COLONIAL LEGACIES AND CONTEMPORARY REALITIES: TRIUMPHS AND CHALLENGES OF NATIONAL INTEGRATION IN NIGERIA SINCE 1914

Over a decade after Nigeria’s centenary, questions linger about whether the 1914 amalgamation was a blessing or curse. Nigerians have lived with the consequences, marked by protests and agitations that began during colonial rule and continue to this day. This paper examines the socio-political state of the nation since 1914, with cultural diversity and binding factors such as group threat theories posing significant challenges. The paper adopts a historical and analytical approach with a combination of primary and secondary sources of data collection Findings reveal firstly that despite the difficulties and threats, Nigerian leaders have made significant efforts over the years to sustain the ‘nation’ inherited from the British in 1960. A case in point was Yakubu Gowon’s 9-Point Programmes and no winner no vanquished stance at the verge of final secession in the civil war years which consequently won him the well-deserved acronym of, G-o O-n W-ith O-ne- N-igeria. It further reveals however, that Nigeria's quest for functional integration remains elusive due to persistent challenges and contemporary realities. The country's diversity, security concerns, and developmental issues threaten its unity, making disintegration a looming possibility. The paper concludes that Nigeria's amalgamation is an irreversible historical reality, rendering futile any debate on its legitimacy. It is hoped that the study would contribute to the growing literature on Inter-Group Relations and Diplomatic Studies. Moving on, it is strongly recommended that beyond the blame game, focus should rather shift to leveraging the country's cultural diversity as a strength, rather than a weakness.