Abstract
Nothing can be understood about Nigeria until its pattern of ethnic diversity is delineated. Within the boundaries drawn by the British are a staggering variety of ethnic groups, as revealed by the presence of some 248 distinct languages (Coleman, 1958: 15). Many of these linguistic groups are tiny and politically insignificant. But just three comprise roughly two-thirds of the population: the Hausa-Fulani, the Yoruba, and the Igbo (Table 2.1). In this respect, Nigeria can be classified as having (in Horowitz’s terms) a relatively ‘centralised’ ethnic structure.
‘Seek ye the kingdom of politics and all else shall be added onto you.’ — Dr Kwame Nkrumah (quoted in Wraith and Simpkins, 1963: 161).
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© 1988 Larry Diamond
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Diamond, L. (1988). The Origins of Crisis. In: Class, Ethnicity and Democracy in Nigeria. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-08080-9_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-08080-9_2
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-08082-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-349-08080-9
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