Abstract

At the core of his liberal politics, Karl Popper rejected the idea of nationalism on the premise that it possesses a potential for totalitarianism. His rejection of the idea was based on his conviction that people can be united to declare an autonomous single national political and cultural identity. According to Popper, the principle of national self-determination often degenerates into ethnic terrorism because it lacks what Popper refers to as scientific objectivity. Although what Popper was opposed to was the establishment of a Jewish statehood, however, his rejection of nationalism cannot really stand the test of time because, nationalism is in actual fact, an aggregate of people whose cultural identity underlies their social condition. This remains a fact especially, when we consider that cultural differences are a fact of life, and it indisputably defines who a person is, where a person is from, and invariably distinguishes people in terms of racial, social and political affinities. This perspective is indisputable when we consider that human beings have always organized themselves in group formations, and loyalty to a nation-state is not unexpected. This makes the case for reasons that indigenization and land ownership are powerful factors for nationalism in Lagos. The earliest occupation of Lagos by the Idejo largely conferred the right to land in Lagos on them prior to the colonial era. The nationalistic drive of the Idejo assisted in the restoration and sustenance of their land ownership status and their relevance in the politics of Lagos especially from 1861.