This work is based on the premise that, although identity politics may be contentious, it is not necessarily harmful. Identity is an integral aspect of any nation's social fabric, and when expressed inclusively, it may enhance rather than split society. However, when issues about government failures, marginalization, or economic disparities are not addressed, identity becomes weaponized, fueling separatism and violence. Nigeria's history highlights the high risks of mismanaging variety, as well as the prospects for establishing common ground via good neighborliness, communication, and regional cooperation.
I used history, political philosophy, international relations, and security studies to organize the work. The chapters follow Nigeria's history from pre-colonial periods, colonial division and independence to the problems of the Fourth Republic and the Boko Haram insurgency. Comparative viewpoints from Africa, Europe, and Asia provide a larger picture, reminding us that separatism and terrorism are global problems that transcend territory. Identity-based wars like the Balkans, Sri Lanka, Catalonia, and Sudan provide frightening lessons and valuable insights for Nigeria and West Africa. The notion of good neighbourliness is a fundamental thread running through the book, serving as both a home ethos for managing diversity and a foreign policy framework for Nigeria's relationship with its neighbors.
Table of Contents
- Chapter One: Introduction
- Background of identity politics in post-colonial Africa
- Nigeria’s strategic position in West Africa
- Problem of ethnic separatism and terrorism
- Good neighbourliness as a policy framework
- Chapter Two: Conceptual and Theoretical Foundations
- Defining identity politics, ethnic separatism, and terrorism
- Historical roots of identity politics in colonial partition (Berlin Conference, 1884–1885)
- Theories of separatism and nationalism (Gellner, Anderson, Smith)
- Concept of good neighbourliness in international law and diplomacy
- Linking security studies and identity politics
- Chapter Three: Historical Evolution of Nigerian Statehood
- Pre-colonial empires and ethnic configurations (Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, Igbo, Kanuri, etc.)
- The impact of colonial rule on ethnic fragmentation
- Independence and the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970)
- Evolution of Nigeria’s foreign policy and the good neighbourliness principle
- Chapter Four: Nigeria’s Contemporary Security Challenges
- Nigeria’s borders with Niger, Chad, and Cameroon
- Franco–Anglophone rivalry and its impact on Nigeria’s diplomacy
- Cross-border ethnic and religious ties fuelling separatism
- Case study: Lake Chad Basin and the spread of Boko Haram
- Security vs. economic interdependence
- Chapter Five: Nigeria’s Foreign Policy and the French Factor (1960–1999)
- Tafawa Balewa’s cautious diplomacy
- The Civil War and French influence on Biafra
- The oil boom and Nigeria’s rise as a regional power
- The creation of ECOWAS and regional integration
- Military rule and fluctuating foreign policy orientation
- Chapter Six: Terrorism and Identity Politics in the Fourth Republic (1999–Present)
- Democratic transition and resurgence of ethnic militias (OPC, MASSOB, MEND)
- Boko Haram: Origins, ideology, and international linkages
- Ethno-religious conflicts (Jos crises, Fulani herder clashes, Niger Delta militancy)
- Political assassinations and the role of electoral violence
- Governance failures, corruption, and poverty in fuelling terrorism
- Chapter Seven: The Boko Haram Insurgency – A Case Study
- Timeline of Boko Haram (2002–present)
- Leadership and structure (Mohammed Yusuf to Abubakar Shekau, ISIS ties)
- Major attacks: UN Headquarters (2011), Chibok Girls (2014), Abuja bombings
- Humanitarian consequences: IDPs, refugee crisis in Chad/Niger/Cameroon
- Nigeria’s military response (Operation Lafiya Dole)
- International coalitions (MNJTF, US, France, AU involvement)
- Chapter Eight: Identity Politics, Terrorism, and Good Neighbourliness Policy
- How terrorism undermines Nigeria’s diplomatic relations
- Ethnic ties across borders (Fulani, Kanuri, Hausa) as complicating factors
- France’s enduring influence in Francophone neighbours
- Economic consequences: trade disruptions, investment decline, displacement
- Rethinking good neighbourliness in the face of borderless terrorism
- Chapter Nine: Comparative Perspectives
- Separatist movements in Africa (Sudan/South Sudan, Ethiopia/Tigray, Mali/Tuareg)
- Lessons from Europe: Spain/Catalonia, UK/Scotland, Balkan Conflicts
- Terrorism and separatism in Asia (Sri Lanka, Kashmir, Myanmar)
- Implications for Nigeria and West Africa
- Chapter Ten: Toward a Renewed Framework for Nigeria’s Foreign and Security Policy
- Policy gaps in Nigeria’s current security architecture
- Strengthening border security and intelligence cooperation
- Addressing root causes: governance, youth unemployment, education
- Regional cooperation through ECOWAS and AU
- Counter-narratives to extremist ideologies
- Redefining good neighbourliness for the 21st century
Main Objective & Thematic Focus
This book's primary goal is to investigate how historical legacies, sociopolitical dynamics, and external factors interact to determine Nigeria's current security difficulties, while also appraising the potential for regeneration via diplomacy, governance reforms, and regional cooperation.
