Thematic Analysis of Crisis in Nigeria and Consociational Democracy

Nigeria is a creation of the British colonial rule, which amalgamated the Northern Protectorate, Southern Protectorate and the Colony of Lagos to form one entity. Since attaining independence, nonetheless, Nigeria continues to suffer from one form of constitutional, political and administrative crises or the other. However, a thematic study of these crises appears to suggest that the deeply-rooted interests existing in the polity account for these recurring crises. The paper therefore examines these crises from an historical standpoint, with a view to analysing reasons for the recurring crises as well as proposing consociationalism as a solution.