Detection of the weak-lensing magnification signal

The Nigerian State before the year 1999 was a society under the iron hand of military men and women. There was no freedom of association or avenue for the people to organise themselves under any political ideology or political umbrella. But the scenario changed as soon as democratic politics was restored in the country in 1998.

The re-introduction of democratic politics in Nigeria reignited the more or less inactive ethno-phobia in Nigeria’s polity. The question of who is to be the next leader, and what ethnic identity as well as the religious leaning of that individual or ethnic group should be, dominated the political discussion in the country.

Map 4.1 showing the four regional territories in Nigeria. (Source, adapted from en.wikipedia.org)

The political rivalry between the ethnic people of Yoruba, Hausa-Fulani and the Igbo of Nigeria became evident again, thanks to the end of military rule. The question of individual ethnic allegiance could be described as one of the bedrocks of democratic politics in Nigeria. Prior to 1999 return to democratic politics in Nigeria, there was no measured strategy tailored, or created to minimise the effect of ethnic mindset in the political field.

Political arrangement is usually made or entered through regional political party interests. Allegiance is formed between two regional strong parties. Then in the past, political parties are driven by the popularity of the Individual founders. Better still, parties are formed and membership is generated through the political philosophy of such single individual, as well as the ethnic identity of the person.

Political activities were previously based on personality, or in another word, politics in the country was personality driven. Personalities like late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and Malam Aminu Kano. These individuals were at various times leaders of their political parties. These parties are, The Nigerian Peoples Party, The Unity Party of Nigeria, and The Peoples Redemption Party, respectively. However the absence of these individual political heavyweights did not eclipse the belief of many of their Students and followers.

In the Western region of the country, the political scene is dominated by elements propagating the Chief Obafemi Awolowo political philosophy. This is based on his political theory of Yoruba for the Yoruba, Igbo for the Igbo, and Hausa-Fulani for the Hausa-Fulani. The Yoruba ethnic group always creates a political platform for the propagation of Yoruba Interest. Mathew Mbu, a veteran politician from the eastern region, and an ardent supporter of Nnamdi Azikiwe maintained that,

“the Yoruba always believed that Nigeria is a political battlefield; where every ethnic group needs to strive harder so as to able to command respect and relevance”⁷.

This is evident in the overwhelming support and acceptance the Action Congress of Nigeria enjoys within the Yoruba Land. The Action Congress of Nigeria is a political party with Yoruba core Interest as it is backbone. The Party derives its philosophy from the defunct Action Group (AG) and also the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).

The two mentioned political parties were previously formed and led by the Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. The Majority of the Yoruba ethnic group continued to this present time to identify with the political philosophy of the Man, even many years after he passed on.

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4. Mathias Ezeoba, is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Zurich, interviewed on, 20/02/2011

5. Emmanuel Echeoma is social Commentator based in Enugu. Interviewed in Enugu on, 08/10/2010

6. Dr. Iro I. Uke is a Senior Lecturer Department of Science University of Abuja. Interviewed in Abuja on 06/06/2009

7. See Ambassador Mathew Mbu, Vanguard Newspaper, Nigeria, Online Edition, 12/12/2009, www.vanguardngr.com

The political lens used by Awolowo to look at politics in Nigeria during his time, is still the same political lens being used by his students in the present day democratic politics in Nigeria. And that is, through his philosophy to dominate the political landscape of the country, and if not possible to create a bargaining platform within his ethnic homeland.

Among the people of Igbo extraction, there is no given political party that commands absolute loyalty or dominance. There is no Party that enjoys absolute sympathy of the Igbo. The Igbo are politically open to other ethnic groups, although with a minimal political relation with the Yoruba. But on the other hand, the Igbo are relatively open politically to the Hausa-Fulani dominated northern Nigeria. The Igbo politicians are scattered in the various registered political parties.

The Hausa-Fulani ethnic mindset is absolutely influenced by religious tendencies. In whichever political party the Hausa-Fulani commands a large membership the element of religion is usually brought to bear on such a party. Besides, they always strive to be the determinant factor in every political party they belong to. Politically, they do not detest joining or forming alliance with any ethnic group provided her interest is guaranteed and protected. The ordinary Hausa-Fulani politician may not show any sign of natural political hatred against anybody from other ethnic nations, but the ordinary individual in the villages and other remote areas in the region always harboured certain grievances against other ethnic groups, particularly the people of Igbo extraction. The hostility between the two ethnic groups is constant, and without any known remedy. None of the root causes for the violent attacks either in Kano, Jos, Maiduguri, and Kaduna against the Igbo or Christians has been determined.

