EXPLANING THE DYNAMICS OF ISLAM AND CONFLICT: THE CASE OF NORTHERN NIGERIA Yinka Olomojobi ProQuest Number: 11003694 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 11003694 Published by ProQuest LLC(2018). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 EXPLANING THE DYNAMICS OF ISLAM AND CONFLICT: THE CASE OF NORTHERN NIGERIA Yinka Olomojobi, LL.B (Hons), LL.M (Liverpool), Barrister & Solicitor, Supreme Court of Nigeria Submitted to the Department of Politics and International Relations, Lancaster University In fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy October 2010 2 I declare that the work presented in this thesis is the author’s own and has not been previously submitted for the award of a higher degree at any university Signed. 3 Abstract Nigeria has a complex ethno-religious profile. Thanks to the British colonial administration, a myriad of individual groups professing various faiths and belonging to different ethnicities have found themselves in a tense, unsettled and competitive political system. Unsurprisingly, there have been several attempts to undermine the profile of the state. In spite of these consistent challenges, what is striking, however, is that the Nigerian state has not disintegrated. What explains the persistence of the Nigerian state on the face of these assaults? Traditionally, critics have suggested that the federal structure in Nigeria is responsible for deflating some of the attacks against the state. I, however, propose that the success of the Nigerian state is not only due to the prevalence of a federal structure of governance but also due to the inclusive identity provided by religion. In particular, I explore the role of Islam in an ethnically charged context such as northern Nigeria. While making a cross-regional study of conflict behaviour spanning over the past 60 years in northern Nigeria, I underscore that while primordial identities are key factors responsible for violent upsurge, in those areas where people are bound together by Islam the conflict is less likely to occur. Furthermore, this study showcases that Islam in northern Nigeria acts as a double edged sword as it unites and divides in equal measures. From this particular standpoint, this thesis explains and evaluates the symbiotic relationship between Islam and conflict-prevention. This study argues that the variant of Islam in northern Nigeria is unique as it has become a source for communal unity rather than a source for conflict amongst Muslims in northern Nigeria. In particular, it analyses the conflict behaviour of Muslims and their pursuance of the concept of religious nationalism within a deeply divided and (dis-)united society. This thesis attempts to explore the position of Islam in the conflict dynamics in northern Nigeria. The backbone of this thesis is derived mainly from primary sources through extensive field work, sample questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, participant observation, 4 focus group discussions (FGDs) and interaction with the actual actors in the research arena. 5 Dedicated to my wife Folake For her love, forbearance and understanding And to our Children ’Tara & ’Tola Hoping that their tomorrow will Be bright and filled with Success Table of Contents Acknowledgement ........................................................................................................... 1 1 List of Tables .................................................................................................................... .13 List of M aps....................................................................................................................... .13 List of Graphs................................................................................................................... .13 List of Charts..................................................................................................................... .13 Table of Questionnaire Items in Appendix A............................................................ .13 List of Tables in Appendix A......................................................................................... .13 List o f Graphs in Appendix A ........................................................................................ .14 A cro n y m.......................................................................................................................... s .14 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................. .17 The Problem-Religious C onflicts................................................................................. .18 Advent of Islam in Nigeria ............................................................................................ .20 Why Northern Nigeria?................................................................................................... .23 Ethnic & Religious Composition of Northern Nigeria............................................ .25 Aims and Objectives ....................................................................................................... .27 Research Questions.......................................................................................................... .27 Research Hypothesis/Propositions............................................................................... .28 Research Constraints....................................................................................................... .28 Basic Theoretical Parameters: Group Theory, Invented Tradition, Grievance & Primordialism ........................................................................................... ,33 Chapter Scheme ............................................................................................................... .46 1. THEORIZING PRIMORDIALISM WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF RELIGION............................................................................................................ 49 1.1: Introduction................................................................................................................ 49 1.2: Meaning and Nature of Religion............................................................................ 50 1.3: Religion and Society................................................................................................ 51 1.4: Religion and Ethnicity............................................................................................. 55 1.5: Religion and the N ation.......................................................................................... 57 1.6: Between Nation and Ethnicity............................................................................... 60 7 1.7: Religion and Identity .......................................................................................................................61 1.8: The Formation of National Identity ............................................................................................. 67 1.9: Constructing Religious and National Identities..........................................................................68 1.10: Religious Ethno-Nationalism........................................................................................................74 1.11: Religion and Secularization..........................................................................................................77 1.12: Conflict Potential of Religion ..................................................................................................... 81 1.13: Constructing Identities in Northern Nigeria ............................................................................83 1.14: C onclusion........................................................................................................................................87 2. LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................................................89 2.1: Introduction.........................................................................................................................................89 2.2: Cultural Factors: Clash of Civilizations’ Theory...................................................................... 90 2.3: Sociological Factors........................................................................................................................ 95 2.4: Psychological Factors.................................................................................................................... 102 2.5: Biological Factors........................................................................................................................... 103 2.6: Economic Factors........................................................................................................................... 104 2.7: Historico-Political Factors ..........................................................................................................107 2.8: Need of Supplementing Literature.............................................................................................