Politics of Ethnic Exclusion: A Pitfall of the Nigerian State Towards Nationhood

Abstract

The Nigerian polity is profoundly made up of a conglomeration of deeply heterogeneous ethnic groups and fatherlands. Hence, the mechanism of its political engagement consists of a constitutional democracy that recognises the plights of all and sundry – which reflects its divergence for meaningful inclusiveness. The flexibility of its democratic principles is such that makes it congenial for ultimate authority to be vested in the common people where public policy conforms to their will or interests. However, the sad reality of the politics of the Nigerian state is that her form of democracy is seen not to satisfy democratic ideals. Rather than power domiciled in the people, irrespective of their culture or creed, her version of democracy is seen to favour mostly a few privileged cliques of the major ethnic nationalities and dominant religions. This group of persons are viciously recycled in all elective and appointive positions in every electioneering circle, with a stereotypic form of governance, which precludes the so-called minorities and the disadvantaged group from participatory governance. There is no doubt that the political culture and the leadership criteria in Nigeria are faulty. The nation's political pattern is such that is marred by a poor democratic culture that enthrones mediocrity, impunity, recklessness, lack of vision, corruption, etc., built on certain parochial exclusivity. Using the critical and expository methods, the paper seeks to examine the problem of political exclusion and the leadership criteria in Nigeria, to provide alternatives for the need to harness the nation's diverse human potentialities through participatory politics for nation-building.