DIVERSITY IN NIGERIA: AN ISSUE OF PEACE OR WAR?

Every human society is an enterprise of world building. Man is at the centre of this exercise and society which is a dialectic phenomenon is a product of man and man is also a product of society. Man who is a cultural being brings diversity into society. Thus, in society, there is diversity through language, religious affiliations, knowledge, art, morals, laws, customs et cetera. However, diversity in society tends towards peace and/or war depending on the management of societal elements. This work using Nigeria as a case study, explores the negative and positive implications of this diversity. Some of the positive dimensions are: Unequal and differential treatment of ethnic groups; the prioritization of tribal identity over professional efficiency; fatal consequences on the political process; ethnocentrism and ethnic tensions. Some of the positive sides are cultural identity, increase in creativity, source of economic power, natural and mineral resources. The article further recommends that all hands must be on deck for peace to be achieved in a diverse Nigerian nation. This entails all the agents towards conflict transformation. The agents of conflict transformation refer to the various means through which the root causes of violence, disputes, riot et cetera, can be addressed in order to restore human relationships. Peace in a heterogeneous country like Nigeria will be achieved with balanced federation, equity and social justice, democracy and good governance.

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