IMPACTS OF INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW ON THE RELIGIOUS AND OTHER MINORITIES’ RIGHTS IN NIGERIA
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Date
2021-08-21
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Volume Title
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FACULTY OF LAW, FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OYE-EKITI
Abstract
The targeting of minorities on religious and other grounds are now increasingly becoming a trend in some countries, while in parts of Asia and Africa, religion is fast overtaking race or ethnicity as the key factor driving discrimination and violent attacks against communities. However, in the intense religious and ethnic turmoil of contemporary Nigeria, the specific situation of the numerous ethnic minorities in the country is hardly mentioned. Instead, attention is concentrated on the conflict between majority ethno-religious groups. Perhaps, this is because national politics in Nigeria have revolved largely around the competition among the “big three” recognised ethnics (Hausa, Ibo and Yoruba) with the ethnic minority groups being used as pawns in this three-player ethnic game. This paper is a survey of the current situation of minority groups in Nigeria. It further discusses the protection under the international human right law, constitutional and political rights enjoyed by minorities and the limit imposed on the enjoyment of those rights by the exigencies of practical politics. The work concludes that the various differences by way of minorities and religion should not be a barrier to the unity of the country, Nigeria.
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FUOYELJ VOL 3