Muhammed, A. Y., Ayinla, S. A. & M. N. Adeoye (2006) Ethnic Discrimination and Religious Intolerance: An Overview of Inter-Group Relations in Nigeria.

In O. Akinwunmi., Okpeh, O. O, J. D. Gwamna (eds.) Inter-Group Relations in Nigeria during the 19th and 20th Centuries. Makurdi: Aboki Publishers. 605-617.

Ethnic Discrimination and Religious Intolerance:

An Overview of Inter-Group Relations in Nigeria

Ayinla S. Alanamu, A. Y. Muhammed & M. N. Adeoye

Introduction Many societies all over the world have had to grapple with the problem of inter-group relations. Such concepts as apartheid, discrimination, prejudice, pogrom, ethnicity, hatred, fanaticism, intolerance, war, and terrorism, etc are terms in common use. The Jews, the chosen people of God divided mankind into themselves and the Gentiles. The Arabs on the other hand, regarded themselves as the noblest nation in comparison with all other nations. This egoistic feeling of the nations of the Middle East resulting in intolerance and discrimination has given rise to the many years of intractable Middle East question.1 In fact, the consequences of the problem of inter-group relations in the Middle East is comparable to or even worse than the effects of September 11 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States. In relation to Nigeria, one of the greatest and most inhuman problems of inter-group relations witnessed in the countrys political history is the civil war (1967-70). The Eastern region, under the leadership of Col. Odumegwu Ojukwu, seceded, declaring itself the Republic of Biafra. Thirty months of civil war began in July, claiming more than a million lives and devastating the Eastern region.2 Nigeria is composed of peoples with different religious, ethnic and cultural diverse backgrounds. Home to some 250 distinct linguistic groups, Nigeria has been proned to the intense politicization of ethnic and religious differences. Regional location and religion have served to reinforce the tripartite cleavage of the three dominant ethnic groups (Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa) 3.

British colonial rule reinforced these regional and cultural differences. These disparities have been a source of intolerance, discrimination, political tension and instability ever since. Against this background, this paper sets out to examine the implications of ethnic discrimination and religious intolerance on inter-groups relations in Nigeria. To accomplish this objective, the paper is sub-divided into five sections. Section one deals with the introductory aspect while section two examines the concepts of ethnic discrimination and religious intolerance. Section three discusses the manifestation of ethnic discrimination and religious intolerance in Nigeria. Section four is devoted to measures for promoting inter-group relations in Nigeria while section five concludes the work. Conceptual Clarification In order to put the focus of this paper in its appropriate context, some concepts deserve clarification. These are ethnic discrimination and religious intolerance. Ethnic Discrimination: Ethnic discrimination represents one of the problems of inter-group relations in any society. According to Ojie4, this is a situation which people of the minority ethnic groups are given unfair or unequal treatment simply because they are from a different ethnic group. It could be referred to as tribalism, which emanates from the ethnocentric feeling of the dominant group. When there is feeling of superiority by one ethnic group, the tendency is to look at the other ethnic groups with contempt. The root cause of ethnic discrimination could be attributed to cultural factors while others argue that it is rooted in the struggle for the national cake. Eyo identifies psychological fear as the cause of ethnicity when he said: at the root of ethnicity is fear, fear of the unknown, fear of loosing the predictability of ones ways of behaviour ; fear of having ones established values changed thus cutting one adrift in a wider and more uncharted sea called Nigeria that seems to lack an articulate goal and value system; fear of competition for scare resources, and a lot of other fears that may be explicit or implicit.5 It is logical to deduce from Eyos comments that the cultural, structural and frustration-aggression arguments combine to cause ethnic discrimination in Nigeria. Since the conquest of the sub-nations in Nigeria and the eventual

