[Nigeria at 65] Ethnicisation of politics: The ticking time bomb

Rédaction Africa Links 24 with olufemiajasa
Published on 2025-10-01 06:48:16

Ethnic jingoists masquerading as nationalists continue to poison the political space and are threatening the nation’s very existence

By Clifford Ndujihe, Politics Editor

At independence in 1960, Nigerians dreamed of a nation where the diverse and numerous ethnic nationalities would be bonded into a strong and powerful unit. The catch phrase was ‘unity in diversity.’ Today, that dream lies in tatters, shredded by ethnic fault lines, mistrust, suspicion, scapegoating, and political tribalism.

For nationalists like Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Sir Ahmadu Bello, and Chief Obafemi Awolowo, ethnicity was an undercurrent, not a cudgel. Leaders differed, yet maintained a fragile consensus. Political identities once revolved…

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