages, hence various sources give different figures. The church has played an important role in civil society in anti-military struggles and democratisation. And of course, corruption is considered to be one of the main causes of ethno-religious conflicts (Nwankwo 2015). WebNigeria has over 270 ethnic groups who speak over 370 languages. Another way to think about it: violence may fall along ethnic and religious lines, but it is not necessarily driven by those distinctions. This article examines the extent to which ethno-religious conflicts have affected sustainable development in Nigeria. Salawu, B. Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi (200607) Conflict Although there are over 400 languages in Nigeria, only three are considered important while the rest are considered minor languages. A majority of the scientific academic sources accept that the half of the population is Christian, the other half Muslim. By entering your email and clicking subscribe, you're agreeing to receive announcements from CFR about our products and services, as well as invitations to CFR events. The All Progressive Congress (APC) submitted a south/north Muslim/Muslim ticket, which some critics label as being insensitive and divisive. Processes related to identity are located at the core of the individual and yet in the core of his community culture (Erikson 1968:57; Okpanachi 2010). In recent times, for instance, the militarisation of Boko Haram has undermined Nigerias stability and placed the country under constant threat. 2010. They live in a region for approximately 3 to 5 years before moving another few kilometers within the Abet. The fourth understanding is based on the perception that Boko Haram is utilised by the elites from the North to express their grievances over lack of interest demonstrated by the central government. A peak of the crisis appears to have occurred during the civil war of the 1960s, which began shortly after independence (Okpanachi 2010). It is generally accepted that the inefficacy of politicians in Nigeria at the points of good governance, national consolidation and economic development has caused political cleavages, social disintegration and massive unemployment (Kura 2010:36; Muasu 2011:19-20; Ogbeidi 2012:21). Violence spread to Jos plateau especially after a Christian was appointed as a Local Council Chairman. Ethnic violence has been witnessed in almost all regions in the country but with particular frequency in the Niger Delta, the Muslim North and Northwest, and along the middle-belt (Uzodike and Whetho 2011:220). Africa Up Close is the blog of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars' Blog of the Africa Program, Africa Up Close provides a nexus for analysis, ideas, and innovation for and from Africa.. on Ethnicity, Religion, and Polarization in Nigeria, Governance and Emerging Global Challenges, Peacebuilding, Development and the New Economic Paradigm, African Women and Youth as Agents of Change through Technology and Innovation, Ethno-religious considerations polarize Nigerians in leadership selection, politicians and religious leaders in Nigeria, impart virtues that encourage peacebuilding. Between 1999 and 2013, numerous conflicts have been witnessed in Nigeria. This elasticity of identity avoids coming up with an all new identity for the particular role and circumstance. Identity is characterised by features such as an emotive tie to a group, love and belief for a group, pledge to a cause, and commitments and duties to a group with which a person identifies (Smyth and Robinson 2001:7-11; Okpanachi 2010). This difference was further exacerbated as they did not speak the native Yoruba language unlike the settled Fulani people who did. Meanwhile, the Bangu and Sokoto had developed a working relationship with the Yoruba people of Nigeria. Eriksen, Thomas H. 1996. A paper delivered at a conference on Muslim-Christian Cooperationinstates of Nigeria. 4 (2018): 125. The Fulani people would trade any commodities they extracted from their cattle to the Yorubas for their crops. Migration, land tenure, citizenship and communal conflicts in Africa. In this sense, Nigeria, with the largest Christian plus Muslim population in the world, can be defined as a cleft country and then a test case of Huntingtons Clash of Civilisations thesis (Paden 2007; Olojo 2014:7). Since this paper has been mostly concentrated on conflicts in the North, the religious factor might be highlighted due to the decisive religious cleavages in this region. Examples of such ethno-religious conflicts are the Kafanchan-Kaduna crisis that occurred in the 1980s and 1990s, the Kaduna Sharia riots of 2000 and the Jos riots of 20012(Osaghae and Suberu 2005:19). Muslims in Nigeria include Sufi, Izala, womens organizations, student organizations, emirate traditions, and ordinary people, as well as Boko Haram extremists. Abstract: This paper examines the relationship between the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and death toll