Ethnic Diversity as Tool of Good Governance in Nigerian Political Dialectics
Author(s)
Chika J. B. Gabriel Okpalike*
Affiliation(s)
Department of Religion and Human Relations, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.
Department of Religion and Human Relations, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.
ABSTRACT
The principles of Good Governance presume peoples, nations, systems, corporations, cultures and so forth. These entities are what must be found at the backdrop of a possible Good Governance in Nigeria. Meanwhile the collapse of any civilization; the decay of any society; the death of the human spirit in any epoch is often heralded by the deterioration of culture. In other words anarchy in and disintegration of any society are consequent upon a decline, decadence, misconstrue or neglect in the culture of that society. Identifying the veritable Nigerian culture is a task outside whose accomplishment Good Governance in the country remains a farce, because it is a people who generate culture and a culture which grounds Good Governance. The quest for Good Governance in Nigeria is a pipe dream; a flight of fancy in as much as the Nigerian people is phantom and their culture inanity. Meanwhile it is more convenient to talk about the people, culture, language and religion of Nigeria in plural terms. Therefore we can only say Nigerian cultures, languages and religions. It was John S. Mbiti [1] and Emefie I. Metuh [2] who had agreed on this plurality only in terms of African Religions. Plurality as diversity is the essential character of Nigeria. We may conveniently talk about the Igbo (Likewise Yoruba, Hausa, Kalabari, Ogoni, Ibibio, Tiv and so on) culture, language, religion, people and so forth. Yet even at that, what we mean can easily identify with the past and dying ways of the people which the present recalls according to the strength of their hindsight, but which has no relevance at all on the life of those who commemorate them. This article from a phenomenological perspective understands culture as a unified way of life that binds a people together and identifies its absent presence in Nigeria with the inevitable consequence of the illusiveness of Good Governance. It then opens the vistas of another possibility of building Good Governance on the same diversity.
The principles of Good Governance presume peoples, nations, systems, corporations, cultures and so forth. These entities are what must be found at the backdrop of a possible Good Governance in Nigeria. Meanwhile the collapse of any civilization; the decay of any society; the death of the human spirit in any epoch is often heralded by the deterioration of culture. In other words anarchy in and disintegration of any society are consequent upon a decline, decadence, misconstrue or neglect in the culture of that society. Identifying the veritable Nigerian culture is a task outside whose accomplishment Good Governance in the country remains a farce, because it is a people who generate culture and a culture which grounds Good Governance. The quest for Good Governance in Nigeria is a pipe dream; a flight of fancy in as much as the Nigerian people is phantom and their culture inanity. Meanwhile it is more convenient to talk about the people, culture, language and religion of Nigeria in plural terms. Therefore we can only say Nigerian cultures, languages and religions. It was John S. Mbiti [1] and Emefie I. Metuh [2] who had agreed on this plurality only in terms of African Religions. Plurality as diversity is the essential character of Nigeria. We may conveniently talk about the Igbo (Likewise Yoruba, Hausa, Kalabari, Ogoni, Ibibio, Tiv and so on) culture, language, religion, people and so forth. Yet even at that, what we mean can easily identify with the past and dying ways of the people which the present recalls according to the strength of their hindsight, but which has no relevance at all on the life of those who commemorate them. This article from a phenomenological perspective understands culture as a unified way of life that binds a people together and identifies its absent presence in Nigeria with the inevitable consequence of the illusiveness of Good Governance. It then opens the vistas of another possibility of building Good Governance on the same diversity.
Cite this paper
Okpalike, C. (2015) Ethnic Diversity as Tool of Good Governance in Nigerian Political Dialectics. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 3, 142-151. doi: 10.4236/jss.2015.36021.
Okpalike, C. (2015) Ethnic Diversity as Tool of Good Governance in Nigerian Political Dialectics. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 3, 142-151. doi: 10.4236/jss.2015.36021.
