Deconstructing Race and Ethnicity in the Sudanese Separatist War: Lessons for Nigeria and Africa?s Peace and Development

The Sudan crisis lasted several decades, from the rebellion of the south (over resource control) led by Garang, who became the leader of the Sudan People?s Liberation Movement (SPLM) to the settlement of 2004. The settlement between Garang and Omar Bashir of northern Sudan, however, gave birth to a fresh crisis and rebellion by the western section of Sudan, popularly called Dafur. Racial ideology, stirred up among landless nomadic Arabs in Dafur against non- Arab farmers in the 1980s laid the groundwork for the conflict over land,resources and identity in Dafur.Resolution to the Sudan crisis was evasive for years but finally resolved by the United Nations in the peaceful coexistence of marginalised tribes with notable considerations for religious tolerance. A consideration of the twin problem of race and ethnic relations is in this paper assessed from various dimensions and methods of resolutions and suggestions are made. Some of these suggestions were implemented as solutions in the creation of the new South Sudan but are hereinreiterated to assist in solving similar problems that might result into conflict and given towards finding solutions to arising Nigeria?s similar emerging crisis. It is further given as solution to Africa?s endemic conflicts and crisis and purported as an important solution to Nigeria and Africa?s development problems.