Problems of Ethnicity in the Nigerian Federal System of Government (Research Paper Sample)

PROBLEMS OF ETHNICITY IN THE NIGERIAN FEDERAL SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT
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Nigeria is Africa's most populous state. However, it is also the least united. This division comes from multiethnicity, which splits Nigerians along religion, culture, and language. The British started these issues during the colonial era when they merged the north and the south regions into what is now Nigeria. Even now, the three largest ethnic groups are constantly fighting for power and control of the federal state governments. The result has been ethnic clashes, civil wars, and military coups that threaten national cohesion. In the process, the country has lost numerous lives and suffered extensive economic losses. Thus, ethnicity weakens Nigeria's federalism by causing political, security, and economic issues that risk national peace and stability.
The economy of Nigeria is controlled by three major communities, which restricts growth to the regions these ethnicities occupy. These three ethnic groups are the Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa/Fulani. Since they are also the majority by numbers, they run most of the state governments. They use this influence to compel elected leaders to divert funds and resources and implement policies that favor them and oppress other ethnicities. The results have been runaway corruption starting at the state level in the employment sector, where openings are mostly reserved for people from these communities. According to Adegbami and Uche, this form of corruption has cost Nigeria more than $500 billion so far and sentenced over 90 million people to poverty. Worryingly, this situation will only continue to get worse as the country becomes even more