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Peace, Unity and Nation Building: the Role of Individuals and 

Other Stakeholders 

 

By  

Bukar Usman 

 

 

Abstract 

This paper is on the subject of peace, unity and nation building in Nigeria and the rest 

of Africa, with special focus on the role of individuals and other stakeholders. It was 

originally delivered at a conference organised in Abuja by the StandTall Africa 

Initiative. The topic, as considered in this paper, is treated under the following 

headings: constitutional provisions on role of individuals and stakeholders, 

responsibilities of government and other authorities, environmental impact on conduct 

of individuals and groups, and the need for skills development and modernity. Other 

dimensions of the topic discussed include: diversity, aggregation of interests and 

development of national consciousness; pillars of national stability and political 

neutrality; empowerment of youths and women; constitutional development; 

population explosion and sources of conflict; information communication technology 

and the media; and common problems of African countries. 

 

Keywords: peace, unity, nation building, individuals, Nigeria, Africa  

 

 

 

Introduction 

It is my singular honor and pleasure to deliver the keynote address for this all-

important conference on Peace, Unity and Nation Building with specific 

reference to Nigeria and the African continent1. The conference organizers, 

StandTall Africa Initiative (STAI), have itemized six vital areas for discussion. 

They include: 

 

 Developing the Nigeria and Africa economy via peaceful co-existence 

and crisis free society 

 Youth empowerment  

 Qualities of leadership 

 Place of religion in nation building 

 Role of women 

 Role of individuals and other stakeholders 

 



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     I have been asked by STAI to focus my address on the sixth point – the role 

of individuals and other stakeholders. Presumably, the other resource persons 

will attend to the rest. I hasten to say that stakeholders in nation building 

include almost every individual or group, and so cover all of us attending this 

conference. Individuals invariably belong to one group or another. They have 

their stakes, some of which find expression in the group. Individuals have a 

role to play in the group, with some assigned positions of leadership to promote 

both individual and group interests. 

 

Constitutional Provisions on Role of Individuals and Stakeholders 

Like some of the earlier constitutions, the 1999 Constitution2 provides the 

duties of the individual citizen to include: 

 

i. to abide by the constitution, respect its ideals and institutions, the 

National Flag, the National Anthem, and legitimate and properly 

constituted authorities; 

ii. to protect and preserve public property, and fight against 

misappropriation and squandering of public funds; 

iii. to help enhance the power, prestige and good name of the country and 

defend the country and render national service as may be required; 

iv. to respect the dignity and religion of other citizens and their rights and 

the legitimate interests of others and to live in unity and harmony and in 

the spirit of common brotherhood; 

v. to make positive and useful contributions to the advancement, progress 

and well-being of the community where he resides; 

vi. to work conscientiously in his lawful and chosen occupation and to 

abstain from any activity detrimental to the general welfare of other 

citizens; 

vii. to ensure the proper upbringing of his children; 

viii. to participate in and defend all democratic processes and practices; 

ix. to render assistance to appropriate and lawful agencies in the 

maintenance of law and order; and  

x. to declare his income honestly to appropriate and lawful agencies and to 

pay his tax. 

 

Additional duties of the citizen have been embodied in the National Anthem 

and the National Pledge. In the National Anthem, the citizen is called upon, 

among others, to: 

 

 Serve our fatherland with love and strength and faith (Stanza 1, lines 2 

and 3) 

 Serve with heart and might (line 6); and 

 Build a nation where peace and justice shall reign (Stanza 2, line 7). 



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These provisions are complemented by the National Pledge which appeals to 

the citizen “To be faithful, loyal and honest… To defend (Nigeria’s) unity and 

uphold her honour and glory”. But, really, how far does the citizen know and 

perform all these? It would be safe to say that given the low-level literacy 

prevailing in the country, the generality of the citizens hardly know and 

appreciate their role in this regard. Often, we recite those provisions without 

giving deep thoughts to them, let alone endeavour to respond as expected of us. 

 

Responsibilities of Government and other Authorities  

On the other hand, the Nigerian Constitution 1999 spell out the duties and 

responsibilities of all organs of government and of all authorities and persons 

exercising legislative, executive and judicial powers, all of whom are required 

to conform to and observe the provisions of the constitution3. Their 

responsibilities are specifically declared to include: 

 

 Provision of security and welfare as primary functions of government 

 Ensuring the participation of the people in their governance 

 Conduct of the affairs of governance in a manner that reflects the federal 

character and 

 The need to promote national unity and command loyalty      

 

The provisions, which extend to governance at the state levels, enjoin the states 

to recognize the diversity of the people and the need to promote a sense of 

belonging and loyalty among all the people of the federation. 

