Development Held Hostage

The Roles of Ethnicity and Religion in the Quest for Achieving National Development

Abstract

The amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates in 1914 by the British colonial administration united peoples of diverse ethnic, religious and cultural-linguistic backgrounds into what has become the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This forced union, effected without due consultation, sowed the seeds of disunity (“unity in diversity”) that continue to undermine national development. Nigeria's multi-ethnic composition, compounded by political unrest, ethnic chauvinism, corruption, religious bigotry and other social vices, has crippled its progress. Against this background, the present paper examines the effects of ethnicity and religion on national development in Nigeria. The study employed a quantitative methodology, collecting data from 265 respondents via multi-stage cluster and purposive sampling techniques. The quantitative data were analysed using SPSS version 22 with descriptive statistics. Divide and Rule theory provided the theoretical framework. Findings reveal, among others, that ethnicity and religion exert a significant negative impact on national development. On the basis of these findings, it is recommended, among other measures, that Nigeria requires purposeful leadership with a clear vision for placing its citizens at the centre of development, irrespective of ethnic origin or religious affiliation.