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17 - Political Violence

from Part IV - Development Crises

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 June 2021

Toyin Falola
Affiliation:
University of Texas, Austin
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Summary

“Political Violence” examines the Nigeria’s sociopolitical landscape and how violence, by the nature of Nigeria’s plural ethnicity and differing religious ideologies, shapes it. This has produced repeated instances of violence that stand in the way of the nation’s collective growth. Deeper scrutiny reveals that the violence is arranged by people looking to gain political profit, score cheap religious points, or strike fear in the heart of the people, all to promote their own interests. It puts a dangling question mark on the ability to administer governance free of prejudice. Recent events in the country have cast doubt on whether its leaders can hold the heterogeneous society together. It springs from the fact that countless violent attacks, damaging lives and property, have devastated the collective outlook and psychology of the country. Everything hinges on the inherent distrust fueled by a baseless fear of others, which is continually instigated by the political elites to hold on to power. However, there is no limit to what the country can achieve in unity, due to its interminable list of natural and human resources. This unity can thus be attained through adequate negotiation and peaceful resolutions.

Type
Chapter
Information
Understanding Modern Nigeria
Ethnicity, Democracy, and Development
, pp. 410 - 433
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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  • Political Violence
  • Toyin Falola, University of Texas, Austin
  • Book: Understanding Modern Nigeria
  • Online publication: 09 June 2021
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108936866.018
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  • Political Violence
  • Toyin Falola, University of Texas, Austin
  • Book: Understanding Modern Nigeria
  • Online publication: 09 June 2021
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108936866.018
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Political Violence
  • Toyin Falola, University of Texas, Austin
  • Book: Understanding Modern Nigeria
  • Online publication: 09 June 2021
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108936866.018
Available formats
×