Page 1 of 16

Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/index.php/JSMaP

e-ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 01 Issue 10

November 2015

Available online: http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/ P a g e | 260

Ethno-Religious Discrimination in the Nigerian Civil

Service: Implications for National Unity

Endong, Floribert Patrick Calvain

Department Of Theatre and Media Studies University Of Calabar

floribertendong@yahoo.com

Abstract

The multi-facetted ethnocentrism and

religious discrimination which reign at the

socio-political sphere of Nigeria are

strongly reflected in the country’s civil

service, and are not without profound

multi-dimensional implications for the

upholding of National unity. These forms

of social discriminations –which have

survived for decades – are of course,

inconsistent with the ideals and values of

the country, as expressed by the Nigerian

Constitution, the civil service notebook and

the Nigerian cultural policy, which rather

recognize and give equal importance and

attention to the diversity of ethnic groups

and religions existing in the country.

Through these acts, the state

unambiguously pronounces its concerns to

initiate and attain national unity as well as

stress on its aim to consistently build up a

Nigerian cultural identity. One concrete

manifestation of the ethno-religious

discrimination is the fact that most

appointments, contracts and jobs are

offered on the basis of ethnicity and

religion, even in the federal government.

Similarly, in their recruitments,

Government institutions at local level often

give preference to indigenous ethnic

groups. In some cases, this discrimination

is glaring while in others, it is perpetrated

in a subtle way. Through an exploration of

relevant prolific literature and

observation, this paper analyses these

forms of social discriminations, with close

look into their origin, manifestations and

their implications for the struggle towards

national unity. It argues that the ethnic and

religious discriminations seriously hamper

the effective integration of the ethnic

groups and therefore constitute a major

threat to the unity and development of the

nation as they create religious and ethnic

based dichotomy and regionalism. The

paper further postulates that well planned

education and sensitization on ethnicity

and religion be the most primary resort to

model the minds of Nigerians so as to

initiate ethnic and religious tolerance at

the micro and macro level in the country.

Keywords: Ethno-religious

Discrimination, National Unity, National

Cultures, Cultural Policy

1. Introduction

Since independence, the upholding of

national unity has been one of the main

socio-political courses followed by the

Nigerian Federation. A number of political

and administrative projects have sought to

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Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

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e-ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 01 Issue 10

November 2015

Available online: http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/ P a g e | 261

create an enabling environment – at least at

the institutional level – for

equality/egalitarianism to govern

relationships among religions, tribes and

ethno-linguistic communities co-existing in

the (Nigerian) territory. Examples of such

projects include the creation of states and

local government areas, the too ambitious

mapping of the country into geo-political

zones, the nationalisation of the army, the

police and immigration services, the

National Youth Service Corp (NYSC), the

elaboration of constitutional provisions in

defence of egalitarianism, the Nigerian

cultural policy among others. The two last

examples (the Nigerian constitution and

the Nigerian cultural policy) theoretically

recognize and give equal importance and

attention to the diversity of ethnic groups

and religious communities existing in the

country. Through these two acts, the

Nigerian state unambiguously pronounces

its concerns to initiate and attain national

unity as well as stresses on its aim to

consistently build up a Nigerian cultural

identity. Egalitarianism is expressively

promoted by the Nigerian 1999

Constitution where it makes it practically

impossible for a candidate to win the

presidential election through the exclusive

instrumentality of tribal influence (this

could be illustrated with Paragraph

126(2)). Similarly, in paragraph 42(1), the

Nigerian Constitution clearly shuns all

forms of social discrimination. In effect, in

Paragraph 42 (1), the Constitution

succinctly states that:

A citizen of Nigeria of a particular

community, ethnic group, place of

origin, sex, religion or political

opinion shall not, by reason only

that he is such a person:-

(a) be subjected either expressly by,

or in the practical application of,

any law in force in Nigeria or any

executive or administrative action

of the government, to disabilities or

restrictions to which citizens of

Nigeria of other communities,

ethnic groups, places of origin, sex,

religions or political opinions are

not made subject; or

(b) be accorded either expressly by,

or in the practical application of,

any law in force in Nigeria or any

such executive or administrative

action, any privilege or advantage

that is not accorded to citizens of

Nigeria of other communities,

ethnic groups, places of origin, sex,

religions or political opinions. [1]

In tandem with this, the Nigerian

Civil Service Handbook underscores

egalitarianism as a key principle in the

mode of employment into the Nigerian

civil service [2, p.32]. Such a principle is

inspired by Paragraph 42(2-3) of the

Nigerian Constitution which clearly

stipulates that:

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Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

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e-ISSN: 2395-0463

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November 2015

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(2) No citizen of Nigeria shall be

subjected to any disability or

deprivation merely by reason of the

circumstances of his birth.

(3) Nothing in subsection (1) of this

section [quoted above] shall

invalidate any law by reason only

that the law imposes restrictions

with respect to the appointment of

any person to any office under the

State or as a member of the armed

forces of the Federation or member

of the Nigeria Police Forces or to

an office in the service of a body,

corporate established directly by

any law in force in Nigeria. [1]

However, despite these measures,

egalitarianism and national unity

continuously remain just a set of ideals.

Multiple facets of ethno-religious

discrimination still persist in various

spheres of the Nigerian economy, seriously

begging for attention. These forms of

social discrimination constitute one of the

greatest socio-political problems of the

contemporary Nigerian state. The

phenomenon actually represents a serious

menace to Nigeria’s corporate existence.

As succinctly put by Amadi, “tribal

discrimination [...] has been the greatest

threat to Nigerian unity” since

independence [3, p.66]. The cut-throat

rivalry among the major Nigerian ethnic

groups had made the governmental task of

forging a truly united Nigeria extremely

difficult. Consequently, Nigeria continues

to be polarised by ethnicism and the

religious orientations/dogmatism of its

citizens [4, p.38; 5, p.9]. Despite

widespread condemnation of the

phenomenon (ethno-religious

discrimination) by both the founding

fathers of the Nigerian federation and

contemporary politicians, opinion leaders

and analysts, the phenomenon continues to

have its deleterious effects on the life of

the Nigerian nation. In line with this, it is

often arguably decried that the scheme/idea

of constituting the variety of ethno- religious communities into one Nigeria has

been nothing more than a mere geo- political act or achievement. Such an

achievement has not so much impacted

tribal loyalties and attitudes. With this,

different manifestations of tribalism and

religious essentialism/intolerance are

visible in key sectors of the country’s

economy including the civil service. This

paper critically examines this trend (ethno- religious discrimination) in the Nigerian

civil service, exploring its various

manifestations as well as some of its

different implications for the upholding of

national unity.

2. Theoretical Framework

This paper is anchored on two theories

namely the “idealistic” and anomie

theories. The first is inspired by the