Democracy and ethnic diversity: A case study of Nigeria, a comparative study of Igbo, Yoruba, and Hausa-Fulani in Nigerian democracy 1999-2015

It is an issue of a common sense among most scholars of ethnic politics that democracy is not likely to consolidate in multiethnic democracies, thus perceiving ethnicity as a threat to democratic development. On the contrary, few scholars of ethnic politics has since refuted this claim, and insisted that ethnic diversity in itself does not constitute a threat to democratic development, rather there are extrinsic factors that hides behind ethnic diversity to hinder democratic development. This research investigates both claims on democracy and ethnic diversity by sampling Nigeria, a multiethnic democracy, to ascertain the impact of ethnic diversity on democratic development. First, the research started by questioning what constitutes ethnic diversity by critically examining the previous theories on ethnic fractionalization, and how it can be used to define the Nigerian ethnic factor. In addition, the research studied the socio-political behavior of each amongst the three ethnic nationalities it identified in Nigeria. In recognizing the presence of other tribal groups in the country, the research adopted geography and total percentage of population in distinguishing between ethnic group and tribal groups in Nigeria. On the political impact of democracy by ethnic variable, the research examined the political system of government under which multiethnic democracies are built upon. Finally, the research acknowledged that federal democracies that fully implements democratic values are likely to survive in an ethnic diverse society. Keywords: Democracy, Ethnic diversity, Federalism, and identity politics.