Ethno-religious Conflicts and Its Economic and Educational Impact on Christian Youths in Birnin Gwari LGA, Kaduna State, Nigeria
Chapter One
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The primary aim of this study is to examine ethno-religious conflicts and its economic and educational impact on Christian youth in Kaduna state. Thus, the following are the specific objectives;
- To examine the effects of ethno Ethno-religious conflicts on education of Christian youths in Birnin Gwari LGA Kaduna.
- To investigate the role of religious leaders in Birnin Gwari LGA in curtailing the menace.
- To investigate government policies of controlling the ethno-religious conflicts in Birnin Gwari LGA.
Chapter Two
LITERATURE REVIEW
Literature Survey
This section enabled the researcher to identify studies that have been carried out in the Federal Republic of Nigeria whose findings relate somehow to the current theme in order to identify the research gaps that the current study sought to fill.
Okpanachi (2016), carried a study on Ethnic and religious crises in Nigeria. The researcher examined the relationship between religion, ethnicity and conflict in Nigeria, focusing mainly on issues in the North of the country. The researcher also looked at the notion of Identity and how it explains the crisis of development and complexities in modern Nigeria. The researcher found out that inter-religious conflicts in Nigeria form part of the dynamics of identity politics. Political elites in Nigeria have always sought to reap advantages from the multidimensional identities, more so during electioneering periods, and this has resulted in conflicts and instability. This politicization of religious identities during contests for political office often lacks any sustaining unifying ideology. Somehow, politics in Nigeria are fashioned on the appeasement of religious motives. As a consequence, religion attains the level of deification that is difficult to challenge or overpower. This study did not focus on factors responsible for Ethno-religious violence in Birnin Gwari LGA Kaduna State and the current study will fill this gap.
Ushe (2015) carried out a study on Ethno-religious conflicts and Education in Nigeria: Implications for Economic and educational impact on Christian youths. The study examined education as a catalyst for resolving conflicts and enhancing economic and educational impact on Christian youths in Nigeria. The study utilized both secondary sources and observation methods for data collection and presentation. The study revealed that Ethno-religious conflicts and insecurity have been endemic in Nigeria in the last two decades and that the Muslims and Christian adherents have fought wars in Nigeria than they had actually fought for peace, thereby threatening peaceful co-existence and economic and educational impact on Christian youths among the citizenry. This study did not focus on the effects of Birnin Gwari LGA religious crises on the economic and educational impact on Christian youths of Nigeria and the possible strategies that could be adopted to minimize or neutralize the effect of this phenomenon on Economic and educational impact on Christian youths. Thus, therefore the current study will fill this gap.
Review of Theoretical Theories
The purpose of this section is to explore the themes and schools of thought on Ethno-religious conflicts and economic and educational impact on Christian youths. This is done in order to define the scope and variety of conflict so that the conflict is put into perspective. A review of conflict theory reveals a number of observations. First, there is a large volume of literature written about the nature and theory of conflict, especially with regard to warfare. Second, there is lack of consensus among both contemporary and historic views of human conflict. Third, among the literature most relevant to political science theoreticians, there are several dichotomies that divide the search for dominant paradigm.
Social Learning Theory
Schelling (1960) propounded the social learning theory which is based on the hypothesis that aggression is not innate or instinctual but actually learned through the process of socialization. This hypothesis is the contention of the Seville Statement. One acquires aggressive attributes by learning them at home, in school, and by interaction with their environment in general. Interaction in society helps to focus and trigger stored aggression onto enemies. This is an important concept, particularly when the conflict is ethno-national or sectarian in nature. Social learning theorists have tried to understand the relationship of the individual in their environment and how this relates to group aggression. Socialization into a violent environment like West Belfast has detrimental effects on childhood development. This is the precursor to aggressive and anti-social behaviour in the teen and early adult years. Children who grow up watching their parents and neighbours being hassled by the police, army or ‘other’ community often become petrol bomb wielding teens. This aggression
can escalate if unchecked or encouraged, so the theory is applicable to the understanding of the impact of Ethno-religious conflicts on Economic and educational impact on Christian youths.
Social Identity Theory
Social Identity Theory (SIT) was developed by psychologist Henri Tajfel (1979), and it offers insight into the conflict in Northern Ireland has noted the importance of this theory: “What is different and important about Social Identity Theory is that it is based on normal psychological processes that operate under all circumstances not just under conditions of intergroup conflict.”