resulting from ethno-religious conflicts in Nigeria. Muslim-Christian cooperation for conflict prevention/management, peace building and reconciliation in Northern Nigeria. Currently, the conflict between Fulani herders and other Nigerian farmers have intensified. It is possible to count Wahhabism, Salafism and Islamic fundamentalism as the basic items of the Boko Harams ideology. Following events in Iran during the Islamic revolution of 1979, radical fundamentalist activities increased among Muslim youths. There has never been a joint ticket by one religious faith until political parties unveiled their presidential aspirants and the running mates ahead of the 2023 general elections. An Identity in Quests for Self-Determination: The Case of The appropriation of state resources by certain hands makes poverty and bitter anger inevitable aspects of daily socio-economic and political routine. Boko Haram: History, ideas and revolt, Soludo, Chukwuma C. 2007. Roach, Morgan L. 2012. If we mention them chronologically for instance, the 1963 Census certified 36% Christian, 48% Muslim and 16% other. Boko Haram appears to be largely an indigenous movement, and there is little evidence of strategic or tactical cooperation between the Islamic State or al-Qaeda affiliates and Boko Haram, though they share a common belief system, are murderously hostile to Christians, and have exchanged various forms of communication, the significance of which remains unclear. The opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of the authors. Its strength and importance is dynamic and differs from group to group. With respect to Nigeria, Fox cites the recent killing of eleven and the wounding of thirty in Gombe. Ethnic Religious and ethnic conflicts are likely to escalate as two other northern states, Niger and Sokoto, have bills to enforce sharia law expected to take effect in May this year. Shehu, Sani 2011. From one perspective, the failure of the Nigerian political elite to enact good governments, promote national integration and foster good economic progress via thoughtful and pronounced policies has resulted in massive unemployment. However, the importance of the conflict in the North comes from its global origin. This politicisation of religious identities during contests for political office often lacks any sustaining unifying ideology. This stems from the dry season coinciding with the peak of cow fertility and the production of milk. These relatively new sentiments that depend on a unique and radical interpretation of Islam provoke conflicts with the traditional and/or more moderate understandings. Similarly, Afrobarometer found 56% Christian, 43% Muslim and 1% other, also in 2008. Religious matters are intricately tied to Nigerias constitutional and governance regimes. Shettima Mustapha (200809) The conflict in Plateau state is economic and ethnic with a religious dimension. RELIGION WebTheir ethnic make-up, social statistics, and post-colonial experiences are vastly different. Global Health Program, Book Ethnic Conflicts and Nigeria. General introduction: Identity transformation and the politics of identity under crisis and adjustment. And therefore none of these crises could easily be classified as solely religious or ethnic. [17] This notion has contributed to the migration of Fulani herdsmen from the North towards southwest Nigeria. These parties later transformed into The National Party of Nigeria (NPN), the Nigerian People Party (NPP) and the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) during the second republic (Edoh 2001:87). Nigeria Ethnic Conflicts and Nigeria. Ethno-religious conflict and sustainable development in Nigeria Religious Religious violence in Nigeria - Wikipedia Rakov, Simon A. Edoh, T. 2001. religious violence between Christian and Muslim communities, clashes between the Itsekiri and the Ijaw, "Backgrounder: Communal conflicts in Nigeria", "Nigeria Social Violence Project Summary", "Ethno-religious Conflicts and the Elusive Quest for National Identity in Nigeria", "The Unending Cycle of Violence in Kaduna THISDAYLIVE", "Nigeria's Pernicious Drivers of Ethno-Religious Conflict", "KILLINGS IN BENUE, PLATEAU AND TARABA STATES", "Understanding the Herder-Farmer Conflict in Nigeria", "Environmental cooperation as a pathway to resolve Nigeria's deadly farmer-herder conflicts", "Horrors on the Plateau: Inside Nigeria's farmer-herder conflict", "The forgotten farmer-herdsmen conflict in middle belt states Nigeria | MSF", "Changing Dynamics of Conflict and Peacebuilding Among Farmer-Herder Communities in Nigeria's Middle Belt Region", "How Climate Change Influences Herdsmen in Nigeria", "Farmer-Herder Clashes Amplify Challenge for Beleaguered Nigerian Security", "Fulani empire | historical empire, Africa", "The Fulani Jihad and its Implication for National Integration and Development in Nigeria", "Making sense of Nigeria's Fulani-farmer conflict", "Double-edged Sword: Vigilantes in African Counter-insurgencies", "Herders against