amalgamation of the southern and northern Nigeria in 1914, this fear has increased ethnicity in the nation. The various ethnic groups have now come into closer contacts with one another and this increased interaction has tremendously accelerated the degree of ethnic discrimination 6. Religious Intolerance: Intolerance is a blind refusal to understand and respect views or positions that are opposed to ones cherished religious views. Hence, by religious intolerance, Ekwunife opines that it is a blind and fixated mental and psychological negative attitude towards religious beliefs and practices that are contrary to ones cherished beliefs and practices 7. Such negative attitudes exhibit themselves in situations whereby leaders or groups in any society blindly refuse to understand and respect contrary religious views and practices except the ones they consider to be true. In other words, there is religious intolerance when any group in a society deliberately and violently sets out to stamp out what the members subjectively consider to be error in religious thought and practice.8 In short, there is religious intolerance when a particular group refuses to accept or accommodate the views, opinions of other opposing religious adherent. Often, this refusal to accept contrary religious views and practices is accompanied by series of violence and destruction. Manifestation of Ethnic Discrimination and Religious Intolerance in Nigeria In Nigeria today, ethnic discrimination has become a chronic social disease, in fact a canker worm, which has eaten deep into the heart of Nigerians. Discrimination based on ethnic nationality is common to all ethnic groups in Nigeria. It is generally believed that Nigeria has 250 ethnic group 9. Some estimates put the number at over 400. 10 Otite provided list of 374 ethnic groups11. The common agreement, however is that these ethnic groups are broadly divided into ethnic majorities and ethnic minorities. The numerically and politically-major ethnic groups are the composite Hausa- Fulani of the North, the Yoruba of the Southwest and the Igbo of the Southeast. These three hegemonic ethnic groups are popularly referred to by the generic term Wazobia. All the other ethnicities constitute different degree of minority status. There are large minorities like the Ijaw, Kanuri, Edo Ibib io, Nupe and the Tiv12.

Basically, the various ethnic groups in Nigeria exercise a certain degree of discrimination against each other. Each group sees the other as superior. This disposition is evident in all spheres of life: politics, sports, religion as well as economic and social endeavours. The domination of certain spheres of the society by some ethnic groups has served to further entrench the spate of discrimination among different ethnic groups in Nigeria. For instance, the Igbo people are known to dominate some areas of the business sector such as the spare parts, manufacturing and sales, maintenance and repair of machinery as well as manufacturing of complex industrial goods and home equipment. The success of the Igbo man in these fields has made him an object of discrimination by other ethnic groups. At times he may be denied residence permit in areas dominated by other ethnic groups and may be a target of violent attacks in times of social or political upheavals. While the Igbo man dominates the business sector, the Hausa man is successful in politics and administration. He is known for his shrewdness and maneuvering in politics. Like the plight of the Igbo man, the Hausa man suffers discrimination in the hands of other ethnic groups due to his outstanding feat in the political sphere. The Yoruba man also meets similar fate like the other dominant ethnic groups in the country. The group is known to dominate the bureaucracy (Civil service) and key areas of the business sector such as banking, import and export trade and indigenous entrepreneurship. As a result of his dominant role in these spheres of life, the group often suffers most during retrenchment in the civil service and government ban on importation of goods. 13 The similar ethnic groups experience discrimination within their region or state. At the national level, the smaller ethnic groups are perceived alongside with the larger ethnic group from their geographical area. Ethnic discrimination is also experienced in our organizations and institutions. It is pretty difficult for one to obtain a job in any organization unless his tribal man is there. If he is employed, he faces all sorts of odds because he is of different ethnic group. The same can be said of admission into the nations institutions of higher learning. There is no gainsaying that government contracts are awarded to contractors from the awarding officers ethnic groups. Ethnic discrimination has blinded our sports official in choosing our representatives for international competitions.

The consequences of these discriminatory practices cannot be fully measured. The evil effects of these in organization is that jobs are given to less qualified and incompetent people in preference to the more qualified and competent competitors who are from different ethnic groups. The current low standard of education in the country can equally be attributed to discriminatory admission process. Ethnic administration in sports also explains the failure of Nigeria to win the expected honours at international sporting events. The end result is inefficiency and poor performance of our organisations with consequent huge loss of profits. The problem of ethnic discrimination makes Nigerian unity more elusive. Where there is ethnic discrimination, the call for national integration becomes a mirage. Like ethnic discrimination, religious intolerance constitutes one of the problems of inter-group relations in Nigeria. Nigeria is no doubt a religiously pluralistic society. There are those who adhere to African Traditional religion (ATR), others profess Islam or Christianity, while still some owe their orientation towards atheism or agnosticism. Of all these beliefs, Islam and Christianity are the two most active religions in the country. The activities of some of the adherents of these religions with regard to intolerance need proper diagnosis. Historically, Islam was introduced into Nigeria from the North by the Arabs while Christianity was introduced by the Europeans through the South. Since then the coverts of both religions have been regarding each other with scorn.14 The rise in the level of religious fanaticism and an extreme sense of religious intolerance had resulted into numerous cases of intra and inter and religious violence.15 Consequently, there have emerged several flash points of religious violence across the country in the sense of occurrence of direct violence in addition to a number of potential situations of violence outbursts. The spiral of violent conflicts generated by religious intolerance in contemporary Nigeria had become ferocious over the last two decades. Beginning from the 1980s, the country has recorded very bizarre experience in the domain of religious violence16 embracing the three broad types identified by Ikenga-Metuh (1994): Intra-religious disturbances which occur between different denominations or sects; inter -religious violence between adherents of different religious beliefs but capable of assuming socio-economic dimension; and interreligious violence, which have socio-economic origin, end up in the form of

