IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS) Volume 20, Issue 2, Ver. III (Feb. 2015), PP 43-50 e-ISSN: 2279-0837, p-ISSN: 2279-0845. www.iosrjournals.org DOI: 10.9790/0837-20234350 www.iosrjournals.org 43 | Page One Hundred Years of Nationhood and the Challenges of Nation Building in Nigeria. Ikyase Johnkennedy Tersoo 1 , Egberi Anthony Ejue 2 Department Of Political Science Federal Universsity Wukari, Nigeria Department of Political Science Federal University Wukari, Nigeria Abstract: This paper seeks to examine one hundred years of Nigerian existence and the challenges of nation- building. Some literatures on the subject were reviewed while data analyses are from secondary sources. The elite theory was used to explain the issues therein. The paper reveals that since the amalgamation of Northern and southern protectorate in 1914 into a single entity by Lord Lugard, the country has been struggling on how to effectively build the nation with series of problems spanning from bad governance, socio-economic inequality, federal character dilemma, ethno-religious crises, corruptions, leadership, etc. These obstacles have over the years threatened our national integration principle which is based on building a strong and prosperous nation irrespective of our differences. The paper concludes that no task at genuine nationhood, integration and development is more urgent than rebuilding the bonds of intergroup spirit and cohesion that has been cruelly sundered in the past hundred years of amalgamation and nationhood. We must not continue to allow peoples lacking a sense of national purpose to champion our existence as a nation. The paper however, recommends that for us to live in harmony as one nation we must work tirelessly towards producing a nationalistic and a patriotic leader devoid of ethnic or religious affiliation. Efforts should be channel to foster intercultural dialogue and understanding so as to avoid conflict among intergroup which are ingredients of conflict prevention. Keywords: Nationhood, Nation Building, Development, Amalgamation, Nigeria. Challenges, Prospects. I. Introduction Before the advent of the British colonialists, Nigeria as a socio-political entity was neither in existence nor contemplated; the territories that now make up Nigeria existed in fragments. We have the Benin Empire, the Lower Niger Kingdoms (popularly referred to as the Oil Rivers), the Fulani Empire of Zodge (later referred to as Sokoto), and the Kanem-Borno Empire. In addition, there were the Oduduwa Empire of the Yoruba, and the Aro-Chukwu Empire of the Ibo. Another was the Aboh Empire that sprang from the Benin Empire Alloh (2012). However, there was no systematic contact between one empire and the other. There were isolated trade contacts among the people of the Lower Niger Kingdom and the Benin Kingdom. Different names were used for the territories now incorporated in Nigeria and the whole area was referred to as the Hausa Territories, the Niger Empire, the Niger Sudan and the Niger Coast Protectorates. In January 1894, Miss Flora Shaw, a journalist with the Times newspaper on colonial affairs, wrote an article and suggested the name „Nigeria‟ for all the territories around the River Niger. In 1902, Miss Flora Shaw was married to Sir Frederick Lord Lugard who was at that time the High Commissioner for the protectorate of Northern Nigeria, who was also destined to become the Governor General of Nigeria Allo (2013). In other words, the naming of a nation was a woman‟s suggestion to her husband who was in a position of authority to implement it. The Nigerian state, created in 1914, as an act of British colonialism, by the amalgamation of two existing British colonial states, the Protectorate of Northern Nigeria and the Colony and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria was 100 years old on the 1 st day of January 2014. This paper therefore examines the daunting challenges posed within one hundred years of our existence which grossly affect our nation-building. For ease and clarity of analysis, this paper is in five sections, namely, (i) introduction (ii) conceptual and theoretical discourse (iii) Contending Issues in Nigerian nation-building (iv) recommendations (v) conclusion. 1 Ikyase Johnkennedy Tersoo is a lecturer with Federal university wukari, Nigeria. 2 Egberi Anthony Ejue is a lecturer with Federal university wukari, Nigeria.