- Analysis of identity politics, ethnic separatism, and terrorism in Nigeria.
- Examination of the impact of colonial legacies on contemporary security challenges.
- Investigation into governance failures, marginalization, and economic disparities as drivers of instability.
- Evaluation of Nigeria's strategic position in West Africa and its role in regional stability.
- Exploration of "good neighbourliness" as a foreign policy framework and its adaptation to modern threats.
- Comparative study of separatist and terrorist movements across different global regions.
Excerpt from the Book
The Problem of Ethnic Separatism and Terrorism
Ethnic separatism and terrorism are two of the most pressing challenges that Nigeria has faced since independence. They are interlinked phenomena that reflect the deep divisions within the Nigerian state and the failure of successive governments to build a cohesive national identity. Separatism is not new in Nigeria. Only seven years after independence, the country was plunged into a brutal civil war when the Eastern Region attempted to secede and form the Republic of Biafra between 1967 and 1970. The war, which cost the lives of an estimated one million people, was the first clear sign that Nigeria’s multi-ethnic structure could not be taken for granted (Falola & Heaton, 2008).
Beyond the South-East, other groups have also pursued separatist or semi-separatist agendas. In the Niger Delta, militant groups such as the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) took up arms in the 2000s to demand greater control of the region’s oil wealth and compensation for decades of environmental degradation. Their activities, which included attacks on oil installations and the kidnapping of foreign oil workers, disrupted Nigeria’s oil-dependent economy and drew international attention (Courson, 2009). In the South-West, some Yoruba nationalist groups have called for greater autonomy or even independence, while in the Middle Belt and North, minority ethnic groups have also pushed for recognition and protection in the face of perceived domination by the Hausa-Fulani elite.
Layered onto these separatist tendencies is the menace of terrorism, which has emerged most violently in the North-East through the Boko Haram insurgency. Boko Haram, whose name in Hausa is commonly translated as “Western education is forbidden”, began as a small religious movement in the early 2000s under the leadership of Mohammed Yusuf. It quickly evolved into a violent jihadist group after Yusuf’s death in police custody in 2009. Under Abubakar Shekau, Boko Haram carried out devastating attacks on civilians, government institutions, and international targets. Its most infamous actions included the bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Abuja in 2011 and the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls from Chibok in 2014 (Walker, 2016).