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Design
Research design refers to the steps researchers follow to complete their study from start to finish. It includes asking research questions based on theoretical orientation, selection of respondents, data collection and reporting of the results (Marvasti, 2004). Similarly, Kumar (2005) defines a research design as a plan, structure, and strategy of investigation so conceived as to obtain answers to research question or problems. The plan is the complete scheme or program for the research. It involves plans for data collection, the instrument for gathering information, how information gathered would be processed and analyzed to give meaning to a research finding. Kumar (2005) posits that the function of a research design is to conceptualize an operational plan to undertake the various procedures and tasks required to complete a study, and to ensure that these procedures are adequate to obtain valid, objective and accurate answers to the research questions.
This study adopted a cross sectional Case Study Design within a qualitative framework. A case study is defined to be “an empirical inquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomenon within its real life context when the boundaries between phenomena and context are not clearly evident and in which multiple sources of evidence are used” Yin (1991.p.23). This method is chosen because it is valuable, has distinctive characteristics that include looking out for all the relevant evidence, looks at different interpretations of the situation, identifies the most significant aspects in the area under study and calls for the use of the researcher’s prior expert knowledge to further the analysis. It can also be used in combination with other methods.
Study Population
The population of this study was drawn from politicians, opinion leaders, academics, local government leaders, NGO’s plus individuals who would be very useful according to the researcher’s topic.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
Introduction
This chapter focused on the presentation, analysis and discussion of the information collected during field work in the study on the effects of Ethno-religious conflicts on Economic and educational impact on Christian youths with of the case of Birnin Gwari LGA Kaduna State. The research was conducted in Birnin Gwari LGA Kaduna State Nigeria. These findings were grouped under four headings:
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND AREAS OF FURTHER STUDY
Introduction
This chapter contains the summary, conclusions, recommendations on the factors responsible for Ethno-religious Violence in Birnin Gwari LGA Kaduna State, the effects of Birnin Gwari LGA religious crises on the national security of Nigeria and the strategies that could be adopted to minimize or neutralize the effect of this phenomenon on Economic and educational impact on Christian youths as well as areas for further study.
Summary of findings of the Study
Factors responsible for Ethno-religious Violence in Birnin Gwari LGA Kaduna State
The colonial era created a shaky political foundation for inter-group relations by using a divide and rule system of governance. The colonial actors were “aware of the fact that the unity and combined efforts of the natives would militate against its interests” they played ethnic differences and different cultures in Nigeria against each other and “disrupted a previously organic process of interdependence between them”. The boundaries drawn by the colonial powers did not take differences in language, culture and systems of governance between these groups into account. The merging of identities, irrespective of boundaries and differences, was sustained by the British colonial administration using the divide and rule method.
Group struggles for political control increased as a result of the dominance of petroleum in Nigeria and the immense wealth accrued from its production. Some respondents observed that the struggle for oil resources was mainly for “personal advancement and group security”. The struggle for resources in Nigeria is heavily centred on the question of the beneficiaries of the allocation of such resources. Tensions are further exacerbated by struggles over access to resources controlled at the federal, state and local government level.
Apart from ethnicity, issues of a religious nature have created tensions in Birnin Gwari LGA Kaduna politics. For instance, the adoption of the Sharia Law by 12 states in northern Nigeria has alienated the Christians who have lived in these areas for a long time. The creation of a federal Sharia court of appeal, which was meant to deal only with issues related to Islamic personal issues, divided the country particularly during the late 1970s, with Christians calling for its relegation to the subnational level.
Indigene-settler divides, particularly in Kaduna state, contributes to the deepening of identity-based divides and vice versa. For example, in Kaduna state the main warring groups, Hausa and BAA, largely subscribe to different religions, cultures and languages. The indigene and settler dynamic emerged through the system of regionalism during the colonial era. According to respondents,
Regionalism now features strongly in contemporary Nigerian politics due to the indigene-settler dynamic.
Religious fanaticism as violent and unreasoning religious enthusiasm. Religious fanatics show excessive irrational zeal to defend their religions in Nigeria consequently become destructive agents of religious disharmony in the society.
The unbridled Action of the Press. the actions or reactions of the Muslims to Christians’ action or vice versa are determined by the mass media reports. Press on many occasions in Nigeria had fanned the members of disunity through junk journalism and sensational headlines.
The problem of poverty, especially in the urban area apparently accounts for the bulk of violence (whether ethnic or religious) due to such problems as unemployment, inadequate housing, physical and social infrastructures. The current depression in the Nigerian economy must have worsened the problem of poverty, thereby partly responsible for the creation of religious violence, said by respondents.
The effects of Birnin Gwari LGA religious crises on the economic and educational impact on Christian youths of Nigeria
Religious violence has resulted into large-scale physical displacement and forced relocation of individuals, families and groups in the region. The spate of this violence in the last three decades has certainly resulted in varying degrees of internally displaced persons. Apart from undermining the stability order, religious violence tends to dent the image of the country in the international community.
