Majority-Minority Identity Context in Nigeria: Issues and Challenges
Comfort Erima Ugbem
Department of Sociology
Benue State University, Makurdi, Nigeria
Email: comfort_ugbem@biari.brown.edu
ABSTRACT
Identity is a critical aspect of social psychological theorizing and research. It has to do with how people acquire a sense of belonging and situate themselves in a wider social context. Identity defines ones relationship with “others” in the society and further structures individual and group interactions within the society. Issues of identity have been a constant feature in Nigeria’s social scene right from the colonial times till date. The paper focuses on the evolution of the majority minority identity context and examines the issues and challenges. The paper argues that the majority-minority identity context in Nigeria originated from the regional arrangement in the 1940s by the British colonialists and revolves around two major issues; the control of political power in concert with the armed forces, and judiciary and the control of economic power and resources. Issues of majority and minority identity are keenly contested and sometimes lead to violent and non-violent conflict thereby reconfiguring mutual social existence and the creation of fear and tension between ethnic groups. The paper therefore suggests restructuring of the Nigerian state and the creation of awareness by civil society, the academia and government on the positive uses of identity and its construction.
