Can Nigerians ever get along?

A nation’s history is embedded in its foundation. Without an honest understanding of it, progress and success become impossible.

It is the invariant opinion of many Nigerians that Nigeria’s roots lie in a forced amalgamation designed primarily to serve British interests of territorial expansion and revenue collection. Unification was never genuinely intended to create a cohesive nation, a sentiment expressed by northern elites in the early years. For instance, in 1948, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa noted, “Since 1914 the British Government has been trying to make Nigeria into one country, but the Nigerian people… do not show themselves any sign of willingness to unite.” This skepticism still lingers today, as evidenced by groups like Boko Haram that exploit these historic divisions to advance their violent agendas. After more than a century of pursuing peace and progress amid persistent discord, Nigeria finds itself in a critical moment of reflection.

The amalgamation of Nigeria’s northern and southern regions in 1914, orchestrated by British Governor-General Lord Lugard, was intended to unify the nation. However, the subsequent century has seen growing discontent, with many Nigerians questioning the very basis of this union. As people sift through history, the merger has come to represent an unbearable burden—one that has deepened societal divisions rather than fostered cohesion. For millions across ethnic lines, Nigeria’s creation was not a “marriage made in heaven” but rather an imposed arrangement.

Many Nigerians also believe that the nation’s formation was marked by deceit and a lack of genuine purpose. The British overlords, as well as Nigerians themselves, had no realistic hope for the success of the union. This shaky foundation has been at the heart of the nation’s ongoing challenges. Corruption, tribalism, and divisive rhetoric are symptomatic of the broader issue: a lack of commitment to a shared national identity. Consequently, many groups across Nigeria now advocate for dismantling a nation they see as inherently flawed. Achieving a true sense of nationhood requires leaders and citizens genuinely invested in Nigeria’s future—people who can see beyond tribal affiliations to embrace a common destiny.
There is a video now going viral showing how an officer in a government parastatal filled up that arm of government with almost 90% of her kith and kin as employees. Employment was denied to other Nigerians just because they did not spring from her ethnic group and state. That is the state of our nation today. And that seems to be the mindset of most Nigerians when they are in privileged positions to hire Nigeria’s workforce and award contracts. Ethnic and tribal considerations are prime in the hearts and minds of these characters. And that is why I ask this question this week: will Nigeria’s ethnic blocks ever get along?

Today, Nigeria is more divided than ever. The giant of Africa is torn apart by ethnic and political divisions. A sense of injustice pervades, fueled by those in power who have long dominated the machinery of governance. Communication among Nigeria’s diverse ethnic groups is deteriorating, marked by rising anger, distrust, and animosity. Without urgent intervention, the nation risks a catastrophic collapse, with visible evidence of this disintegration across political, social, religious, and economic arenas. From ethnic intolerance to economic stagnation, poverty, and social unrest, the symptoms of a fractured state are evident. As leaders appear increasingly detached, the nation faces a crisis of unity, with allegiance often aligning strictly along ethnic lines.

Up till today, louder rants of impending belligerence and deafening noise from the tom-tom of wars are still beaten by certain people in Nigeria. The charged and tense atmosphere which appears like a screaming signage of a dangerously- looming feud makes me tremor endlessly in concern, fear, and apprehension of what the future holds for this country.  Nigeria is on the precipitous escarpment and on a free-fall into the abyss of unquenchable self-set inferno. All the talks from coast-to-coast and region to region are tough and taunting; they are also threatening and treacherous.
 I hear militants in both the North and the South on television and radio blustering and bragging about how they intend to subdue their enemies. Gunshots are rattling in far-away forests, bombs are booming in busy cities, and there is confusion pervading the landscape. The North wants to go to Cameroon, the Southwest wants to stand alone, the Niger Delta wants the oil to itself, and the Southeast wants out of the amalgamation. The auditorium where the ongoing national conference is taking place is filled wall-to-wall with shrieks, shouts, hollers of hate, resistance speeches, and dumb demands. The colloquy now serves as a standing mirror through which Nigeria truly sees itself.  The Western world’s ‘prophetic’ word that Nigeria will cease to exist in 2015 seems to be fast coming to fulfillment, while the lunatic mercantilists in our midst who profit from troubling times are counting down to a big payday that we pray will never come.

Those who are fanning the embers of resentment and hate may have no understanding of the grimness of the grave they are digging. Nigeria’s death, God forbid, will be painful, gory, sorry, and there will be gnashing of teeth. Those who want the oil and precious metals will be spitting and dancing on Nigeria’s grave and later write memoirs about a foolish people from a foolish country who never really appreciated how good God had been to them, and who never understood that what brought them together was much more than what pulled them apart.

In his memoir, African Encounter: A Doctor in Nigeria(1961), Irish Doctor Robert Collis highlighted the deep-rooted distrust between northern and southern Nigerians. He described how northerners historically enslaved and mistreated Southerners, making the British effort to create a unified nation an uphill task. This sentiment of resistance and separation has contributed significantly to Nigeria’s struggles for unity and national identity.

Despite the bleak outlook, there remains hope for Nigeria’s unity. Growing up in cities like Ibadan and Lagos, the author recalls a time when people from diverse backgrounds coexisted harmoniously. Nigeria is a good idea in need of reformation, and the time for honesty about its challenges is now, as the nation marks over 100 years of existence. President Jonathan’s National Conference, for example, is one potential avenue for addressing longstanding grievances.

The widespread calls for disintegration stem from decades of misrule and neglect by leaders insensitive to the needs of the citizenry. For Nigeria to succeed, no ethnic group should be marginalized or subjugated; every group has valuable contributions to make. To move forward, Nigeria must prioritise fairness, equity, and mutual respect, shedding greed and embracing a collective sense of purpose.

While the founding fathers’ skepticism about Nigeria’s viability is well-documented, it is up to current generations to shape its future. Nigeria can become a truly united nation if its people begin to identify as one, rather than as separate ethnic groups. However, if this unity proves unattainable, the nation may remain a “conned fusion”—one marked by confusion and division. Ultimately, the choice is ours, to either mend the fractured fusion or allow it to unravel further.