The Birnin Gwari LGA religious crises caused psychological trauma to those who witnessed the killing of their relatives, and burning of their properties. It also, increased the unemployment level when most of the small-scale industries that employed young and able youths were lost to religious violence.
The incessant nature of violence in the country also had the impact of breeding social miscreant and criminals who by their access to weapons of war (which are usually sophisticated) become terrors to both their immediate community and the larger society. After the crisis, it is always difficult to retrieve such weapons back and because most of these people are originally jobless, they often found solace in terrorizing the society.
The strategies that could be adopted to minimize or neutralize the effect of this phenomenon on Economic and educational impact on Christian youths
Sensitization programmes, policy changes, budget formulation, implementation, and agenda setting require community involvement and advocacy. A community and grassroots peace-building approach is based on the argument that since war involves and affects most of the masses (grassroots people), it is important that they are involved in peace-building and efforts to improve human security. the government has to work hand-in-hand with the community and traditional institutions and leaders because they know the community and can effectively sensitize citizens.
To address idleness, the state must address the problem of Almajiris (street children) as they are being mobilized into armies. In addition, the state should multiply efforts and increase resources for job creation ventures for the youth, a view widely shared among respondents. The employment of university graduates should be based on merit in order to reduce their availability to be used as conflict peddlers. The youth should also be encouraged and empowered to participate in farming as it remains a profitable sector.
Educational institutions should be standardized to ensure that quality education is provided to students from primary to tertiary institutions and sub-standard schools should be closed.
Politicians should refrain from providing weapons to young people so that they can kill or intimidate people during elections.
Most respondents reiterated that the state should build infrastructure (roads, schools) and provide resources (water, electricity) across communities regardless of the identities of the groups residing in an area. They stated that this would help to address uneven development across the state especially as these are needs common to humanity, irrespective of identity.
Government should provide relief and assistance to help victims restart their lives. In cases where resettlement is required, the government should provide victims with food, shelter, clothing, medical care, and education before the full process of re-settlement is completed. For respondents, the state should only help with some relief assistance, skills and vocational training, and provide employment opportunities.
Accessible roads must be created to allow farmers to transport their goods and to ensure that security actors can gain access to these areas when required. Inaccessible roads are a challenge even during times of peace as farmers are not able to access fertilizers or farm machinery. Farm produce has perished because there are no good roads to transport it to market especially during the raining season.
The state should collaborate with other funding institutions like the World Bank to develop and implement community projects, which can build the capacity of the youth while constructing much needed infrastructure like roads, wells and boreholes. Furthermore, it should collaborate and exchange information and personnel with actors from Korea, China and Dubai, in order to learn methods and avenues through which communities can develop and can convert state endowments to increase resources.
building coexistence as an important part of peace- building. According to respondents, coexistence existed amongst earlier inhabitants of the state; no one was regarded as an enemy and religion or ethnicity did not define how one interacted with or accommodated others. There is therefore a need to change mind-sets and orientations in order to build coexistence.
Conclusions of the Study
This study explored the concept of a peace-building framework as a response to the ethno-religious violence in Kaduna state, Nigeria. It sought to identify the key programmes, policies and institutions that are required, and the political, economic, psycho-social and security components that should be included in the peace-building framework. While much has been written on the causes of conflict, this study is forward looking and prescriptive, while undertaking a visioning exercise of what a peaceful Kaduna state could look like and how this can become a reality. The study has shown that ethno-religious violence in Kaduna state has persisted due to the absence of a comprehensive and evidence-based peace-building framework to shape and guide the state’s intervention in reducing direct violence and addressing the underlying causes of the ethno-religious violence. It employed conflict transformation as a critical tool in contributing to a peace-building framework.
States, civil society and citizens themselves need to pay more attention to the ethnic and religious cleavages and resulting conflict that continue to occur on the African continent. Efforts need to be stepped up to resolve these identity conflicts that result from extreme marginalization, injustices and gross violations of human rights. The theories employed by this study are useful in understanding the relevance of a peace- building framework, the priority areas in peace-building efforts and the institutions, policies and programmes required to achieve long-term, sustainable peace. Conflict transformation theory suggests that the achievement of sustainable peace is made possible through three main goals: reducing violence, addressing injustice and rebuilding relationships. This study argues that if a peace-building framework focuses on achieving these three goals, future conflict can be prevented. Political economy theory advocates for the importance of politics and economics in understanding the causes and responses to conflict. Conflict does not function only in a political space; economics has a significant impact. This pattern is consistent particularly in societies where identities feature in political and economic competition and marginalization. This study focused on finding solutions to conflicts of this nature particularly at the subnational level, an area that is widely understudied.
