Nigeria, Oct. 17 -- The Unfinished Business of Nigerian Federalism, the Price of Contested Belonging, and the Architecture of Minorities in the Post-Colonial State

Nigeria's political history is often told through the rivalry of its largest ethnic groups, the ambitions of its presidents and the struggle for control of the federal government. Yet another story runs through the country's history, one that cannot be understood simply by following the transfer of power from one administration to another. It is the story of communities that have repeatedly had to fight for recognition, representation and protection within a federation they belong to as much as anyone else. The Middle Belt occupies a central place in that story, and its unfin...