The Igbo nation in Nigerian democratization: The need for collective political bargaining

Abstract

Agitations by the Igbo for proper integration into the scheme of things in Nigeria’s socio-economic and political activities have been quite a protracted one. It took a noticeable perspective after the 1960 Counter Coup. This was followed by the civil war genocide, periodic massacre, discrimination and marginalization of the people east of the Niger. The current practice is suppression and repression of protesters through official and extra-judicial murders on sight – with the police and soldiers serving as prompt executioners. The study examines the position of the Igbo people in Nigerian democratization. It argues that the Igbo nation has not been able to achieve internal political unity as a means for achieving collective political bargaining in the contestation of Nigerian state values. The Igbo is officially disorganized by successive Nigerian power elites. This notwithstanding, unity and collective political bargaining remain workable options for Igbo reorganization and successful integration into the Nigerian scheme of affairs. The study relies solely on library sources to generate its data. Group theory is adopted as the theoretical framework for explaining how contestation of values among different political groups in Nigeria determines the position of Ndigbo in Nigerian political process. Findings show that ethnicity is a dominant factor in Nigerian politics and the Hausa and the Yoruba have used their ethnic strength to dominate the Igbo politically since after the civil war. This is because Igbo politicians would always go for national political parties in search of individual interests. Such actions have weakened internal unity of the Igbo political groups.