Federalism and Ethnic Conflict in Ethiopia and Nigeria: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

This article makes a comparative analysis of the conditions of ethnicity, ethnic conflict, and the political order of federalism in Ethiopia and Nigeria. Both Ethiopia and Nigeria share common highly ethnically diversified and large numbers of the population, recurrent inter-ethnic conflict, and the adoption of federalism as a system of ethnic conflict management. Also, the two countries depict differences including the status of ethnicity in each country’s version of federalism. While ethnicity is accepted as a means of political mobilization and base of structuring the Ethiopian federation, the Nigerian model unwelcomed ethnic-based political mobilization, and exclusive claims over a particular geography. Despite such different considerations of ethnicity in relation to federal political order, Nigeria and Ethiopia have been hosting ethnic conflicts that negatively affect the countries’ peace and stability. Neither Ethiopian experiences of ethnic celebrating federalism nor the Nigerian model of geographic federalism is successful to mitigate ethnic conflicts. At the same time, both countries have not practiced democracy and built strong institutions. Based on the common denominators in both countries, this article argues that ethnicity as an explanatory factor to conflicts impedes alternative explanations to the conflicts in terms of ill-functioning democracy and institutions.