Farmers: Nigeria's Expanding Deadly Conflict", "2 NIGER DELTA DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION (NDDC) AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE OIL PRODUCING COMMUNITIES: A CASE STUDY OF RIVERS STATE", NIGERIA: Special Report on Ethnic Violence, Ife Modakeke Clash: Guess What Ooni's Planning. Poverty and injustice caused by corruption weaken any sense of mutual tolerance, social solidarity or coexistence, while reawakening social hatred, radicalism and violence. He was a Southern Voices Network for Peacebuilding (SVNP) Scholar during the summer 2022 (May to August) term at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C. Photo credit:Muslim faithfuls praying under a bridge in Lagos, Nigeria, June 20, 2020 byOluwafemi Dawodu/Shutterstock.com. The different steps that individuals and groups take to express ethno-religious identity in Nigeria tend to complicate cleavages without showing strong peacebuilding drives. This paper also looks at the notion of Identity and how it explains the crisis of development and complexities in modern Nigeria. For that reason, it is difficult to distinguish ethnic conflicts from religious ones in this country. Ethnic and Religious Diversity on Nigerias Several hundred lives were lost during the Kaduna crisis of 2000 and the Jos insurrection of 2001. The sensitivity of religion in Nigeria has been of great concern for quite a while. Many Yoruba and Hausa people were killed before a dusk to dawn curfew was imposed on the Sagamu town. As a consequence, religion attains the level of deification that is difficult to challenge or overpower. Ubah and B. Dogo eds. Other recent ethno-religious conflicts include the July 1999 conflict among the Oro cultists in Sagamu in Ogun state who claimed that the Hausa women had come outside when the cultists were outside with their gnome. Ikelegbe, Augustine 2001. You can review our Privacy Policy and POPIA information, http://www.ijwp.org/2010/06/resolving-conflicts-in-nation-states/#more-258, https://archivocienciassociales.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/manuel_castells_the_power_of_identity_the_, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ni.html, https://books.google.com.cy/books?id=orO0DRiPvGMC&pg=PA141&hl=tr&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=4#v=onepage&q&f=false, http://www.africaeconomicanalysis.org/articles/gen/corruptiondikehtm.html, https://books.google.com.cy/books?id=nU5fOXojbT4C&pg=PA29&lpg=PA29&dq=an+average+Nigerian+is+very+religious&source=bl&ots=8MlQvK9_F-&sig=1u8hwlSHO-9AXIALFDyo5s3HcVc&hl=tr&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiM18DDpo_OAhUHLhoKHcxoDPEQ6AEIJjAC, https://books.google.com.ng/books?id=_o7WNA3iMKsC&printsec=frontcover&hl=tr#v=onepage&q=inventiveness&f=false, http://law.emory.edu/eilr/_documents/volumes/25/2/articles/green.pdf, https://www.hrw.org/news/2001/10/25/nigeria-soldiers-massacre-civilians-revenge-attack-benue-state, http://samples.sainsburysebooks.co.uk/9781134326945_sample_503404.pdf. The methods employed include religious violence and military coups dtat. Turkish dilemma after Operation Desert Storm (1990-1991): An analysis of negative consequences. Available from: <. The upsurge of ethno-religious sentiments and the future of democracy in Nigeria. Based on this understanding, it is common in Nigeria to observe that as a consequence or an after-effect of a military period, the application of both force and intimidation as a means of settling a misunderstanding has become very frequent. [31] Hence, herders and farmers take it upon themselves to solve the conflicts existing within the community which invigorates conflict. Most weekdays. Most ask for religious and ethnic rights within their state. Religion and Foreign Policy Webinars. The other group kept their pastoral ways intact and did not intermesh with any other tribes. Oluduro, Olubayo 2010. There is also an important criminal elementinvolving bandits and cattle rustlers. Religious Conflicts In Nigeria Since poverty and unemployment have acted as the mainstay for various ethno-religious conflicts in the country, an accumulation of pauperised people can end up acting as paid militants. This is most appealing in the selection of political leaders at all levels, and sharing of other sensitive positions. In recent times, socio-economic and political changes have taken place and transformed the delineations of identities and politics in Nigeria. This seems to fit the description in thearticle. Ethnic Conflicts and Nigeria. Since the restoration of democratic rule, ethnic identity and mobilisation in the Nigerian political landscape has often resulted in political instability and constant conflicts. This research explores how hate speech drives ethno-religious conflicts and its The issue has permeated the landscape since the colonial period and up till the present As a consequence, the Odua People Congress (a Yoruba militia) was formed and worsened the situation as the violence later