religious conflicts. In order to be more analytical, an analysis of different violent religious conflicts in Nigeria since the 1980 to 2005 is presented below. Cases of Religious Violence in Nigeria, 1980-200517 Groups Involved Maitatsine followers Maitatsine escapee disciples Date Outcome of such Religious Violence Dec. 1980 Municipal Kano 4,177 persons died, over 146 houses, 436 shops and 554 kiosks were completely destroyed. 16 Oct. Bullumkutu, Borno 5000 people died, 1,712 rendered 1982 State homeless, N2.3 million worth of personal property destroyed, N 1.2m estimated value of houses damaged. 20 Oct. Rigassa Village, 52 persons killed. 1982 Kaduna State 30 Oct. Kano 3 Churches were set on fire, 2 were 1982 burnt down completely, 6 others severely damaged. 1984 Jimeta-Yola (former 1,000 people died, property worth Gongola State)) N5m destroyed while 5, 913 people displaced. April, 1985 Gombe Colossal loss of lives and property. Destruction of lives and property. April, 1986 Ilorin Metropolis Colossal loss of lives and property. Location

Maitatsine disciples Muslims/Christians

Maitatsine disciples Maitatsine disciples Christians/Muslims

Christian/Muslim March, 1987 Kafanchan Town Students of College of Education Kafanchan Muslims/Christians 1990 Kano

Muslim Youths

Oct. 14, Kano 1990 Muslims/ April, 1991 Dass and Tafawa More than 200 people were killed Christians Balewa Bauchi State Churches, Mosques, residential and commercial buildings destroyed. Muslims/Christians 1992 Zango-Kataf, and Hundreds of people were killed and environs, Kaduna colossal property destroyed. Muslims/Christians May, 30 Kano city 17 persons were killed. 1995 Yoruba Traditional July 1999 Sagamu, Ogun State Many people were killed and property worshippers/minori worth millions of Naira destroyed. ty Hausa groups Muslims/Christians 21-22 Kaduna metropolis An estimated 3,000 people lost their February lives. 2001

Many people were killed and several others injured. Property valued at millions of naira was vandalised. Many lives were lost.

Igbo Christians February against Hausa 2001 Muslims/Christians May 2000

450 persons were killed in retaliatory attacks. Kaduna Over 1,500 people were killed and property worth millions of Naira destroyed. Muslims/Christians June 19- Tafawa Balewa Local Over 100 person were killed. July 4 2001 Government, Bauchi State Christians and September Jos Over 1,000 lives were lost, about Hausa/Fulani 7, 2001 1000 others injured and property Muslims worth millions of Naira destroyed. Muslims and 12 Oct 2001 Kano city 150 persons were killed. Christians Muslims and May 22-23 Kaduna metropolis Over 3,000 lives were lost. Christians 2002 Muslim and 22 Nov Kaduna city Over 200 people were killed, several Christians 2002 buildings were burnt. Maitatsine sect Dec 2003 Kanamma town in 2 policemen, 2 civilians were killed Yobe State and police station was burnt. Hausa/Muslim Feb 2004 Yelwa Shendam LGA About 48 persons were murdered in a Militants Plateau State Church. Christian groups May 2-4 Yelwa Shendam Between 500 to 600 people mostly 2004 Plateau State Muslims were massacred, 49 vehicles 210 houses were destroyed in reprisal attacks. Muslims and May 2004 Kano city Over 100 people died, several Christians hundred injured and over 30,000 displaced, property valued at billions of naira were either looted or vandalized. Christians and June 2004 Numan Town (HQs of 17 persons were killed and some Muslims Numan LGA) worship centers destroyed Adamawa State Sunni and Shia May 2005 Sokoto State Several people injured. Muslims From the above table, it can be derived that religious intolerance has done incalculable harm to the socio-economic and political life of Nigeria. Apart from wanton destruction of lives and property, religious intolerance has impeded the nomination and ultimate elections of the best candidates into presidential and other elective positions that would have saved us from the problems that the country is grappling with. Appointments into many strategic positions have been influenced by religion. Most dismal is the fact that the military whose primary consideration for appointments and promotions due to the nature of their work, should be excellence in performance, is also neck deep in religious intolerance and discrimination.

