Note for SOS 122 Students Only

Copy and Read don't print add it to your note l shall inspect your note before your exams each and everyone of you will come in person in my office and show me your note failure to do that has him/herself to blame.

 National Integration

The term national integration is not applicable to a single nation, but involves two or more nations coming together as one. National integration is the awareness of a common identity amongst the citizens of a country. This means that though we belong to different castes, religions and regions and speak different language shows that we are one. Integration is very important in the building of strong and prosperous nation.

National integration is a process that attempt to erode the presence of micro-nationalities in place of spirit of nationhood. Thus, integration can be achieved by the breakdown of ethnic barriers, the elimination of primordial ethnic loyalties, and the development of a sense of common identity. Integration can be categorized as a three-phased activity – as a project, process and product. Integration as a project is the desire for unity and the efforts directed towards it. The processes of integration are the practical actions that are taken to transform distinct nationality groups into a single nation. The product of integration deals with the outcome of integration process.

 Strategies for ensuring National Integration

The greatest challenges facing Nigeria today is the threat to national unity, as centrifugal tensions, resource control and self determination, ethnicity based identity politics and religious cleavages have enveloped national consciousness. Ever since Nigeria got her independence in 1960, the national integration has been a top priority of governments in Nigeria

i.                    the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Scheme,

ii.                   the Unity Schools,

iii.                the Federal Character Principle,

iv.                  State Creation are examples of state policies intended to achieve this aim and

v.                  constitution

vi.                the Amalgamation

vii.               Nigerianization Policy

viii.            National Language Policy

ix.                 Party Politics e.g. (PDP, APC, NPN, NPP etc)

x.                  Federalism (Federal character principle)

xi.                currency

xii.              symbols e.g. (national flag,)

It is clear that outcome of integration policies and programmes in Nigeria have fallen far below expectation, as primordial ethnic loyalties are still deep seated. The ethnic particularism is seen as the major cause of this failure. (Naanen, 1995), and consequently, suggestions on policy options are targeted to deal with this issue.

Other Strategies are as follows:

1. Investment in Education

  It is clear that education makes man moral and ethical; inducts the individual into the shared values of society; develops commitment to societal goals in the individual; prepares the young members of society for the future; defines behavioural patterns of individuals and society; and also enhances the productive capabilities of individuals and by extension of the society.

Education is the gateway to development and enhances the goals of development.

Education is noted for three political roles – agent of political socialization into a nation’s political culture; the training and selection of political elite; and the enhancement of political integration and national political consciousness. Indeed, education is a product and processes that reforms society and induces desired change in behaviour patterns of individuals. This provides the basis that education can be a vehicle for national integration in Nigeria.

2. Implementation of food security policies

Food security is one of the monsters that target many developing countries of the world.

It is pertinent to note that most of the rural communities are border towns. Rural people should be enlightened on the importance of the country’s sovereignty and (they should be on alert) on the damaging effects of intolerance of neighboring brothers. If the rural communities are at peace, the rest of the country will also enjoy peace because they are the majority.

3. Citizenship Education: Nigerian government recommends teaching citizenship education to help prepare both the teachers and students to know their civic rights as a citizen of the country. Since citizenship education is an ideal tool for exploring our values, therefore it is very essential to ones lives.

4. Political Participation:  this is defined as the extent to which citizens avail themselves of those ordinary democratic rights of political activity to which they are constitutionally entitled, and the measure is held by political sociologists to indicate the nature of the country’s political culture. Most often electoral turn out is used to measure political participation. Non – participation in political affairs may be an indicator either that citizens are satisfied with their lives, or that they are apathetic and believe that participation will achieve nothing.  

5. Democratic Stability in Nigeria:  stable democracy brings about understanding and development. With this there would be awareness and the need of coming together to share reasonable ideas that would help them to achieve their goal.

Definitions of Constitution

Constitution consists of the body of rules or laws, written or unwritten, which determine the organization of the government, the distribution of powers to various organs of the government and the general principle on which these powers are to be exercised.

Constitution consists of those basic principles which determine the form of the state. Constitution is that body of rules which regulates the ends for which and the organs through which governmental power is exercised.

Constitution is the collection of principles according to which the powers of the government, the rights of the governed, and the relations between the two are adjusted. Constitution of a state consists of those of its rules or laws which determine the form of its government and the respective rights and duties of it towards the citizens and of the citizens towards the government.

Constitution is the most important legal document of the country. It helps maintain law and order in the country. Without a constitution, there will be anarchy in the state or country. Jellinek has argued that in the absence of constitution, every individual, every institution and even the government itself will ignore law and as a result, there will be 'reign of anarchy.'