The natural hatred always results in bad and negative political mindset on the part of the ordinary Hausa-Fulani person against the other two ethnic Nations of Igbo and the Yoruba. The Hausa-Fulani never pretend about their uncompromising stance on Islam and the political equilibrium in the country. Therefore the political mindset created within the Hausa-Fulani community is partly derived from religion and partly from their ethnic identity propelled by the ethnic language; the Hausa language. The Hausa-Fulani politicians do not have preferred political counterparts. To them, any group that could provide them with the necessary political cover or alliance stands as

their partner. A testimony to this are the various coalitions the Hausa-Fulani built with the Igbo ethnic politicians in the past. The 1963, 1979, and the coalition of politicians from the two ethnic nationalities in 1999 that led to the formation of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) confirm the previous statement(Alex Gboyega 1997)

In pursuing their political interest, the Hausa-Fulani politicians always have the feeling of leading other Non Hausa-Fulani Nigerians. This posture always instils in the mind of the majority of the ordinary Hausa-Fulani the idea of right to rule in Nigeria. This makes it also somewhat difficult for any meaningful cross ethnic political concession to emerge between the three ethnic nations of Igbo, Yoruba, and the Hausa-Fulani.

The different political mindsets emanating from the three ethnic nations under study, do point to the fact that the politicians are not actually creating avenues capable of ameliorating the established bad political opinions against each group. The Ethnic mindset of the Hausa-Fulani electorate against any candidate from the other two ethnic groups is difficult to measure. This is based on the fact that there are no indices that could be used to determine the level of the effect, Or otherwise to measure the reason for their inability to see leadership quality in individuals outside the Hausa-Fulani stock. Elections are usually characterised by ethnic sentiments, and so, interested individuals are confined to their natural homeland.

It is so, because individuals and groups always strive to win elections, based on the local factors. These are factors that are purely human made barriers, such like ethnic origin of a contesting individual, the religious affiliation of the individual contesting, as well as the nominating political party. It is unthinkable for any political Party in the Yorubaland to pick an Igbo or Hausa-Fulani person as its candidate during elections.

The same thing applies within the Igbo, as well as within the Hausa-Fulani communities.

4.2.1 The Nigerian Factor and Politics: The New Order: 1999 to 2011

In an effort to break away from the old political order in Nigeria, many individuals organised themselves into different political groupings. But prior to the 1999 democratic elections in Nigeria, and afterwards, it thus emerged that, there were no difference in character of those in active politics. The only noticeable point in the polity is the minor changes in the personalities of the politicians. According to Obasi Igwe,

“The political intentions and body language of the present politicians showed no mark of difference with their political models”⁸

He was actually referring to the Leaders of the leading political parties in Nigeria as of present. He argues that, from the PDP, to ANPP, and downward to ACN, and APGA, and lately CPC and Labour; the leaders of the parties exhibit the same kind of political manoeuvre and intentions buoyed by ethnic interest. He went further to argue that,

“the overall interest of the majority of the leaders is to control the central government, using the vehicle of their ethnic oriented political party to influence the national political landscape, and not necessarily creating an enduring national political interest”⁹

If in any way the political philosophy of the people like the Bola Tinubu is to be considered, then the answer to the argument of Obasi Igwe will not be far fetched. It is the same philosophy of politics based on self realisation, which the great Yoruba leader, Obafemi Awolowo created, practiced and bequeathed to the Yoruba that Bola Tinubu, and the other eminent Yoruba politicians are preaching. They are using the same method like Obafemi Awolowo, and on the same political environment. Just like their mentor, the idea was to build a base within the Yorubaland as first agenda, and then move outside the Yorubaland into the national politics, using the already established political structure as a bargaining power.

The Action Congress was an off-shoot of Alliance for Democracy, a Yoruba political party. Most of the members are former members of Alliance for Democracy, who moved out of the party to form the ACN, this include the Party National Chairman Bisi Akande, and also the National Leader Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu. An interesting thing in all these Yoruba based political parties is the use of Alphabet A. From the time of Obafemi Awolowo, to this era of Bola Tinubu, there is always the use of the Alphabet

“A”.

The parties are the Action Group, to Alliance for Democracy, and now to Action Congress of Nigeria. The only difference was in 1979, when Obafemi Awolowo formed the UPN. But then UPN was the reincarnation of Action Group, this is because the UPN embraced every aspect of the defunct AG. It was only named UPN to make it appear more national in outlook, but practically it remains the same Yoruba oriented political philosophy.

4.3. Political Parties and Ethno-Political Interest of the Yoruba, Igbo, and