spread southwards to Kano (Enukora 2005:633; Kura 2010:34). This differentiation underlies the North-South cleavage. African countries have been affected the most by climate change globally. Different religious sects and infighting commonly occur among the ranks of Muslims and Christians. Rotberg, Robert I. Therefore, the differentiating outcomes of colonialism became the forerunner of the socio-economic disequilibrium among the different regions, and then this became an important factor in the stimulation of identity awareness so as to efficiently divide and rule (Fearon and Laitin 2003:82; Okpanachi 2010). IFRA-Nigeria working papers series, no. These are only a few examples of inter-religious conflicts in Nigeria, since not a year passes without three to four incidences of inter-religious conflicts. In conflicts of this nature occurring along the convergence of ethnic and religious lines, it is often very difficult to tell the differences between religious and ethnic crises because the dividing line between them is slimmer than thin. However, the distribution of these languages is directly proportional to both political and socio-economic power, and therefore the language group to which one belongs defines his/her status in the society. Religion 29 Ibid. With regard to the numerous conflicts and the Boko Haram menace in particular, the countrys stability is under constant threat. Insecurity and violence have led many populations to create self-defence forces and ethnic militias, which have engaged in further violence. Prior to this, the Fulani people had migrated into the southwestern Nigeria region centuries ago. Thousands of Nigerians have been left dead, wounded and homeless over the years due to constant religious strife pitting people of different religions against each other (Okpanachi 2010). World Population Prospects 2005. Religious conflicts in Nigeria Aliyu Mohammed Gusau (201415) Ethno-Religious Conflicts and National Security in Nigeria Background Nigeria is a diverse country manifested by culture, religion, ethnicity, language, climate, occupation, and education. Ethno Religious Conflicts and Democracy in Nigeria State, Ethnic Militias, and Conflict in Nigeria Because of a complicated network of politically silent identities, coupled with a history of protracted and seemingly stubborn wars and instability, Nigeria is high on the list as one of the most unstable states in Africa. 33, pp. The diversity in the scientific findings and literature was probably caused by researchers focusing on different groups in Nigeria. Corruption in Nigeria: A new paradigm for effective control. This is the idea behind the federal character principle in the Constitution to encourage balancing in political leadership positions and thereby douse any imminent ethno-religious tensions in the country. Ethnic solidarity has also faced opposition from religious mobilisations by the Muslims and the Christians especially in the Muslim North. Recent studies on religious identity have also underscored the positive function of religion in promotion of peace. and M.E. Extreme leaders from both sides played effective roles to motivate the young people to take part in this ethno-religious conflict. Ethnic [citation needed] Furthermore, it is easier to herd animals in these open land spaces rather than in condense areas replete of bushes. This makes the conflict in the North more interesting for the rest of the world and this is the main reason for the emphasis on the subject in this paper. Social forces, then, strongly affect identity building and formation (Okpanachi 2010). However, politicisation of Christianity has been reliant on moves by the Muslims and the interventions of the government. [citation needed] This led to friction to become quite common among these two groups. Ethnicity can often correspond to a particular religion, both of which can sometimes correspond to a distinct way of life. In: Yakubu, Alhaji M., R.T. Adegboye, C.N. Fearon, James and David Laitin 2003. This has been made possible through umbrella bodies such as the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), and the Catholic Bishops Conference (Osaghae and Suberu 2005:11). 134 pages, Kindle Edition Published June 19, 2023 Book details & editions About the author Francis Origa Ratings Friends Following Available from: <. 2005. Muslims also belong to a number of sub-cleavages that include Ahmadiyya 12%, Sanusiyya 5%, Tijanniyya 3%, and Quadriyya 8% which have in turn been in conflicts. This is then seen as the inevitable character of heterogeneous nation-states (Gordon Anderson 2010; anc and en 2010:290). Abstract. Nigeria: 'at least 50 killed' in communal clashes. In the traditional models of Nigerian ethnic politics, emphasis was on competition among the countrys three largest groups the Hausa-Fulani, the Yoruba and the Igbo. Web27 Lasse Heerten and Dirk Moses, Postcolonial Conflict and the Question of Genocide: The NigeriaBiafra War, 19671970 (New York: Routledge, 2018).