The impact of Boko Haram has not been confined to Nigeria. The insurgency has spilled across borders into Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, destabilising the wider Lake Chad Basin. This cross-border dimension is fuelled by the shared ethnic and religious identities of communities in the region, particularly the Kanuri and Fulani peoples. It illustrates how identity politics, ethnic separatism, and terrorism are interconnected problems that transcend national boundaries. The insurgency has also drawn international actors into the conflict. Boko Haram pledged allegiance to the so-called Islamic State in 2015, rebranding itself as the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The consequences of terrorism and separatism for Nigeria are severe. First, they have caused immense human suffering. Boko Haram alone is estimated to have killed more than 35,000 people and displaced over two million within Nigeria, while many others have fled as refugees to neighbouring countries (UNHCR, 2020). Second, these crises have damaged Nigeria’s economy. Constant insecurity discourages investment, disrupts agriculture, and increases government spending on defence at the expense of development. Third, they have undermined Nigeria’s international reputation, portraying the country as unstable and dangerous for foreign investors, tourists, and diplomatic partners.
At a deeper level, ethnic separatism and terrorism expose the fragility of the Nigerian state. They show that the sense of belonging to a common nation remains weak in many communities. When citizens feel excluded from political power or economic opportunity, they often fall back on their ethnic or religious identities as sources of security and solidarity. Extremist groups exploit these grievances, using identity-based narratives to recruit followers and legitimise violence. This is why the problem of terrorism in Nigeria cannot be solved by military force alone. It requires addressing the underlying issues of governance, inequality, corruption, and social injustice that make people receptive to separatist and extremist ideologies.
Chapter Summaries
Chapter One: Introduction: This chapter outlines the background of identity politics in post-colonial Africa, Nigeria's strategic position in West Africa, and the critical issues of ethnic separatism and terrorism, introducing good neighbourliness as a policy framework.
Chapter Two: Conceptual and Theoretical Foundations: This chapter defines core concepts like identity politics, ethnic separatism, and terrorism, tracing their historical roots in colonial partition and discussing relevant theories of nationalism, alongside the concept of good neighbourliness.
Chapter Three: Historical Evolution of Nigerian Statehood: This chapter delves into Nigeria's pre-colonial ethnic configurations, the fragmenting impact of colonial rule, the Nigerian Civil War, and the subsequent evolution of Nigeria's foreign policy, including the good neighbourliness principle.
Chapter Four: Nigeria’s Contemporary Security Challenges: This chapter analyzes Nigeria's border issues with Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, the impact of Franco-Anglophone rivalry, cross-border ethnic ties fueling separatism, and a case study of the Boko Haram insurgency in the Lake Chad Basin.
Chapter Five: Nigeria’s Foreign Policy and the French Factor (1960–1999): This chapter explores Nigeria's foreign policy from independence to the late 20th century, examining cautious diplomacy, the influence of the civil war and French involvement, Nigeria's rise as a regional power due to oil, the creation of ECOWAS, and the fluctuating foreign policy under military rule.
Chapter Six: Terrorism and Identity Politics in the Fourth Republic (1999–Present): This chapter examines the resurgence of ethnic militias like OPC, MASSOB, and MEND following Nigeria's democratic transition, details the origins and international linkages of Boko Haram, and discusses ethno-religious conflicts and the role of governance failures in fueling terrorism.
Chapter Seven: The Boko Haram Insurgency – A Case Study: This chapter provides a detailed timeline and analysis of the Boko Haram insurgency, covering its leadership evolution from Mohammed Yusuf to Abubakar Shekau and ISWAP, major attacks, humanitarian consequences, Nigeria's military response, and international coalitions.
Chapter Eight: Identity Politics, Terrorism, and Good Neighbourliness Policy: This chapter explores how terrorism undermines Nigeria's diplomatic relations, complicated by cross-border ethnic ties and France's influence, and discusses the economic consequences of insecurity, proposing a rethinking of the good neighbourliness policy in the face of borderless terrorism.
Chapter Nine: Comparative Perspectives: This chapter offers comparative case studies of separatist movements and terrorism in Africa, Europe, and Asia, drawing lessons for Nigeria and West Africa regarding governance, managing diversity, and preventing violent conflict.
Chapter Ten: Toward a Renewed Framework for Nigeria’s Foreign and Security Policy: This final chapter identifies policy gaps in Nigeria's security architecture, proposes strengthening border security and intelligence, addressing root causes (governance, unemployment, education), enhancing regional cooperation (ECOWAS, AU), developing counter-narratives, and redefining good neighbourliness for 21st-century threats.
