The ethnic question and the challenge of development in Nigeria: a study of Port Harcourt, Rivers state

Abstract

The meeting point, agreement and acceptance of African scholars on the issue of ethnicity remain one of the central challenges of development scholars. The centrality of this ethnicity phenomenon is that democracy and development constitute the major threat of its existence. Hence, any policy or convention or cultural behavior that contributes to its existence, unwittingly over burdens the nation polity to the extent that the society experiences many form of inter ethnic “class”. The study argues that intervention should focus on the role of policy makers, implementers and social policy in effecting necessary attitudinal and behavioral change. This study suggests ways of managing ethnicity and provides knowledge of the factors that heighten vulnerability of ethnicity. It also suggests how social policies and implementation within the diversity of our society can be explored towards national development. Finally, it suggests how to provoke meaningful dialogue among scholars towards ideological and policy onsensus to meet the immediate challenges of enthroning peace, unity in diversity and development.

Key words: Ethnicity, Vulnerability, Peace, Unity in Diversity, Development.