Project Abstract

Abstract
This research project focuses on the national question and democratic consolidation in Nigeria and India between the years 2000 and 2013. Both Nigeria and India are multi-ethnic, multi-religious, and multi-cultural countries that have faced challenges related to national unity and democracy. The study seeks to analyze how the national question, which involves issues of identity, ethnicity, religion, and regionalism, has impacted the process of democratic consolidation in these two countries during the specified time period. Using a comparative approach, the research examines the historical context of the national question in Nigeria and India, tracing the roots of ethnic and religious diversity and its implications for nation-building and democratic governance. The study also explores the various strategies and mechanisms adopted by the two countries to address the national question and promote national unity within the framework of democratic governance. Through an analysis of key events, policies, and political developments, the research assesses the successes and challenges faced by Nigeria and India in managing diversity and fostering democratic consolidation. It examines the role of political leadership, institutions, civil society, and external factors in shaping the trajectory of democracy and national integration in both countries. Furthermore, the study investigates the impact of socio-economic factors, such as poverty, inequality, and development disparities, on the national question and democratic consolidation in Nigeria and India. By exploring how these issues intersect with identity politics and governance, the research aims to provide insights into the complex relationship between national unity, democracy, and socio-economic development. Overall, this research project contributes to the existing literature on the national question and democratic consolidation by offering a comparative analysis of Nigeria and India. By examining the experiences of these two diverse countries, the study aims to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of managing diversity within the context of democratic governance. The findings of this research have implications for policymakers, scholars, and practitioners interested in promoting national unity, democracy, and development in multi-ethnic societies.

Project Overview

The major political challenge in Africa and many other developing countries today is how to deal with the national question and democratic consolidation. There is a general feeling that the developing nations’ past had been squandered, and the present mortgaged by the elites, thereby making the future so uncertain. Consequently, the disadvantaged group demands a renegotiation of relations between the power elites and the people to enable them to be fully involved in the process of governance. This study therefore undertakes a comparative analysis of the national question and democratic consolidation in Nigeria and India from 2000 to 2013. In the study, we raised the following questions: Is India relatively more politically stable than Nigeria; is heterogeneity and multiculturalism a hindrance to the resolution of the national question and democratic consolidation in developing countries using Nigeria and India as reference points; and, is there any relationship between the resolution of the national question and democratic consolidation in multi-ethnic states? The objectives of the study were to investigate whether is India relatively more politically stable than Nigeria; to determine whether heterogeneity and multiculturalism was a hindrance to the resolution of the national question and democratic consolidation in developing countries, using Nigeria and India as reference points; and to establish if there was any relationship between the resolution of the national question and democratic consolidation in multi-ethnic states. The study adopted the qualitative method of data collection, and the ex-post-facto research design; while the analysis was qualitative descriptive in nature. The study revealed that that without consideration for equality and the acknowledgement of the inclusion of every individual and ethnic group in governance, ethnic conflict cannot be abated. The study also revealed that heterogeneity and multiculturalism is not a hindrance to the resolution of the national question and enthronement of democratic consolidation in multi-ethnic country. The study equally revealed that a relationship exists between the resolution of the national question and democratic consolidation. We recommended that effort be made to sustain the ‘politics of bargaining’ where issues are viewed beyond primordial enclaves. Further, that programmes and policies that is sufficient to deal with distributive tensions and regional conflicts be encouraged so as to de-emphasize ethnic chauvinism in the conduct of public affairs. More deliberate efforts must be made by the leaders of the country to develop a feeling of oneness among Nigerians.