The Concept Of Unity And Diversity In Relation To The Experience Of Nigeria Federalism Beyond A Successful Political Transition

Abstract

Most political scientist agreed that a political community exist in a society whose members possess mutual sympathy and loyalty with respect to their participation in a common political unit. In other words, regardless of differences in custom, religion, social economic status and nationality in a political community, there is among the people, a shared national identity. Unity in a federation does not mean or imply uniformity of behaviour or outlook of the people on all things and in all circumstances, rather it involves the existence of minimum consensus. There is bound to be disagreement among people on many issues but where public policies have passed the test of legitimacy, the dissenting groups must submit without rancour to the will of the majority. It should be clear that in the emerging multi-nationality in Nigeria’s federations, the idea of unity does not imply the destruction of the essential cultural trait of the ethnic groups but that all the people should be socialised so as to share a national identity, embracing common values and norms which will constitute part of their personality structure irrespective of their religion, tribe or language. With the aid of secondary data, this paper therefore examined the experience of Nigeria on the issue of federalism in relation to unity and diversity within the country beyond a successful transition.