This research was in collaboration with the Development Research Centre on Citizenship, Participation and Accountability at the Institute for Development Studies (IDS) at the University of Sussex, UK. The citizenship research in Nigeria has been coordinated by Nigerian Popular Theatre Alliance's Theatre for Development Centre (TFDC) at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. In conducting this research, which it has titled Encountering Citizens… TFDC has learned from and has been mentored by its parent organisation, the Nigerian Popular Theatre Alliance (NPTA).   Encountering Citizens… has been a project of knowing and trying to understand the diversity of Nigeria. Whereas in the past and for the outside world especially the country has always been regarded as one entity, what Nigeria truly is however is a melting pot of ethnicities. Correspondingly, it is a country characterised by a diversity of cultures and religions. The binding factor for all of these diversities is the ‘nation’. But the imagination of Nigeria by the many different peoples that form the country has hardly crystallised beyond geography. So, indeed there may be many Nigerias: geographical Nigeria and the political Nigeria both of which coalesce; then there is the ethnic Nigeria which defines primal ethnicities and nationalities some of which have argued to exist as independent nations of their own.

Phase II of this project addressed ‘Accountability at Local levels’, examining issues of oil and accountability in the Niger Delta.

Phase III concentrated on issues of conflict in the northern states of Kaduna, Kano and Plateau States to examine religious and ethnic factors in the eruption of conflict in these various places.

Locations

• Bayelsa State: (Old Ogbia and Old Yenagoa LGAs)
• Benue State: (Gwer East, Otukpo and Ohimini LGAs);
• Delta State: (Ethiope East Eku; Ughelli North): Odovie, Samagidi and Sanubi.
• Kaduna State: (Chikun, Giwa, Jaba, Kubau, Sabon Gari, Zangon- Kataf).
• Kano State: (Fagge, Sabon-Gari, Ungwar Tanimu)
• Plateau State: (Kongo Russia, Unwar Rogo, Yelwa Shendam)

Sector/Area

• Democracy, Governance, Citizenship

Sponsor

• DFID

Outcomes/Achievements

There have been a number of achievements:

1. It brought the people of Sab-Zuro in Jaba LGA in contact with a civil society groups from eleven Commonwealth countries in 2003 as part of the CHOGM activities. This has resulted in a discussion that might eventually lead to an exchange visit between the Sab-Zuro Youth Progressive Association and some of the CSOs. Secondly, the discussions around ginger production in Jaba and the associated marketing problems have helped to give ideas of how reorganize and administer the Ginger Cooperative.
2. At the research level, a book, Geographies of Citizenship in Nigeria, has been published. We have also published three policy briefs that raise policy issues.
3. Networking – The project has established a network of CBOs in the different zones who have continued to talk to each other. It has also helped to build bridges between youth groups in Kaduna and Kano who had perceived each other as enemies because their religious faiths differ.
4. The encounter between the researchers and the 2007 Movement that formed the core of persons who defeated the third term agenda by former President Obasanjo allowed us to understand the power of coalitions; it also suggested to us the need for more political education in Nigeria.

Project Files