WEEK 9: NATIONAL UNITY

TOPIC: NATIONAL UNITY

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES: By the end of the lesson, the students should be  able to:

1. Define national unity
2. Describe measures adopted by the government to promote national unity

NATIONAL UNITY

     National unity is a situation whereby people of diverse cultures, religions, language, political, social and economic systems are brought together to have a common goal. The people have mutual understanding, love, co-operation and trust among themselves. They are united, tolerant and have faith in their fatherland.

MEASURES ADOPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO PROMOTE NATIONAL UNITY

     The federal government in the past years made series of efforts aimed at promoting and maintaining unity, peace and progress:

1. Wazobia: under the military rule, the federal government made serious efforts in bringing together the language of the three major ethnic groups in one national language known as WOZABIA. Programmes on radio and television were broadcast in the three major language Wa-Yoruba, Zo- Hausa, Bia –Igbo. The three language were introduced in the post-primary education curriculum
2. The national youth service corps (N.Y.S.C): General Gowon, during his regime (1966-1975), introduced many programme aimed at unifying the entire federation of Nigeria. The N.Y.S.C was one of them, which was established by decree N024, May 22, 1973.                                             This programme is meant for fresh graduates under the age of 30 year, with one month of orientation in the camp. The call to service is a social obligation binding on the concerned youth.
3. Unity Schools: This was one of the programmes established by General Gowon’s administration in order to foster unity in the country. This is the establishment of federal colleges in all the states of the federation known as unity schools. The government believed that if, at the tender formative school age, a child is sent to school in other parts of the country, outside his/her locality, the child will, at the end, grow up to live and appreciate Nigerians from other parts of the country. At present, there are 114 unity schools in the whole federation
4. Federal Character: The federal character is a principle which proposes that state resources (the national cake) should be shared on equal proportion for equal benefit. Also, federal character makes it possible for Nigerians of different cultural backgrounds work in different parts of the federation without fear or bias. It was also aimed at making sure that every state in the federation is given a fair representation at any federal establishment, programmes or project.
5. Sports and Cultural Festivals: Sports competitions are organised at federal and state levels, with the competing teams coming from different states. They meet to exchange ideas and develop good and healthy competitive spirit and would in turn foster national unity. Same is true of cultural festival, arts, and science and technology exhibitions. They are rotated from one state to another.
6. The Nigerian Defence Academy (N.D.A): The Nigeria defence academy is where qualified people from all parts of the country come for military training. Apart from the military training given, they share a lot of things in common. They go to war together to defend their fatherland

EVALUATION: The teacher evaluates his lesson with the following questions:

1. Define national unity
2. Describe measures adopted by the government to promote national unity