Conflicts remain not about ethnicity, religion or identities in general but about the marginalization, exclusion and inequalities that are associated with them. These identities are superficial and act as a façade for deep-rooted issues. Identities are part of life, and for many they provide a sense of being and belonging. Since identities will always be part of human relationships and society in general, governments and societies need to embrace these differences, but not at the expense of the peace and security of communities, societies and nations.
Peace-building solutions need to be decentralized, inclusive and based on the needs of grassroots communities. This is because these communities are at the core of the conflict and their members have both been victims and perpetrators of the violence. While peace-building is of the utmost importance in restoring peace it should be decentralized and should address the economic and developmental needs of groups in all areas of the state. While not the only actor, the state plays a critical role in contributing to inequalities between groups and in carrying out violence. The pivotal role of the state in resolving the root causes of the conflict and in finding long-lasting and sustainable solutions for transformation at the lowest levels cannot be overemphasized. In a federal system, the national government should be willing, if necessary, to wield more control over subnational units (states and provinces) to improve peace-building responses. It can act as a check and balance in order to avoid their abuse of power.
A peace-building framework provides a structure and a roadmap for how the complex process of rebuilding societies is achieved. As shown in the previous chapter, a framework outlines the programmes, policies and institutions required for peace- building and conflict transformation, the actors and institutions responsible for implementation, the steps involved in implementation, the estimated timelines, necessary resources, and the possible challenges that might emerge. It is a useful way to measure progress, identify gaps and build avenues for collaboration. It also brings about a coordinated and sustained response to the peace-building process.
Recommendations for the Study
Having exhaustively explored the topic on the effects of Ethno-religious conflicts on Economic and educational impact on Christian youths in Birnin Gwari LGA, Kaduna State, the following recommendations are provided below;
Factors responsible for Ethno-religious Violence in Birnin Gwari LGA Kaduna State
To the academics, they should engage in research on the effects of a functional federalism for Kaduna state and how it can be effective in this system.
The parliament should remove discriminatory policies, increase citizen engagement, and remove bias within the state coffers, as the equal treatment of all by the state, regardless of religion or ethnicity, is essential in bringing about sustainable peace.
Undergo a governance review to remove all aspects of marginalization and to replace the concept of indigenization with ‘Nigerianism’. In this regard, governance systems must refrain from pandering to the needs of a particular ethnic group in the state, which causes dissatisfaction among other groups.
Provide the state Office of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) with sufficient resources to carry out its mandate. It is important that its presence and responsibilities are made public and that security officers ensure confidentiality in their engagements with those lodging complaints about violence or abuse in the state.
Engage in a broad decentralization campaign that focuses on security, development and dialogue. This should involve direct engagement with the population at local government, district, ward and village levels. A needs- assessment approach could be used to ensure broad-based and bottom up engagement. Obtaining first-hand information from the grassroots ensures that responses meet people’s needs. The state must inform and update citizens on government projects and activities in their areas.
Expand the Office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Peace-building into a fully-fledged Ministry of Peace-Building. This will involve a shift from the usual ad-hoc and short-term government projects to more long-term, inclusive and comprehensive peace-building engagement. This will require that peace-building and conflict sensitivity is entrenched in the government’s three pillars of Education, Health, and Human and Capital Development.
Hold an annual or bi-annual workshop with representatives of each ethnic group to discuss common societal challenges rather than indigene-settler issues. The findings from these processes would be developed into a report for implementation. Progress made would be evaluated against the recommendations of these reports.
Ensure that political actors take responsibility and work together with those in leadership positions to bring peace to the state. Politics and confrontation should not replace collaboration and cooperation amongst the political elite.
Modify the structure of the Birnin Gwari LGA North LGA to make the Local Council more representative of the desire of all the communities to foster a sense of community and belonging.
Commit efforts and resources to end the high numbers of strikes in tertiary institutions and multiply efforts to provide job opportunities for the youth, as idle youth are more susceptible to drugs and engage in other social vices like crime and other violent activities.
Ensure that political leaders refrain from being partisan or favoring specific ethnic groups and instead focus on how to develop the whole state to benefit all groups.
Identify and develop the resources in each LGA, and build the capacity of the youth in these administrative areas so that they contribute to developing their local governments while improving their economic livelihoods.
Redesign the current setting of urban slums to decongest crowded areas and through intervention programmes such as subsidies and addressing urban poverty.
Reinstate key markets like the Birnin Gwari LGA Main Market and provide spaces for inter- religious markets with proper security.
Develop a policy and culture of meritocracy at all levels especially for political appointments and the civil service. Avenues should be created for skills development for government staff particularly in conflict transformation and peace-building.
Prioritise state-wide infrastructural development projects including access to good roads across the state.
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