Ethnicity and Religion: A 'Threat' to Democratic Governance in Africa?

One major problem of administering the plural societies relates to endemic nature of the existence of primordial sentiments which manifest in various forms. These sentiments include ethnicity. religion and regionalism etc. One or a combination of the variables listed above can reinforce one another and stand as a clog in the wheel
of administration of such societies. Examples are facile where democratic' governance has been scuttled by ethnic and religious chauvinism. The Central African States of Rwanda and Burundi, (Rutus against Tutsis), the Islamic Salvation Front in Algeria, the Ibos, Rausas, !jaws and Yorubas in Nigeria and the Giotribe, and the Moslems in the North and Christians in the South of Ivory coast (Cot de Voire) to mention a few. In Africa, the nature of the sporadic and chronic conflicts has a common denominator and it is rooted in these variables. (ethnicity, religion, colour. race etc) Scholars continue to grope for solutions to the evils being perpetrated by these sentiments. At times, they find it difficult to strike a balance in their attempt to ensure justice, fair play and equity on one hand and efficiency and effectiveness on the other hand. Perhaps these attempts led to the emergence of administrative concept of federal character syndrome in sharing public offices in a plural society like Nigeria. This solution is not, perhaps perfect and its imperfection has generated controversies which often result to open confrontation of ethnically and religiously conscious communities reacting to government policies that adversely affect their religious and ethnic belongings. It is in view of the community clashes and ethnic animosities that this paper examined whether or not the ethnic and religious political demands may scuttle or constitute a threat to democratic administration in Africa using the Nigerian experience.