 

Aside from the above provisions, the Oaths of Office, the Code of Conduct and 

other legislations spell out how public officers should conduct themselves in 

running the affairs of government. 

 

It is quite apparent that were the citizens and government to observe the letter 

and spirits of the provisions of our Constitution and subsidiary legislations, 

nation building will greatly be facilitated in an atmosphere of relative peace, 

tranquility and harmony. Unfortunately, human failings and frailties create 

difficulties and cause disenchantment among the citizenry. 

 

Success in the attainment of all of the above goals emphasizes the importance 

of leadership at all levels and in all spheres of life. Leadership should, among 

others, be averse to evils of corruption, greed, selfishness and mismanagement 

of public funds.  

 

Environmental Impact on Conduct of Individuals and Groups 



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All things being equal, it is expected that the interests of individuals subsumed 

in the group interests would be pursued and projected peacefully. However, an 

individual’s conduct, and also that of a group, is influenced by their immediate 

environment. Different environments breed peculiar interests. Nation building, 

therefore, requires the aggregation of those interests and the working out of 

suitable programmes, in the short and long term, towards the attainment of the 

common good as set out by a nation. The programmes so outlined demand 

constant review by the leadership to ensure that group and individual interests 

are protected and projected in a manner which gives them hope, makes life 

worth living and empowers them to live it well with all the basic necessities, 

such as food, shelter, health and education, provided. 

 

Skills Development and Modernity 

As identified above, the individual standing alone, or as a member of a group, 

has a role to play. Individual capacity to stand alone or contribute to the group 

interests could be enhanced by developing oneself. This could come about by 

the acquisition of the necessary skills for whatever role the individual plays in 

a traditional or modern setting. Of greater relevance today is the modern setting 

which itself is fast changing. The individual must therefore strive to keep up 

with the developments in order to sustain himself and his role. One obvious 

way is to acquire the necessary education and skill. This emphasizes the 

importance of education to the individual who is expected to contribute more 

meaningfully to the society. 

 

Diversity, Aggregation of Interests and Development of National 

Consciousness 

Having understood, so far, the place of the individual in the society, what role 

is expected of the Nigerian whose aggregate interests as well as the modalities 

for their attainment are embodied in the constitution and other documents and 

programmes? 

 

In view of her great diversity4, Nigeria is faced with enormous difficulties in 

forging unanimity and national consciousness as each and every individual or 

group strives to maximize their interests. It is this disposition and drive that 

account for misunderstandings among groups, and this presents the greatest 

challenge in nation building. Stakeholders agitating, without much success, to 

draw the attention of government to their plight, in desperation lose patience 

and resort to violence, thereby becoming a threat to peace and security and 

making it even more difficult to achieve their group and individual interests 

and the common good.  

 

The question often arises as to why the individual should be called upon to 

perform their duty when the nation fails in its duties towards them as spelt out 



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in the above provisions. This also leads to the proverbial debate about the 

chicken and egg, which comes first? The answer is not an easy one. Therefore, 

there is need for mutual understanding.  

 

Be that as it may, government has a responsibility to provide the required 

environment for individuals to realize their full potential and contribute 

maximally to nation building. 

 

Pillars of National Stability and Political Neutrality 

In emphasizing the role of individuals and other stakeholders, it is strongly 

advocated that Nigeria, being a country of great diversity, should have pillars 

of stability that should be consciously nurtured to insulate them from political 

partisanship, especially in the face of increasingly unbridled quest for power in 

our polity. Such pillars exist, and they consist of the security agencies, the 

judiciary, traditional rulers and religious institutions. These pillars must be seen 

to demonstrate political neutrality in their actions and utterances. It is only then 

that they would continue to occupy moral high ground and command the 

respect of all. Such disposition should also condition and moderate the conduct 

of their staff or followers. 

 

Empowerment of Youths and Women 

While not playing down the role and needs of other stakeholders, youth and 

women have been identified as important segments of the society whose needs 

should be attended to so as to enhance their roles in nation building. It is quite 

apparent that current efforts need to be redoubled to engage them more 

productively in nation-building and avert the adverse effects the continuous 

neglect of these critical segments of our society would have on our 

phenomenally growing population. Nigeria has over 250 ethnic groups and 500 

languages. From a population of about 50 million in the 1960s, it has grown to 

become not only the most populous country and the largest economy in Africa 

but the one with the largest youth population in the world, next to India and 

China. We must fully engage our youth and women to sustain this growth.  

