Communal Clashes as A Bane of Nation Building in Nigeria - A Study of Cross River State, 1987 - 2019

Abstract

Communal clashes have been recurrent and devastating within and between states in Nigeria since amalgamation. These hostilities  resulting in open clashes have been caused by several issues among which are the struggle for land and natural resources. The clashes  have inadvertently and greatly slowed down the process of nation building in Nigeria. This is because various communities striving to  protect their economic, social and ethnic interest constantly fight with themselves within the state and with their neighbours in other  states as the clashes occurred. Using Cross River State as the focus, this paper seeks to highlight the clashes caused by the struggle for  land and other scares natural resources and examine the consequences of these clashes onnation building in Nigeria. The research methodology adopted for this discuss is the historical analytical method of qualitative research, while the grass root theory of conflict  was used in the analysis of the events. The study therefore concludes that, these clashes over the years have served to polarize the  communities rather than integrate them for the purpose of nation building in Nigeria.