Thesis (MA) - Cyprus International University. Institute of Graduate Studies and Research International Relations

The resurgence of minority nationalist movements in the third world after independence from colonialism has become ubiquitous to the extent that, it is no longer necessary to commence writing an article on the issue with naming various examples. As stated by various theories, grievances from minority groups are often expressed collectively. In recent cases, these grievances and discontents have resulted in conflicts and civil wars in countries like Cameroon and Nigeria. The impact of these civil wars has sometime gone beyond the borders of the affected countries, and some major international interventions have been engaged.
This thesis discusses the colonial legacy, particularly of Britain and France in Cameroon and Nigeria. I explored the history of colonial rule in these two countries, using various secondary sources like textbooks and journal articles, and concluded that colonialism contributed to the rise of minority nationalism or rights movements in these countries after they achieved independence. To understand the reasons why minority groups, decide to revolt, three main theories have been explored, including the Protracted Social Conflict (PSC) theory of Edward Azar, Human Needs Theory of Maslow, and others, plus the greed versus grievances theory. These theories throw more insights into how group of people react when they face oppression.