*Photo: President Bola Tinubu *
Almost 66 years after independence and over 27 years of uninterrupted civilian administration, Nigeria’s democratic practice ought to have crossed the experimentation stage. The country’s blessings, in terms of natural and human resources could not have been better. A country which is home to over 250 ethnic groups and two major religions, Islam and Christianity, ought to be soaring in all perspectives of growth and development and truly leading, not just in the sub region, but in Africa, as a whole.
Historically, October 1, 1960 signalled relief and ultimately, the hope of a new dawn. Pitiably, the mismanagement of Nigeria’s rich diversity overtime has remained one of her greatest political nightmare!
The First Republic, dated 1960-1966 lasted under a parliamentary system, headed by the Late Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and the first President, Late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe.
In what may be described as a challenge of poor perception and misunderstanding of national goal, politics then became dominated by regional and ethnic rivalries. The major political parties at the time largely reflected regional interests, with the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) spreading in the north, the Action Group (AG) savouring massive support in the west, while the east remained the stronghold of the National Council of Nigerian Citizens (NCNC).
Consequently, a rash of electoral disputes, political instability and mutual distrust eventually culminated in the military coup of January 1966, ending Nigeria’s first democratic experiment.
Unfortunately, the years that followed witnessed prolonged military rule, which was interrupted briefly by the Second Republic, 1979-1983, led by late President Shehu Shagari. Despite the fact that the Presidential system was introduced to encourage national integration, corruption, economic crises and political intolerance ravaged, weakening democratic institutions and resulting in another military coup in December 1983. This, unfortunately, resulted in another long period of military rule.
One of the darkest moments in Nigeria’s history was the Civil War of 1967-1970. The revolt was witnessed after the attempted secession of the eastern region as the “Republic of Biafra”. The bloody internal conflict claimed countless lives and exposed the dangers of ethnic mistrust.
The war, though, ended with the declaration of: “No victor, no vanquished,” yet, its lessons resonate and continue to remind Nigerians the importance of justice, inclusive government and its relevance to national unity.
Again, the annulment of June 12, 1993 Presidential Election, widely considered to be the freest and fairest election in Nigeria’s political history, delayed democratic advancement.
Following years of political agitation, Nigeria returned to civilian rule on May 29, 1999, marking the beginning of the Fourth Republic, which remains the country’s longest uninterrupted democratic era. Since then, Nigeria has conducted successive general elections and witnessed peaceful transfers of power between political parties, demonstrating resilience of its democratic institutions, amidst controversies, ranging from religious intolerance to ethnic marginalisation and imbalance in Federal character.
In the past, ethnicity has played both constructive and destructive roles in Nigeria’s democratic practice. The ethnic diversity enriches its culture, promotes collective political participation and to certain extent, encourages inclusive governance. The Federal character principle, state creation, rotational leadership arrangements and power-sharing initiatives were designed to ensure that no single ethnic group dominates the federation.
On the negative side, ethnic loyalty has persistently overshadowed competence, merit and national interest. Similarly, elections are frequently perceived from ethnic perspective, while political appointments sometimes generate accusations about exclusion. Politicians have, at different times, exploited ethnic and religious sentiments to mobilize support. This deepens divisions and depletes national cohesion. These practices subsequently undermine public trust, fuel insecurity and slow national development.
In the same vein, religion has exerted a strong influence on Nigeria’s political terrain. On one hand, Islam and Christianity have inspired values such as justice, integrity, compassion, accountability and service to humanity. Faith-based organizations have been seen to contribute immensely to education, healthcare, humanitarian services, peace building and civic engagement.
Religious leaders have also played significant roles in promoting peaceful elections, conflict resolution and national reconciliation. The Election Peace Accord in the country is a noble initiative. Also, various interfaith gestures have continued to demonstrate the potential of religious collaboration in strengthening national unity.
However, the same religion has been manipulated and used for political advantage. Political campaigns, especially from 2015 have appealed to religious sentiments rather than competence or policy.
The politicization of religious identity has heightened suspicion, polarization and violence in various communities. It is that bad in Nigeria that many conflicts described as sectarian are often driven by complex political, economic, social and security factors rather than religion alone. Therefore, one of the significant lessons to learn this time is that responsible political and religious leadership remain indispensable for preventing manipulation and promoting peaceful coexistence.
As Nigeria approaches another chapter in her democratic practice, ethnicity and religion should not be used as instruments of division, but serve as foundations for mutual respect, inclusive governance and national development.
Suffices to assert that democracy flourishes, only where citizens are judged not by tribe or faith, but by character, competence and commitment to the common good.
The theme of The Companion’s (an association of Muslim men in business and the professions) 7th National Discourse: “Nigeria’s Political Landscape and the Ethno-Religious Divides” is an eye opener, a timely and significant intervention to all saner minds. The Discourse is a valuable platform for scholars, policymakers, religious leaders, professionals, students, youths and citizens, in general to reflect on Nigeria’s democratic experience, examine the forces that unite and divide her people and collectively chart a path towards a more inclusive, peaceful and prosperous nation.
With the choice of resource persons – a mixture of personalities, coming from the academic, professional and political backgrounds, participants in this exercise, which is slated for Sunday, August 23, 2026, are expected to be productively influenced and guided for future political engagements.
Finally, in the spirit of justice, dialogue and patriotism, every Nigerian has a responsibility to place national interest above sectional consideration, recognising that the diversity in this part of the world is not a burden to bear, rather, a strength to harness for the progress and prosperous future of the country.
*Tajudeen Balogun is Deputy Editor, The Eagleonline. E-mail: tjaysuccess10@gmail.com; WhatsApp: (08023289053)