Political Violence and State Culture in Nigeria

Abstract

Abstract The paper explores the link between pre-colonial state culture and political violence in Nigeria. Relying on secondary sources, the paper demonstrates that pre-colonial Nigerian groups instituted state cultures that were not only divergent, but also hostile and violent to each other. Accordingly, the paper argues that the roots of political violence in Nigeria stems from the violent pre-colonial and colonial state cultures that have endured up to the present period. It also argues that the tendency by post-colonial state elite to promote the continuity of pre-colonial and colonial state cultures that promoted division and violence is an important factor behind Nigeria’s present predicament. Consequently, the paper concludes that curtailing and preventing political violence would require a cultural re-orientation that promotes peaceful co-existence and the implementation of political arrangements that guarantee fairness and inclusivity to all groups in the country.