The National Question and Self-determination in Nigeria: being the paper delivered by Adewale Adeoye at the Conference Organised by Maroon Square, held at the Federal College of Education, (Technical) Akoka, Lagos on July 1, 2021 By Adewale Adeoye
The Gist of the matter: The agitation for self-determination in Nigeria is age-long. However, in the past one decade, the campaign has seen renewed vigour. It appears to be the most dominant storyline in Nigeria today. In recent instances, we see violence being employed to push for ethnic self-determination in Nigeria. At the moment, in the year 2021, in my view, while the country is ravaged by poverty, misery, and deaths, the loudest cry in Nigeria is self-determination. It has raised serious questions about the future of Africa’s most populous country. It has assumed a life of its own far more than the demand for the provision of the essentials of life. Amidst the clamour for ethnic self-determination is the resurgence of terrorism, armed attacks, violence, kidnapping, rape and forceful seizure of land by armed gangs, all happening in the face of poverty, hopelessness,…