Current Institutional Affiliation
Dr, Sociology

Award Information

Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa: Doctoral Dissertation Completion Fellowship 2013
Institutional Affiliation (at time of award):
Sociology, University of Ibadan
The Dynamics of Identity Construction Among Ethnic Groups in Benue State

Identity construction is a recurrent trend among ethnic groups in Benue state. The ethnic groups in Benue state along with other ethnic groups in the Middle Belt region were designated as pagans and subsumed under the Hausa-Fulani in the defunct Northern region by the British colonialists. Today beyond the construction a Middle Belt identity to contest the hegemonic hold of the Hausa- Fulani, the ethnic groups in Benue state appear to be reconstructing their identity away from the middle belt identity towards a distinct ethnic group identity. Various mobilizations and violent contestations have emerged from these constructions leading to the loss of lives and property and the reconfiguring of social interactions among the ethnic group. This study aimed at examining the dynamics of identity construction among ethnic groups in Benue state, Nigeria The research design combined both primary and secondary data collection methods : focus group discussions( FGDs), key informant interviews( KIIs) , In-depth interviews( IDIs), case studies, observation as the primary methods of data collection with Archival Research as the secondary method. Specifically 10 KIIs, 40 IDIs and 20 FGDs were held across the five ethnic groups of Tiv, Idoma, Igede, Etulo and Jukun to examine the dynamics of identity construction. Archival research provided historical information on the construction of identities of these ethnic groups.

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