Causes for Conflict in Nigeria
The Damage Caused by British Colonialism and Western Interference
The creation of the country called Nigeria by Britain in 1914 has led to over forty years of conflict and bloodshed. What are the core causes of these ethnic disputes?
Ever since independence from Britain in 1960, the African nation of Nigeria has been torn apart by wars, violence and ethnic conflict. The most famous of these disputes is of course the Biafran War which raged for nearly three years in 1967-70 as a result of the attempted secession from Nigeria by three eastern states. Nigeria has also undergone several periods of military rule. Today it is free of this, however the situation is as unstable as ever and violence and corruption abound.
The instability and confusion of this region can only be understood by starting at the beginning of the story. This is not, as it would seem, 1960 when Nigeria was granted independence from Britain. In fact, many of the conflicts which rage today have their roots in the events which took place whilst Nigeria was under British colonial rule.
Pre-colonialism, the country called Nigeria did not exist. In its place was a hugely diverse scattering of tribes and communities, some of whom had territory which overlaps the borders of present day Nigeria. These varied groups with different languages, cultures and political practices were all brought together under British rule to form an entirely artificial nation. The arbitrary drawing of borders which was so common to Africa in colonial times paid little attention to the natural ethnic lines of the tribes. Whilst the Western world regarded them all as Nigerians, they considered themselves as primarily members of whichever tribe from which they originated.
In addition to this, Britain also imposed on Nigeria a Westminster style government system which was entirely different to the way the different tribes had previously governed themselves. This included the introduction of political parties. Whilst under British rule, the various parties, which were usually primarily made up of members of specific tribes, shared a common goal: autonomy from Britain. This became their sole national interest and for a while the tribes were united under a common cause. Once independence was gained, however, it became clear that Nigeria was not a natural nation. The system in place was not equipped to deal with so many different sized ethnic groups. The natural order of the region; division along tribal lines, and the Western style system soon came into conflict.
The capitalist economic system also caused difficulties. Capitalism inevitably creates high levels of competition, and with individuals’ natural loyalty being attached to the tribes, division became further drawn along ethnic lines.
The domination by the sizeable North and dissatisfaction of the predominantly Ibo Eastern regions eventually culminated in the Biafran War. Here again, Western interference served to complicate matters further, as Western powers with vested economic interests in the region picked sides. This prolonged the violence.
Throughout Nigeria’s short history, misinterpretation of the political, cultural and social nature of the region by the West has served to set Nigerians against each other. This comes all too naturally to them as they lack a national identity to hold them together. In addition, Western domination has prevented autonomous development in the area. Instead, they have been given models of governance which are unsuited to their way of life. A nation cannot be created by the simple drawing of lines on a map. It must be to some extent a natural product of the unity of its population. It is to be hoped that one day Nigerians will have enough in common with one another to become a real nation.
