Examining the Relevance of Multicultural Education in Mitigating Prejudice and Promoting Political Integration in Nigeria

The thrust of this paper is on, examining the relevance of multicultural education in mitigating prejudice and promoting political integration in Nigeria. The research design adopted is literature review. Information were sourced from secondary sources like published work, research papers and documentaries including oral interviews from a wide range of sources like university libraries, lecturers in the Departments of Political Sciences, History and International Studies and Departments of Social Studies and Civic Education, respectively. The Pluralism theory was used and its relevance in the study is because it articulates how diverse groups within a society can co-exist harmoniously while preserving their unique identities. The findings indicate there’s non-adherence to the Federal Character Principle and that multicultural education promotes greater tolerance, diminishes ethnocentric tendencies, and enhances inclusive political engagement. Nevertheless, its impact is constrained by poor curriculum implementation, political interference, and socio-cultural barriers. The study concludes that the integration of multicultural education into Nigeria’s formal and informal educational structures is vital for achieving sustainable peace and national development. Therefore, we recommend that the citizens be educated in multicultural education which emphasizes the need for her citizens to value cultural differences and reject discriminatory beliefs.

Keywords: multicultural education, prejudice, national integration, federal character principle and national development