Negotiations of 'Tradition' in Nigeria

This article explores the dynamism of traditional political institutions by examining the state-creation process in 1990s Nigeria. Struggles over the Nigerian political map have involved sometimes bitter contests over land, resources and identity. Traditional rulers and institutions have been key pl...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Asian and African studies (Leiden) 2009-08, Vol.44 (4), p.449-467
Main Author: Kraxberger, Brennan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Armed Forces
Borders
Identity
Nigeria
Politics
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Summary:This article explores the dynamism of traditional political institutions by examining the state-creation process in 1990s Nigeria. Struggles over the Nigerian political map have involved sometimes bitter contests over land, resources and identity. Traditional rulers and institutions have been key players in these struggles. The article analyzes two key relationships: negotiations of tradition with reference to new state proposals (with an emphasis on territorial boundaries and administrative headquarters), and the two-way negotiations of survival involving military rulers and traditional political leaders. Semi-structured interviews with key correspondents and archival work were employed in the research. The research includes a primary case study of Ekiti State from the Southwest, and complementary material from other areas of Nigeria. [Reprinted by permission of Sage Publications, Ltd., copyright holder.]
ISSN:0021-9096
DOI:10.1177/0021909609105094