Multicultural Education in Nigeria

Nigeria is the most populous Black nation in the world and richest nation in Africa. It has multiple tribes, cultures, languages, religions, and values. It gained its independence from British colonial rule on October 1, 1960. Even with independence, colonialism has had aftereffects that have exacerbated sociocultural maladies such as tribalism, religious fanaticism, massive corruption, military coups, and devastating conflicts (like the 1967-1970 Biafra-Nigeria War, which took millions of lives). While education is a powerful tool in socioeconomic and political developments, it has not been philosophically changed to respond to the cultural, linguistic, and religious diversities of Nigeria's citizenry. Can an adequate educational foundation be instituted without valuing the multicultural strengths of Nigeria? Can Nigeria's progress be advanced without paradigm and power shifts in the education of all students? Can Nigerians 'freedoms be equalized without respect for all tribes? Nigeria must foster multicultural education to advance itself at all levels.