GENDER DIFFERENCE IN STUDENTS’ RESPONSE TO ETHNIC PROBLEMS IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The problem of ethnicity with its attendant ethnic crisis is one of the major social problems that Nigeria has been grapping with right from its inception as a nation. It  would appear that at present, the problem has assumed a rather uncontrollable dimension with incessant crises being reported almost on daily basis in different part of the country . Many scholars have  attested that a large percentage of the population is more ethnically conscious. The aim of this study is to find out the  situation in the tertiary institutions in Nigeria with regards to the issue of ethnic tolerance and with special reference to gender differences. In particular the study sought to find out if the male students are more ethnically tolerant than their female counterpart . The study is a survey which employed questionnaire as its major instrument while percentages and t-test were used to analyze the data collected. The findings show that the male respondents were used not significantly more tolerant than the female, the explanation of which was their common exposure in term  of educational background. It is recommended that all stake  holders should empower women of all ages to enable them contribute their quotas in providing solution to national problems.