Aba, Abia State

For lasting peace, unity and development in Nigeria, it calls for concerted actions to be taken to stop all forms of ethnic discrimination and religious intolerance in Nigeria. Promoting Inter-Ethnic and Religious Relations Several solutions have, and can be proffered as ways of promoting interethnic and religious relations in Nigeria. Nigeria is no doubt a complex country given its numerous ethnic groups with varied cultural characteristics and interests. Ayinla traces the genesis of ethnic and religious problems of Nigeria to the British colonial policy.18 According to him, the British had wrongly assumed that for any political arrangement in Nigeria to succeed, it must satisfy the aspirations of the three major ethnic groups. 19 This forms the basis of the tripod theory of power in Nigeria. Unfortunately, in an attempt to satisfy the wishes and aspirations of the majorities (so-called Wazobia) the wishes and stabilizing role of the minorities of the total population of the country were ignored.20 To eliminate the problems of ethnic discrimination and religious intolerance in Nigeria, Okediji calls for the establishment of a more humane social order.21 To him this can be achieved through increased utilization of the intellectual resources of the land by encouraging social research and using the results for solving social problems, which of course include those relating to inter-group relations.22 Similarly, there is the need to mobilize Nigerians who are divided along ethnic, cultural, economic and religious diversities in the task of national development. This also constitutes part of Okedijis
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social

action

recommendations for the resolution of the national crisis.

As a further step to promote inter-ethnic and religious relations among the Nigerian people, Adebisi noted that Nigerian leaders must address the problem of educational imbalance between the North and South. 24 According to him, this will help reduce the different rates of development between the two regions.25 Also, government must ensure that the economy of the country is nationally integrated. Besides, emphasis from now must be on actual production, not mainly on the distribution of national wealth. State of origin, religious sentiments and ethnicity must be de-emphasized in all issues of national interest.

To further reduce the problems of ethnic discrimination and religious intolerance, Ojie suggested that a concerted effort to bring about cross-cultural awareness among the citizenry of this country should be advocated. 26 Thus, the study of the people of Nigeria, their culture and religions should be made compulsory all through our educational system. Efforts should also be geared up towards enhancing greater interaction between the various ethnic, religious and political groups. There is also the need for dialogue among different ethno-religious groups in the country. We posit that ethnic and religious groups in the country should not only talk about the need for dialogue among themselves, they should also act by organising a forum for dialogue in all states and local governments of the federation. Dialogue will help to create ethnic accommodation, religious tolerance, understanding and peaceful co-existence among the different groups in the country. Finally, we advocate for a stringent law against official discrimination and intolerance. Conclusion In this paper, it has been observed that ethnic discrimination and religious intolerance play a background but very important role of fanning the embers of inter-group conflict in Nigeria. Again, religion and ethnicity have created tensions and had led the nation into bloody and destructive crises thus seriously threatening the peaceful-coexistence and interaction among the various ethnic and religious groups. The paper pointed out that the continued existence of ethnic hatred and religious intolerance pose serious threat to national survival. Therefore, for a lasting peace, unity and development to be achieved in Nigeria, we identified some measures towards promoting inter-ethnic and religious relations in the country. Some of these measures include the establishment of a more humane social order, positive mobilization of Nigerians, the promotion of cultural awareness, the use of dialogue and enactment of law against official discrimination and intolerance. It is hereby envisaged that the full acceptance and implementation of the suggested programmes of action will see Nigeria emerge really as a free, just and egalitarian society; a society where respect for the worth and dignity of the individuals is accorded to all irrespective of ethnic or religious affiliations. In deed, if all hands will be on deck to root out the problems of ethnic discrimination and religious intolerance from the Nigerian system, there is the hope that Nigeria of 2005 onwards will be a new society.

