1.1 Introduction
Ethnicity is a situation whereby people of a given territory shared a common belief, religion, culture, language, dressing, historical background, which may be different from others. If we accept the expressions of ethnic, religious and cultural preferences are a natural phenomenon and consistent with expression of individual liberty, then we realize that attempts to suppress such preferences are futile and cannot lead to peaceful coexistence. Instead, we need to better understand the positive roles that ethnicity and other characteristics with which individuals strongly identify with can play in the organization of societies (Offiong, 2001:30).
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
History provides us with the undeniable truth that Nigeria, as a politically independent in nation-state, was a product of the British colonial rule. Its policy of indirect rule culminated the amalgamation of the Northern and theSouthern Protectorates in 1914 by Sir Fredrick Lord Luggard, then Governor-General of the colony of Nigeria. Indeed, the amalgamation, which is oftentimes described as a marriage of inconvenience, incidentally laid the foundation for Nigeria’s continuous search for unity in order to achieve personal, social, economic and political goals and aspirations (Ekanola, 2006; Nwaoga, Nche & Olihe, 2014).
Ethnicity encompasses the behaviour of ethnic groups. Ethnic groups are groups with ascribed membership, usually but not always based on claims or myths of common history, ancestry, language, race, religion, culture and territory. While all these variables need not be present before a group is so defined, the important thing is that such a group is classified or categorised as having a common identity that distinguishes it from others. It is this classification by powerful agencies such as state, religious institutions and the intelligentsia such as local ethnic historians that objectifies the ethnic group, often setting in motion processes of self- identification or affirmation and recognition by others (Ukiwo, 2005). Thus, ethnicity is not so much a matter of “shared traits or cultural commonalities”, but the result of the interplay between external categorization and self- identification (Brubaker et al, 2004). Most analysts agree on the basic constitutive elements of ethnic groups but disagree on how and why they were formed, why ethnicity occurs, why it occasionally results in violent conflicts and what should be done to prevent its perverse manifestations. Also, in most cases, members of ethnic minority groups are faced with structural forms of discrimination and exclusion. Despite all these negative trends and events, however, it is not the case that the increase in ethnic diversity can be considered as a fundamental challenge for the stability and cohesion of a society.
This fact was rightly captured by Nwaorgu (2003), when he argued that the problem of ethnic suspicion created a situation where primordial opinions or views are oftentimes considered as national interest, and when such interest runs contrary to that of the other ethnic groups, they distant themselves and consider such an action or policy taken as counterproductive. Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Exploration of Ethnic Unity.
1.3 Statement of Problems
The problems of determination and measurement of the principle of Federal Character are published on educationally disadvantaged areas. Based on the principle, which aims at balancing the influence and position of the various ethnic groups in the country certain areas in the Northern region are regarded as educationally disadvantaged. People from the “so called disadvantaged areas” enjoy special privileges in “competitive” education. The objective of this principle is to make it possible for the Northerners to meet up with other ethnic groups who are presumed to be educationally advantaged.
The problem is in determining the degree of educational difference existing between the educationally disadvantaged and advantaged ethnic groups, and when it is expected that this gap will be filled. It is pertinent to ask if it is only in the educational sector that there exist disadvantaged areas.
The unresolved problem of ethnicity in the Federal Government of Nigeria has also developed national and administrative institutions in the Nigeria constitution such as federalism, federal character, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme, zoning system, Boundary Adjustment Commissions etc. Government officials and policy implementers frequently abuse the policies and destroy the major essence of those policies they were meant to implement. As a result, they not only fail to address the very problems for which they were designed to solve but also tend to generate ill feelings among and between ethnic groups (Otite, 1999; Olumba 2002).
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to scrutinize the Ethnic Unity in Nigeria. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To examine the factors affecting Nigeria economy as a result of the Ethnic group disunity
- To elicit information on the various ethnic groups that reside in Rivers State, Port Harcourt.
- To locate settlement patterns of the various ethnic groups
- To discover the method employed by the ethnic groupings to survive ethnic frictions.
- To proffer solution to the above stated problems impacting the Ethnic Unity in Nigeria
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- Is there any significant factor instigating the Ethnic group disunity in Nigeria?
- Are there any settlement patterns of the various ethnic groups in Nigeria?
- Is there any hindrance towards ethnicity unity development?
- What are the contributions of the various ethnic groups toward Nigeria economy development?
- What is the relevance of the unity of the various ethnic groups Nigeria?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
- H0: There is no significant factor instigating the Ethnic group disunity in Nigeria
- H1: There is a significant factor instigating the Ethnic group disunity in Nigeria
1.7 Significance of Study
This study will be of immense benefit to researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.
1.8 Scope of Study
The study focuses on the Exploration of Ethnic Unity of Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba in Nigeria.
1.9 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