 

Constitutional Development 

Efforts at nation building in Nigeria arguably started since 1914 following the 

amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates by the British 

colonial government. Several constitutions were brought into being with a view 

to providing a structure of government and security machinery to create an 

atmosphere conducive for individual pursuits and for government to prosecute 

its national development programmes. To date, there have been eight 

constitutions (See tables 1 and 2).  

 



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Table 1: Pre-Independence Constitutions 

Constitution Date 

The Clifford Constitution 1922 

The Richards Constitution 1947 

The MacPherson Constitution 1952 

The Lyttleton Constitution 1954 

 

Table 2: Post-Independence Constitutions & Systems of 

Government 
 

Constitution System of 

Government 
 

Date 

The Independence Constitution Parliamentary 1960 

The Republican Constitution Parliamentary 1963 

The 1979 Constitution Presidential 1979 

The 1999 Constitution Presidential 1999 

 

Restructuring 

The land area of Nigeria since her creation has remained virtually the same 

after the 1962 plebiscite which excised Southern Cameroon and the recent 

ceding of Bakassi Peninsula to the Republic of Cameroun. However, 

administration is becoming more and more complex. To satisfy the aspirations 

of the people, Nigerian territory has been restructured several times with the 

creation of states and local governments (See tables 3 and 4 and Appendix II). 

The nation has also fought a civil war (1967-1970) while governance since 

independence in 1960 has changed hands several times between civilian and 

military administrations (See table 5). 

 

 
Table 3: Creation of States 

 

Existing 

Number 

of States 
 

Additional  

States 

Administration  Date of 

Creation 

12 - Gen. Yakubu 

Gowon 

May 27, 1967 

19 7 Gen. Murtala 

Mohammed 

Feb. 3, 1976 

21 2 Gen. Ibrahim 

Babangida 

Sept. 23, 1987 

30 9 Gen. Ibrahim 

Babangida 

Aug. 27, 1991 

36 6 Gen. Sani Abacha Oct. 1, 1996 

 

 

 

 



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Table 4: Creation of Local Governments/Area Councils5 
 

Number of 

L.Gs/ Area 

Councils 
 

Additional LGs Administration Year of 

Creation 

301 - Gen. Murtala Mohammed 1976 

449 148 Gen. Ibrahim Babangida 1989 

500 51 Gen. Ibrahim Babangida 1990 

589 89 Gen. Ibrahim Babangida 1991 

768 179 Gen. Sani Abacha 1996 

768 

6 Area 

Councils  

6 Area Councils 

for Federal Capital 

Territory 

Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar 1999 

 

 

 

Table 5: Periods of Civil and Military 

Administrations since 1960 
 

Administration Date 

Civilian Administration 1960 - 1966 

Military Administration 1966 - 1979 

Civilian Administration 1979 - 1983 

Military Administration 1983 - 1993 

Military Administration 1993 - 1999 

Civilian Administration 1999 - date 

 

Population Explosion and Sources of Conflict 

It can be seen that nation building in Nigeria is ongoing. As the land area 

remains the same in the face of increasing population and demand for security 

and welfare, it should be anticipated that conflicts will continue so long as 

agriculture remains the main source of livelihood. There will be more and more 

scramble for land, scarce resources, and political clout; and poverty, 

joblessness and corruption, all of which are driving pauperized citizens and 

extremists to commit horrendous atrocities against fellow citizens, would 

continue to be major challenges. There are discordant voices about 

acceptability of the existing constitution. Others are craving for the creation of 

more states and local governments, even though the existing ones are yet to be 

satisfactorily consolidated. All these require good governance and sound 

leadership to avert or mitigate their unwholesome effects on nation building. 

Individual and group appreciation of the realities and positive contributions 

towards solving these challenges will be most desirable.   

 

Information Communication Technology (ICT) and the Media 

Development in Information Communication Technology (ICT) which drives 

the current digital era is a double-edged sword. Information is transmitted 

faster and on a wider scale. Negative and sensational information make 



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headlines just as the positive ones. For the purpose of this address, focus is on 

the dangers of disseminating negative information without restraint. While the 

traditional media is relatively well controlled editorially, much of social media 

does not receive similar treatment. There lies the danger of what is currently 

described as fake news which, when disseminated through the web with little 

or no regard to societal sensitivities, cause upheavals liable to jeopardize 

national stability and nation building. For Nigeria, the fault lines are many and 

easily exploited, thereby making it much more difficult to maintain societal 

harmony. Thus, disinformation, insinuations, innuendoes, misrepresentations 

and so-called conspiracy theories being spread in social media, whether 

deliberately or unwittingly, must be guarded against as they have become the 

tools of modern warfare and social destabilization. They are now more 

frequently used than tanks, missiles and battalions. 

