Ethno-Religious Conflict and Economic Development: He Case of Wukari Local Government Area , Taraba State.Nigeria

ETHNO-RELIGIOUS CONFLICT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: THE CASE OF WUKARI LOCAL GOVRNMENT AREA, TARABA STATE-NIGERIA.

BY

ATIMAN KASIMA WILSON & POLYCARP MUNYA

1. Department of General studies, Federal Polytechnic, Bali,Taraba

kasimaatima@yahoo.com

2. M.sc Student, Benue State University, Makurdi

polydanmunya@gmail.com

April, 2015.

Abstract

There has been explosion of violent ethno-religious conflicts in Nigeria, contrary to the widespread expectation that the inauguration of the civilian administration in 1999 will bring an end to the incessant crisis.With over 80 ethnic groups, distributed among the two major religions (Islam and Christianity), it is evident that Wukari provides one of the best examples or case studies of ethno-religious conflicts in Nigeria. This is because, since the creation of the State; from the defunct Gongola in 1991 it has become a permanent flashpoint of one form of ethno-religious conflict or the other. These were characterized by maiming and killings of several persons, loss of business investments, and properties worth several billions of Naira by extension, economic under-development. Within the space of twenty four years of its existence, several ethno-religious conflicts have been reported in the State and specifically in Wukari and all effort to restore peace has not achieved the desired end. This paper examines the manifestations of ethno-religious conflicts in Wukari, and the socio-economic development implication therein. The belief system of the people influences the way they think, feel and see things in relations to people of other religions. Unfortunately, Wukari is...