POLITICAL LEADERSHIP AND NATIONAL INTEGRATION IN NIGERIA: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE 1979 FEDERAL CHARACTER PRINCIPLE AND CONTEMPORARY POLITICS

Abstract

Addressing the national integration course by the various past administrations in Nigeria seems to appear as a rather unrealisable task, most especially in relation to state-building and nation-building. Since the inception of the entity called Nigeria, efforts have been made to ensure policies geared towards national integration. How has this fared? Has Nigeria been able to achieve national integration? With such impediments such as ethnocentrism, poor leadership, socio-economic cum religious factors, geographical elements, amongst others, the idea of building a united Nigeria seems far-fetched. Despite the efforts by past administrations through different policy measures and programmes such as the infusion of the federal character into the 1979 Constitution of Nigeria in a bid to address this anomaly, the country has through the years seem to majestically walk down the drain of disunity. This paper examines the national integration course in Nigeria through the years with focus on the ‘Federal Character Principleâ€. It argues that this Principle was built on a wrong foundation which invariably presupposes failure. It attempts to unearth other reasons why national integration in Nigeria has remained a failure throughout time. The qualitative and quantitative methods of research was employed in the course of this work and data were collated and critically analysed from secondary sources i.e., books, journals, internet materials, government publications, etcetera. There is optimism that with the introduction of certain inclusive policy measures by purposeful political leadership, the goal of national integration will be a won course. The paper therefore, concludes that in other to achieve a unified Nigeria, a consensual truce must be reached by the leaders and the different ethnic groups across the country.