 

Good Governance and Policy Consultations 

In dealing with societal problems, Nigeria has experienced both limited and 

wide policy consultations under civilian and military administrations. Given 

the enormity and complexity of the problems, there is no alternative but to 

intensify good governance and policy options that involve interactions and 

consultations with stakeholders and relevant experts because to every problem 

there is a solution. Influences on policies include the organized labor, students, 

the media, political parties and environmental impact organizations. Not to be 

discounted are also external interests. Leadership at all levels on the part of 

operators should be able to meet societal aspirations on a progressive and 

sustainable basis.   

 

Common Problems of African Countries 

What applies to Nigeria largely applies to other countries in Africa, although 

what obtains in those countries may not be identical to ours. However, every 

country requires peace and security for individuals and groups to contribute 

their quota to the goal of achieving the common good. Unfortunately, only 

very few countries in Africa have gotten their electoral systems right. 

Therefore, to stabilize democracy as a primary condition for security and 

national development in a country of great diversity, which is the typical 

country in most parts of Africa, decision makers in positions of leadership at 

all levels should strive for a workable formula, known by whatever name, that 

ensures an inclusive system of governance. It is particularly imperative that 

such arrangements which require great individual and group sacrifice remain 

firmly planted in their minds whether or not it is constitutionally provided. 

 

Many countries have set up oversight organs to ensure financial probity and 

social justice. However, performances of some of such organs have fallen short 

of public expectations. What must be admitted in the case of Nigeria is that 

whatever measures governments have so far taken to generate employment in 

the country require redoubling those actions to quicken the realization of the 

objectives. Critical infrastructure such as power supply for public consumption 

and industrial production, better means of transportation, increased agricultural 

activities and mass education require immediate attention as we are in serious 

deficit. 



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While leadership can alter the course of a country’s security and national 

development, globalization has made national borders politically and socially 

porous. Hence convulsive events in one country can spill over into another and 

impede her security and the well-being of her citizens. 

 

 It is common knowledge though that there are scores of countries on the 

continent facing serious security challenges almost all arising from the struggle 

by individuals and groups to maximize their takes from resources available in 

their countries. This has led to the creation of several regional and continental 

organizations to enable them face common problems and borrow a leaf from 

the successes recorded by one country or another. The challenge here is to 

make those organizations achieve the desired end within the earliest possible 

time.  Security situations must not be allowed to deteriorate to a stage of 

despair and helplessness whereby people would resign their fate to divine 

intervention for their salvation. 

 

Conclusion 

It is hereby emphasized that there is serious relationship between security and 

national development. Peace is required for human activities to thrive. While 

development may not guarantee peace, it would certainly mitigate human 

excesses arising from deprivations. Resources which should otherwise be 

required for national development, in times of social upheavals, are often 

diverted from other areas towards ensuring the security of lives and property, 

thereby retarding national development. Aside from the resources required 

towards the restoration of peace, no serious production or activity could be 

undertaken by individuals and groups in any serious security situation, more so 

if such a situation is prolonged and widespread. 

 

Finally, let me thank STAI for sparing time and resources to create this 

important forum. I wish STAI every success in its continuing effort to promote 

leadership development, education and entrepreneurship in Nigeria and the 

African continent. 

 

 

Endnotes 

1. This paper was originally a keynote address delivered by the author at a 2-

day Conference on Peace, Unity and Nation Building organized by StandTall 

Africa Initiative at A-Class Park & Event, Abuja, July 21-22, 2021. 

2. See Section 24 (a)-(j) of the Nigerian Constitution 1999. 

3. See Sections 14 and 15 of the Nigerian Constitution 1999. 

4. Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa; it is known to have over 250 

ethnic groups and more than 350 indigenous languages. 



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5. The 768 local governments listed in Part 1 plus 6 area councils for the 

Federal Capital Territory listed in Part 11 of the First Schedule of the 1999 

Constitution make up the total of 774 local governments in Nigeria.        

 

 

Author Information: Dr Bukar Usman is the President of Nigerian 

Folklore Society. Email: bukarusman@gmail.com. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


