Nigeria's Post-Amalgamation Volatility: Are the God's to Blame?
Nigeria appears fated to a volatile existence. It is apparently under the curse of centrifugal forces. While some scholars like Ola Rotimi argue that the 'Gods' are not to blame for the persistence of this violent existence, others like Wole Soyinka ?nd the 'Gods' solely culpable. This article revisits this debate with the objective of offering hope that Nigeria is not necessarily fated to volatility. Yet we must confront ourselves with hard questions. Can there be justice that heals a divided nation where there are clashes of narratives about Nigeria's existence? How courageous are we in confronting our past, especially the truth about ourselves and groups to which we have 'primordial ties'? The article concludes by offering,through the perspective of the Human Rights Violation and Investigation Commission Report, some ways beyond the culture of impunity that has made developing national consciousness almost impossible even after a century of Nigeria's existence.
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