Explaining Polarization and its Dimensions in Nigeria - African ...

several arguments in favour of education as a key factor in poverty - reducing initiatives in Nigeria
(Aromolaran, 2002). In this study, no education has the highest value of deprivation to surplus
ratio of 4.6 compared to tertiary education level with the ratio value of 1.1. This affirms the notion
that people without education are more vulnerable to poverty than people with education. Thus, it
is worth noting that the poor can still constitute a formidable population to raise the level of
polarization in the country. This study reveals the second highest relative contribution of 7 per
cent, (0.07) of non-educated population to polarization in Nigeria, after secondary school level,
which accounts for about 15 per cent (0,15). Table 5 reveals that the number of unemployed,
students, retired and disabled people contribute more to the level of polarization (0.38) than
gainfully employed people. We can therefore safely say that employment creating initiatives and
effective social policies will go a long way in reducing sense of diversity among these groups.
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