References 1. Ojie, A.E Prejudice and Discrimination: A Sociological Overview of Inter Group Relations in Nigeria. In Igun, U.A and Mordi, A.A (eds) Contemporary Social Problems in Nigeria. (Ijebu Ode: Shebiotimo Publications, 2002). 2. Diamond, L Nigeria In Lepset, S.M. (ed.) The Encyclopedia of Democracy. Vol III (London: Routledge, 1995). 3. Diamond, L Nigeria In Lepset, S.M. (ed.) The Encyclopedia of Democracy. Vol III ). 4. Ojie, A.E Prejudice and Discrimination: A Sociological Overview of InterGroup Relations in Nigeria. In Igun, U.A and Mordi, A.A (eds) Contemporary Social Problems in Nigeria. (Ijebu Ode: Shebiotimo Publications, 2002). 5. Eyo, I.E An Analysis of Major Psychological Problems of a Developin g Nation In Amucheazi, E.C (ed.) Readings is Social Sciences Issues on National Development. (Enugu: North Dimension Publishers, 1980). 6. Ojie, A.E Prejudice and Discrimination: A Sociological Overview of Inter Group Relations in Nigeria. In Igun, U.A and Mordi, A.A (eds) Contemporary Social Problems in Nigeria. (Ijebu Ode: Shebiotimo Publications, 2002). 7. Ekwunife, A. Politics and Religious Intolerance: The Nigeria Situation. In Abubakre, R.D et al (eds.) Religion and Politics in Nigeria. (Ilorin: NASR, 1993). 8. Ekwunife, A. Politics and Religious Intolerance: The Nigeria Situation. 9. Mustapha, A. R. Managing Ethnicity in Nigeria: Ethnic Structure, Inequality and Governance of the Public Sector. Draft Report. (UK: University of Oxford, 2004). 10.Bangura, Y. Ethnic Structure and Governance of the Public Sector: African Other Experiences, Issues Paper, (Geneva: UNRISD. nd). 11.Otite, O. Problems and Prospects of Mobilization for National Integration in Nigeria. Mimeo, 1990. 12.Mustapha, A. R. Managing Ethnicity in Nigeria: Ethnic Structure, Inequality and Governance of the Public Sector. Draft Report. (UK: University of Oxford, 2004). 13.Ojie, A.E Prejudice and Discrimination: A Sociological Overview of Inter Group Relations in Nigeria. In Igun, U.A and Mordi, A.A (eds) Contemporary Social Problems in Nigeria. (Ijebu Ode: Shebiotimo Publications, 2002). 14.Ojie, A.E Prejudice and Discrimination: A Sociological Overview of Inter Group Relations in Nigeria. In Igun, U.A and Mordi, A.A (eds) Contemporary Social Problems in Nigeria 15.Ayinla, S.A Managing Religious Intolerance and Violence in Nigeria: Problems and Solutions. A Paper Presented at the National Conference on Social Problems, Development and the Challenges of Globalisation, Organised by the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, 16th-17th June, 2004. 16.Egwu, S.G. Ethnic and Religious Violence in Nigeria. (Jos: St. Stephen Inc. Book House, 2001). 17.Ayinla, S.A Managing Religious Intolerance and Violence in Nigeria: Problems and Solutions. A Paper Presented at the National Conference on Social Problems, Development and the Challenges of Globalisation, Organised by the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, 16th-17th June, 2004.

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18.Ayida, A. A. Reflections on Nigeria Development. (Lagos: Malthouse Press Ltd, 1987). 19.Ayida, A. A. Reflections on Nigeria Development. .. 20. Adebisi, M. A. Ethnic Relations and Politics in Nigeria. In Igun, U.A and Mordi, A.A (eds) Contemporary Social Problems in Nigeria. (Ijebu Ode: Shebiotimo Publications, 2002). 21.Okediji, F.O Establishing a More Humane-Social Order. in Akeredolu-Ale E.O (ed.) Social Development in Nigeria. (Ibadan: NISER, 1982). 22.Okediji, F.O Establishing a More Humane-Social Order. .. 23. Adebisi, M. A. Ethnic Relations and Politics in Nigeria. In Igun, U.A and Mordi, A.A (eds) Contemporary Social Problems in Nigeria. (Ijebu Ode: Shebiotimo Publications, 2002). 24. Adebisi, M. A. Ethnic Relations and Politics in Nigeria. .. 25. Adebisi, M. A. Ethnic Relations and Politics in Nigeria 26.Ojie, A.E Prejudice and Discrimination: A Sociological Overview of Inter Group Relations in Nigeria. In Igun, U.A and Mordi, A.A (eds) Contemporary Social Problems in Nigeria. (Ijebu Ode: Shebiotimo Publications, 2002).

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