From Amalgamation to Nationhood: A Critique of Nation Building Process in Nigeria Since 1960

Abstract

Nigeria as a nation has been grappling with issue relating to nation building since its independence in 1960. The historical antecedent of its diverse ethnic configuration cum political gimmicks and antics has shrouded the gains of her common existence as a modern state. This has undermined the unity of the nation while granting currency to the appellation of a mere geographical expression. The paper argues with concrete example with evidence derived from primary and secondary sources (oral and written) to demonstrate the cultural and economic interdependence among various regions of the country to present a narrative against the notoriety of a mere geographical expression. The paper maintains that, far from being a mere geographical expression Nigeria is and remain a classic of a modern state, the bane being the way our mutual existences have been mismanaged.