THE NORTH–SOUTH DICHOTOMY IN NIGERIAN POLITICS: ITS HISTORY AND IMPLICATIONS FOR NATIONAL INTEGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Nigeria is heavily divided along several lines, including religious, ethnic, and regional differences. These divisions have adversely affected national integration and development and have institutionalized disunity, distrust, and suspicion among citizens. The research adopted thematic, historical, and eclectic methods, relying on secondary sources for its analysis. It found that, although the North–South divide in Nigerian politics was deliberately created by the British colonial government to serve their imperial interests, the actions of the Northern political elite have largely sustained this divide. The North has consistently resisted efforts by the South to restructure the country politically and economically, thereby placing Nigeria in a state of arrested development. The study concluded that restructuring is a panacea for Nigeria’s quest for national integration, as it will promote development.