Nigeria's 1914 amalgamation stem from

[Abraham Madu]

The disadvantages of Nigeria's 1914 amalgamation stem from its colonial origins, forcibly merging diverse groups for British administrative ease, leading to deep-seated ethnic tensions, political instability, corruption, unequal resource distribution (like the Niger Delta issues), and ongoing challenges with national cohesion and governance, fueling conflicts and resentment that persist today.

Ethnic & Religious Divisions:

It ignored significant cultural, religious, and political differences, creating a "powder keg" of mistrust and fueling tribalism, where loyalty often lies with ethnic groups rather than the nation.

Political Instability:

The imposed unity fostered resentment and competition, leading to post-colonial conflicts like the Biafran Civil War, insurgencies (e.g., Boko Haram), and separatist movements.

Economic Imbalance & Corruption:

Designed for British economic benefit, the system led to resource exploitation (especially in the South), centralization of power, and corruption, undermining fair resource distribution and sustainable development.

Governance Failures:

The colonial structure created dysfunctional foundations, with politics often driven by personal gain and ethnic affiliation rather than shared values, leading to alienation and a lack of national cohesion.

Unequal Development:

The focus on administrative convenience rather than genuine unity meant unequal development, with some regions feeling exploited and marginalized, fueling ongoing resource control disputes.

Threats to Unity:

Instead of fostering a shared national identity, the amalgamation created a fragile union, with ongoing challenges in managing diverse aspirations, as highlighted by historical figures expressing reluctance about the union.

Ntị ọdị kwa?

Ya kpọtuba!

Ya gazie.

Ụmụ nne Abrahamụọgụ Aṅụsịobi Madụ.

[Nebukadineze Adiele]

>>"Instead of fostering a shared national identity, the amalgamation created a fragile union, with ongoing challenges in managing diverse aspirations, as highlighted by historical figures expressing reluctance about the union.<<"

I do not share the misplaced jargon that the Amalgamation of Northern and Southern protectorates into a Nigeria has anything to do with Nigeria's failure. If it was up to me, I would have wanted the amalgamation to have encompassed the Hausa land in Niger Republic, the Southern Cameroonians who are borderline relatives of our Ibibio and Efik siblings, the entire Benin and Togo Republics, and maybe, a grabbing of Equatorial Guinea as Nigerians' Crimea. This feeble, but growing claim by lazy intellectuals, that Nigerians are different peoples/nations who had nothing to do with one another, but were forced into one country by the British, is stupid and false -- Dr Bala Usman and co did an excellent research and released an excellent paper on the relationship between all the peoples of today's Nigeria before the British came around, so only semi-literate and politically dishonesty folks repeat this dumb lie that Igbos, Hausa, Yorubas, Ijaw, Efik, Ibibio, Fulani, etc. had no dealings before the British came and colonized all of us. The Amalgamation did not create a fragile nation, those entrusted with managing Nigeria injected and sustained core elements of the fragility into Nigeria -- tribalism, and now, Islamism.  

The quest to grabbing power led Nigeria's foundational leaders to injecting tribalism into the polity. Thanks to tribalism, the trust in one another that had been created during colonialism gave way to ethnic supremacy exhibition in power pursuit -- this is the root of Nigeria's fragile union. Even though Chief Awolowo described Nigeria as a "mere geographical expression", he still believed in the Nigeria that was deficit of nationhood; that was why he championed a loose federation until he joined his juniors in the ruling junta to championing One Nigeria as from 1967 or thereabout. Ahmadu Bello and Tafawa Balewa also championed a loose federation, Zik was the one who insisted on One Nigeria because of his exposure to the US where he had schooled. In retrospect, one can conclude that Zik's understanding of the structure of the US was flawed; the US is more in line with a loose federation than the rigid centralized One Nigeria that he championed. 

The foundational leaders of Bello, Awo, and Balewa poisoned Nigerian nationhood by injecting tribal allegiance as political power pursuit's germane game. Bello espoused Fulani supremacy and wanted it to prevail over, at least, Northern Nigeria, so he pursued political ideals that undermined Nigeria's nationhood -- he feared that Fulani's aristocracy (which he coded in "Northern Nigeria") would be checkmated in a Nigeria that became a nation. Awo made concerted efforts to highlighting the differences within the peoples that made up Nigeria, up to arousing these differences where the people had not made anything of them -- he constantly highlighted the differences between the peoples of Eastern and Northern Nigeria, all couched in raising their political awareness, even though all it did was divide the people. 

Using tribalism as a political power pursuit's tool created the fragility found in Nigeria's union; Amalgamating Nigeria was not a negative exercise, to the contrary, it would have resulted to a mini USA in Africa had Nigeria's founding father's not lodged tribalism into the country's polity. Tribalism led to the factors that brought the first coup; tribalism led to the coup's failure and misappropriation; tribalism led to the second coup and has somehow become a fabric of the nation's since. Tribalism and Islamism led to APC's coming to power in 2015 and its fraudulently retaining of power since then. Tribalism is why Imperial Wizard, Afis Odidere, Femi Olajide, Tajudeen Raju, Ukwuani salvage Kayode Adebammuọjọ, etc. support Alhaji Ahmed Tinubu's incompetent, profligate, and corrupt presidency. Tribalism will eventually kill Nigeria, unless APC is dislodged from power by all means necessary.

Nebukadineze Adiele

[Kayode Adebayo]

Tribalist And Ignorant Igbo Dummy Called Nebukadimonkey Adiele:

For your ignorance, Nnamdi Azikiwe's ethnic political maneuver in the 50s started tribalism in Nigeria. He moved NCNC that was created by Herbert Macaulay, a Yoruba Nationalist and which he also co-founded to the East (Igboland) out of his Igbo ethnic consideration and tribalism, right after the death of Macaulay, to empower his Igbo people and became NCNC Premier, which subsequently led Awolowo to counter him with AG in the West and Tafawa Balewa with NPC in the North. Before then, NCNC was national party headquartered in Lagos.

Nnamdi Azikiwe divided Nigeria along ethnic lines in the 50s. He started regional politics and ethnicism in Nigeria.

Furthermore, he handed over power to his Igbo brethren in the Federal House, after receiving intelligence information from Nzeogwu about his impending coup and fled Nigeria. He is the cause of Nigeria's ethnic problems today.

Of course you weren't born then, you idiot, who was born in 1968.

You're a shame and an utter disgrace to your Igboland.

Kayode 

[Kayode Adebayo]

Tribalist And Ignorant Igbo Dummy Called Nebukadimonkey Adiele:

You Igbo people started Igbo Wayo long time ago with Nnamdi Azikiwe who knew what is fellow Igbo called Nzeogwu was about to do (kill other ethnic groups with his coup and spare Igbo people), fled Nigeria after handing over power to his deputy at the Federal House who was Igbo and instructed him to hand over power to his fellow Igbo called Aguyi Ironsi. 

Only Igbo People! What A People!

Kayode