Nigeria is a nation in the sub Africa continent that is made up of thirty-six (36) states. It has no fewer than 360 ethnic groups and more than 290 languages. There are three principal and recognized religious organizations existing in the country. They are Christianity, Islam and Paganism. So many factors are militating against the socio-political development of the country. These factors are ranging from linguistics, religion to ethnicity. Inter-ethnic relations simply means interactions between different ethnic groups. The interaction processes can take place through trading, marriages, burials amongst several others.
For any country to develop economically, politically and socially, its various ethnic groups or nationalities must be at peace with one another. Hence, no nation can develop in the atmosphere of rancour and acrimony. Prior to the coming of the colonial masters the different ethnic groups in Nigeria were existing distinctly. However, independent city states and nations were living in harmony. Though periodically inter tribal wars occurred, but that did not completely erode the cordial relationship existing between the different communities especially in the area of commerce.
Nigeria as a heterogeneous society is now facing series of challenges and the most paramount one is the security of lives of its citizenry. The various ethnic groups are no longer living in unison with their neighbours, such poor relationship could not foster any development.
So many Nigerians including several public office holders are not feeling the painful impact of the missing school girls from the Government Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State. What kind of country are we living?
The National Youth Service Corp (NYSC), the brain child of General Yakubu Gowon, the former head of states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which is one of the integrating institutions in the Nigerian society, has come to an era it will go into oblivion. Very soon it will be in extinction.
Shortly after the 2011 general election, violence broke out in the northern part of the country, where many youth corpers in their place of primary assignments were brutally killed. What a shame to national integration and co-existence! Nigeria is a country blessed with natural resources which include: crude oil, tin, copper, groundnut, diamond, coal and others.
No ethnic group can survive without seeking help from the other(s). We have come to an age where independency has given way to dependency. No man is an island of himself. The various ethnic groups that made up the Nigerian society irrespective of their belief system, tradition and religion there is need for them to co-exist peacefully for the development of the country. ###
Damiete West
08037502931
