Unity Schools, National Integration and Development in Nigeria: An Appraisal

Abstract

This article interrogates Unity Schools in the wider context of national integration and nation-building. In a bid to foster the bonds of unity among Nigerians, the government established many national Integration programmes and institutions including the Unity Schools. The study examines the importance of these schools to national cohesion. So as to unravel the ways in which these schools embraced Nigerian pluralism and cultural diversities in strengthening national unity. It is an important institution for discovering, exploring, and analysing the nature of cultural diversities, religious tolerance, and engendering oneness. This is imperative for Nigerian unity rather than uniformity. The methodology for this research is multidisciplinary in approach and historical in nature. Findings reveal that Unity Schools exemplify how new kinds of self-representation emerged and dissolved in these institutions and by extension, Nigeria. In doing so, this article contributes to remapping the historical significance of Unity Schools in national development. Traditionally segmented and distributed forms of knowledge were brought together in these schools to constitute more general history. Despite current challenges, the enduring legacies of Unity Schools remain sacrosanct. The experiment became an actual success story with some unexpectedly relevant benefits that were found by broadening search terms. The study concludes by acknowledging the relevance of institutional history to nation-building