In Africa, ethnicity has become a versatile tool often used by elites and ethnic
organisations to actualise their set goals. The phenomenon of ethnicity is
also central to the analysis of Nigerian politics, given its plural nature.
Since the commencement of the transition from colonialism to independence
and from the guided transitions from military to democratic rule in 1999,
ethnic identity and mobilisation have been prominent features of the political
arrangement, with serious attendant consequences for political stability.
The paper therefore examines some of the impacts of ethnicity on political
transition in Nigeria particularly from 1960 to 1999. The methodology
is both descriptive and analytical with data drawn extensively from
documented sources and subjected to critical analysis.