CULTURE OF VIOLENCE AND ITS MANIFESTATIONS IN NIGERIA: A CRITICAL VIEW

Abstract

Peace is an indispensable condition for the development and growth of human in the society. Nonetheless peace is thwarted and scuttled and seems to have eluded human sine-dine because of his inherent culture of violence intrinsic in his nature at least in the Hobbesian perspective, which has the elements of injustice, hatred, selfishness and tendency toward violence, among others. Anyone conscious of the happenings in Nigeria, cannot but agree that most part of the country hardly enjoy the state of tranquility because of the unjust culture (the culture of violence) prevalent in the country. Violence can be noticed in all the Geo-Political zones of the country from North to South, East to West and Central. If the country is not dealing with Boko Haram insurgency from the North East, it is trying to handle kidnapping activities in the South, or is making effort to reduce the harm caused by Herdersmen-farmers clash in North central or is trying to arrest the situation in the North West caused by Banditry and killings in Kaduna. These have affected millions of people and have resulted in lost opportunities relative to economic development, persistent poverty and inequality in the country. Beyond these are the insecurity and death these have caused. The work adopted the method of analysis as it helped in examining the fundamental cause of all these challenges. Thus, this paper attempts to highlight and examine the Culture of Violence and its various manifestations in Nigeria. The study concluded that to reduce the culture of violence in Nigeria, we need to consciously transform, reintegrate and re-orientate the minds of men and women to embrace peace by going back to our communal root. This is because; it makes for a peaceful, progressive and harmonious coexistence in the society.