Towards Examining Ethnic Conflicts in National Development Using an Islamic Lens

Abstract

This paper reviewed literatures on ethnic conflicts in Nigeria. The review showed that Nigeria is blessed with diverse ethnic groups. However, over the years, "this blessing has turned to a wound eating deep into the flesh of the national unity of the country". It might be said that the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates by the colonial administration is the root course of the ethnic conflicts experienced all over the country till this day. However, the entrenchment of the democratic rule in 1999 brought a ray of hope for the citizens. Sadly democracy has failed to completely unite the people of Nigeria and this is evident in the scores of conflicts in different parts of the country. Therefore, in this paper the writer blamed the incessant conflicts on the marginalization of different ethnic groups in the country. It is against this background that the writer explored views on various ethnic conflicts in Nigeria and cited the Islamic perspective on ethnic peaceful living as the solution to ethnic conflicts in Nigeria. It is recommended among others that for the nation to be developed we should not support the ethnicity spirit. In Islam the Almighty Allah orders mankind to love, honour and treat each other as equal.