It appears that one of the problems still plagueing nigeria today was the creation of its boundaries.
Too many ethnic divisions based on differences in ideologies and religion still plague us today.
Many nations have divided in other to be successful and exist peacefully even though a costly price was paid but was worth it because many such nations have made meaningful progress.
Nigeria is a toxic marriage of extreme differences in ideologies and religion and this has created most of the problems modern day Nigerian is facing.
On the process of assimilating smaller ethnicities into larger ones due to indirect rule by the largest ethnicity is a common problem (although with different solutions) for colonial empires. I wonder if a percentage of the current people who identify as Hausa or Igbo were not in fact local minorities just 3 generations ago. As always, great work man
Great question. In the 1800s and early 1900s, most people in what is now Nigeria did not primarily call themselves Igbo or Hausa. Everyday identity was local. For example, an Igbo person would usually say “I am from Onitsha/Nri/Ohafia/Owerri.” These are all towns and lineages inside what we now call the Igbo region. The word “Igbo” existed, but it was not the main identity people used in daily life.
When Igbos moved to cities like Lagos for jobs in the 1910s or 1920s, you would initially see hometown-ethnic group like the “Onitsha Improvement Union” instead of an “Igbo Union.” A broader, shared political idea of being Igbo became stronger in the 1930s and 1940s through schooling, newspapers, migrant communities, and the memory of the 1929 Aba Women’s War. A person calling themselves Igbo in 1948 would have never done so 30-60 years ago.
Fascinating. Nigeria is composed of so many ethnicities, and nothing seems to come easy for that country. I was struck by how many of the implicit lessons in this period of Nigerian history occur throughout the planet across civilizations and cultures. This is a great source of information and perspective for the casual reader of West African history like myself. Thanks Yaw!
I think the tradeoff of spreading liberty to colonies is really interesting, freeing slaves empowering women ending aristocratic rule, and supporting minorities lead to a lot of backlash from local elites. But at the same time had they done more to enforce liberalism these countries would be in much better places today. Imagine a Nigeria where royalty was fully depowered and where Islamic terrorists were unable to convince locals to sign on.
Hey Caleb, I am a tad confused by your statement. You said "imagine a Nigeria where the royalty was fully depowered." The royalty in the Hausa Fulani doesnt really have formal power anymore. They are just figureheads now with soft power. The Emirs today dont run courts or collect taxes anymore.
It appears that one of the problems still plagueing nigeria today was the creation of its boundaries.
Too many ethnic divisions based on differences in ideologies and religion still plague us today.
Many nations have divided in other to be successful and exist peacefully even though a costly price was paid but was worth it because many such nations have made meaningful progress.
Nigeria is a toxic marriage of extreme differences in ideologies and religion and this has created most of the problems modern day Nigerian is facing.
Fine article. I enjoyed my time reading.
Yep this is accurate. You'll enjoy it when I get to the Nigerian Civil War/Igbo Massacre when Biafra tries to secede.
On the process of assimilating smaller ethnicities into larger ones due to indirect rule by the largest ethnicity is a common problem (although with different solutions) for colonial empires. I wonder if a percentage of the current people who identify as Hausa or Igbo were not in fact local minorities just 3 generations ago. As always, great work man
Great question. In the 1800s and early 1900s, most people in what is now Nigeria did not primarily call themselves Igbo or Hausa. Everyday identity was local. For example, an Igbo person would usually say “I am from Onitsha/Nri/Ohafia/Owerri.” These are all towns and lineages inside what we now call the Igbo region. The word “Igbo” existed, but it was not the main identity people used in daily life.
When Igbos moved to cities like Lagos for jobs in the 1910s or 1920s, you would initially see hometown-ethnic group like the “Onitsha Improvement Union” instead of an “Igbo Union.” A broader, shared political idea of being Igbo became stronger in the 1930s and 1940s through schooling, newspapers, migrant communities, and the memory of the 1929 Aba Women’s War. A person calling themselves Igbo in 1948 would have never done so 30-60 years ago.
Fascinating. Nigeria is composed of so many ethnicities, and nothing seems to come easy for that country. I was struck by how many of the implicit lessons in this period of Nigerian history occur throughout the planet across civilizations and cultures. This is a great source of information and perspective for the casual reader of West African history like myself. Thanks Yaw!
I think the tradeoff of spreading liberty to colonies is really interesting, freeing slaves empowering women ending aristocratic rule, and supporting minorities lead to a lot of backlash from local elites. But at the same time had they done more to enforce liberalism these countries would be in much better places today. Imagine a Nigeria where royalty was fully depowered and where Islamic terrorists were unable to convince locals to sign on.
Hey Caleb, I am a tad confused by your statement. You said "imagine a Nigeria where the royalty was fully depowered." The royalty in the Hausa Fulani doesnt really have formal power anymore. They are just figureheads now with soft power. The Emirs today dont run courts or collect taxes anymore.