Keywords
Nigeria, identity politics, terrorism, ethnic separatism, good neighbourliness, West Africa, Boko Haram, colonial legacy, regional cooperation, governance failures, economic interdependence, human security, Francophone influence, counterinsurgency, peacebuilding.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental topic of this work?
This work fundamentally addresses the complex interplay of identity politics, ethnic separatism, and terrorism in Nigeria, and their broader implications for West African stability, through the lens of Nigeria's foreign policy principle of "good neighbourliness."
What are the central thematic areas?
The central thematic areas include the dynamics of identity politics, the rise and impact of ethnic separatism and terrorism, the historical legacies (especially colonial partition) that shape these phenomena, Nigeria's strategic regional role, and the concept and application of good neighbourliness in diplomatic and security contexts.
What is the primary objective or research question?
The primary objective is to investigate how historical legacies, sociopolitical dynamics, and external factors interact to determine Nigeria's current security difficulties, while also appraising the potential for regeneration via diplomacy, governance reforms, and regional cooperation.
Which scientific method is used?
The author uses an interdisciplinary approach, drawing from history, political philosophy, international relations, and security studies to organize the work and analyze the complex issues.
What is covered in the main part?
The main part of the book covers the historical evolution of Nigerian statehood, its contemporary security challenges, Nigeria's foreign policy and the French factor, the Boko Haram insurgency as a case study, the relationship between identity politics, terrorism, and good neighbourliness policy, and comparative perspectives from other regions of the world, concluding with a renewed framework for foreign and security policy.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key words characterizing the work are: Nigeria, identity politics, terrorism, ethnic separatism, good neighbourliness, West Africa, Boko Haram, colonial legacy, regional cooperation, governance failures, economic interdependence, human security, Francophone influence, counterinsurgency, peacebuilding.
How did the colonial partition of Africa at the Berlin Conference impact identity politics in Nigeria?
The Berlin Conference of 1884–1885 arbitrarily divided the African continent into states without regard for existing ethnic, linguistic, and cultural communities, forcing diverse groups into a single political unit like Nigeria. This artificial mixing led to deep-seated resentments, fragmented national identity, and fostered competition between groups, laying the foundation for identity politics and separatist tendencies in post-colonial Nigeria.
What role did the Franco-Anglophone rivalry play in shaping Nigeria's foreign policy?
The Franco-Anglophone rivalry, rooted in differing colonial legacies and France's continued influence in its former West African colonies, significantly shaped Nigeria's foreign policy. Nigeria often viewed France and its Francophone allies as a challenge to its regional leadership ambitions and national unity, especially during the Biafran War, leading to a foreign policy that sought to counter French dominance through initiatives like ECOWAS while pursuing cautious engagement.
What were the key leadership transitions within Boko Haram and how did they affect its strategy?
Boko Haram underwent significant leadership transitions: founded by Mohammed Yusuf as a religious sect focused on anti-Western education and secular governance, it transformed into a violent insurgency under Abubakar Shekau, known for extreme brutality and global notoriety. Later, a splinter faction led by Abu Musab al-Barnawi (ISWAP) adopted a more strategic approach, emphasizing governance and community embedding rather than indiscriminate violence, complicating counterinsurgency efforts.
How does economic interdependence interact with security concerns along Nigeria's borders?
Economic interdependence along Nigeria's borders, through trade, migration, and shared resources, provides both benefits and vulnerabilities. While these ties sustain livelihoods and promote regional integration, the porous nature of borders also allows insurgent groups, smugglers, and criminals to exploit these networks, turning economic lifelines into sources of insecurity and creating a dilemma between promoting economic exchange and enhancing border security.
- Citar trabajo
- Oluwaseun Osadola (Autor), 2025, Good Neighbourliness in Crisis. Identity Politics and Terrorism in Nigeria, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1661022