References
[1] Mbiti, J.S. (1975) African Religions and Philosophy. Heinemann Publishers, London. [2] Metuh, E.I. (1987) Comparative Studies of African Traditional Religion. IMICO Publishers, Jos. [3] Achebe, C. (1983) The Trouble with Nigeria. Fourth Dimension Publishers, Enugu. [4] Nwankwo, A.A. (1980) Nigeria: The Challenge of Biafra. Fourth Dimension Publishers, Enugu, 9. [5] Rosenfelder, M. (2015) How to tell if you are American. The Metaverse. http://www.zompist.com/amercult.html [6] Curry, T. (2006) Nigeria. Countries and Their Cultures. http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Nigeria.html [7] O’Neil, D. (2006) What Is Culture. Human Culture: An Introduction to the Characteristics of Culture and the Methods used by Anthropologists to Study It. http://anthro.palomar.edu/culture/culture_1.htm [8] Okolo, B.C. (1993) African Social and Political Philosophy. Fulladu Press, Nsukka. [9] Buckley, W.F. (1974) Racism in Black Africa. Toronto Sun (April 6). [10] Babatope, E. (1981) Coups: Africa and the Barracks Revolts. Fourth Dimension Publishers, Enugu. [11] Okolo, B.C. (1993) African Social and Political Philosophy. Fulladu Press, Nsukka, 77. [12] Achebe, C. (1983) The Trouble with Nigeria. Fourth Dimension Publishers, Enugu. [13] Joseph, R.A. (1999) Democracy and Prebendal Politics in Nigeria. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 44. [14] Kroeber, A.L. (1953) Anthropology Today. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. [15] Onwuejeogwu, M.A. (2007) The Social Anthropology of Africa. Heinemann Publishers, Ibadan. [16] Anderson, M.L. and Taylor, H.F. (2004) Sociology: Understanding a Diverse Society. Thompson Learning Inc., Canada, 528. [17] Onwubiko, O.A. (1991) African Thought, Religion and Culture. SNAAP Press, Enugu, 14. [18] Onwubiko, O.A. (1991) African Thought, Religion and Culture. SNAAP Press, Enugu, 21. [19] Uwalaka, J. (2003) The Struggle for an Inclusive Nigeria: Igbos: To Be or Not to Be? SNAAP Press, Enugu, 50. [20] Odimegwu, I. (2007) African Communalism and the Search for African Personhood. In: Odimegwu, I., Ed., Perspectives on African Communalism, Trafford Publishing, Victoria, British Columbia, 201-217. [21] Ojukwu, E.O. (1989) Because I am Involved. Spectrum Publications, Ibadan. [22] Ojukwu, E.O. (1989) Because I am Involved. Spectrum Publications, Ibadan, 3-4. [23] Rosenfelder, M. (2015) How to Tell If You Are American. The Metaverse. http://www.zompist.com/amercult.html
[1] Mbiti, J.S. (1975) African Religions and Philosophy. Heinemann Publishers, London. [2] Metuh, E.I. (1987) Comparative Studies of African Traditional Religion. IMICO Publishers, Jos. [3] Achebe, C. (1983) The Trouble with Nigeria. Fourth Dimension Publishers, Enugu. [4] Nwankwo, A.A. (1980) Nigeria: The Challenge of Biafra. Fourth Dimension Publishers, Enugu, 9. [5] Rosenfelder, M. (2015) How to tell if you are American. The Metaverse. http://www.zompist.com/amercult.html [6] Curry, T. (2006) Nigeria. Countries and Their Cultures. http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Nigeria.html [7] O’Neil, D. (2006) What Is Culture. Human Culture: An Introduction to the Characteristics of Culture and the Methods used by Anthropologists to Study It. http://anthro.palomar.edu/culture/culture_1.htm [8] Okolo, B.C. (1993) African Social and Political Philosophy. Fulladu Press, Nsukka. [9] Buckley, W.F. (1974) Racism in Black Africa. Toronto Sun (April 6). [10] Babatope, E. (1981) Coups: Africa and the Barracks Revolts. Fourth Dimension Publishers, Enugu. [11] Okolo, B.C. (1993) African Social and Political Philosophy. Fulladu Press, Nsukka, 77. [12] Achebe, C. (1983) The Trouble with Nigeria. Fourth Dimension Publishers, Enugu. [13] Joseph, R.A. (1999) Democracy and Prebendal Politics in Nigeria. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 44. [14] Kroeber, A.L. (1953) Anthropology Today. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. [15] Onwuejeogwu, M.A. (2007) The Social Anthropology of Africa. Heinemann Publishers, Ibadan. [16] Anderson, M.L. and Taylor, H.F. (2004) Sociology: Understanding a Diverse Society. Thompson Learning Inc., Canada, 528. [17] Onwubiko, O.A. (1991) African Thought, Religion and Culture. SNAAP Press, Enugu, 14. [18] Onwubiko, O.A. (1991) African Thought, Religion and Culture. SNAAP Press, Enugu, 21. [19] Uwalaka, J. (2003) The Struggle for an Inclusive Nigeria: Igbos: To Be or Not to Be? SNAAP Press, Enugu, 50. [20] Odimegwu, I. (2007) African Communalism and the Search for African Personhood. In: Odimegwu, I., Ed., Perspectives on African Communalism, Trafford Publishing, Victoria, British Columbia, 201-217. [21] Ojukwu, E.O. (1989) Because I am Involved. Spectrum Publications, Ibadan. [22] Ojukwu, E.O. (1989) Because I am Involved. Spectrum Publications, Ibadan, 3-4. [23] Rosenfelder, M. (2015) How to Tell If You Are American. The Metaverse. http://www.zompist.com/amercult.html