Comparative Governance: What Other Nations Do Differently, and What Is Transferable – Part 1 | By Afeez Bello
According to some authors, a nation is a community of people formed on the basis of a common language, territory, history, and ethnicity, among others. In another definition, it is a historically constituted, stable community of people, formed based on a common language, territory, economic life, ethnicity and psychological make-up manifested in a common culture.
Based on Worldometer statistics, there are 195 countries across the world. This comprises 193 member states of the United Nations and 2 non-member states, namely, the state of Palestine and the Holy See. Meanwhile, a country is a territory of a nation, a sovereign state, or a region once independent and still distinct in institutions and language, among others.
Scholars define the state based on their political and sociological views. In political science, a state is an organised political community under one government that holds supreme authority and a monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force within a specific geographic territory.
It is intellectually wise to establish the meaning of a nation, country, and state so that budding scholars will have prior knowledge that there are sharp differences between the trio.
Regarding the discussion on “what other nations do differently”. It has raised a controversial question – “Is Nigeria a nation? ”.
Eminent scholars across the world have argued whether Nigeria is a nation. Some of them have put the record straight regarding this debate.
Renowned United States diplomat John Campbell asserted that “Nigeria is not quite a nation because Nigerians are not united by language, religion, culture, or a common national story”. Campbell expanded the basis of a common language, territory, history, and ethnicity that negate Nigeria from being perceived as a nation.
The former US ambassador continued on the status of Nigeria as a state. It is not quite a state because the government is weak and getting weaker, and it fails to provide for the security of its citizens, the primary requirement of any state. “It is important to note that Campbell’s view on Nigeria as a state is very valid. In fact, the laymen across the streets in the country can attest to this fact.
The former Premier of the Western Region, and the President Nigeria never had, Chief Jeremiah Oyeniyi Obafemi Awolowo historically described Nigeria as mere “Geographical Expression” rather than a homogenous nation because it was selfishly merged together by British Colonialists rather than a unified indigenous nationality. This assertion was made in his book, Path to Nigerian Freedom, published in 1947.
The late sage argued that Nigeria was not a nation yet but rather a space containing many cultural-linguistic groups that are separate and distinct in nature. The rationale behind Awo’s assertion, “mere geographical expression”, was that Awolowo used the phrase to advocate for a true federal system that respected ethnic differences instead of forcing a fake unity under colonial rule.
To be continued….
