
This paper explores the themes of violence and rebellion in Northern Nigerian fiction, focusing on Elnathan John’s Born on a Tuesday. It addresses a significant gap in scholarship, as most studies on Northern Nigeria focus predominantly on fundamentalism and terrorism, without fully examining the underlying causes of these issues. Using Social Categorisation theory, as developed by Henri Tajfel and John Turner, this study investigates how identity-based divisions contribute to societal violence. Social categorisation, both in society and literature, accounts for how individuals classify themselves and others into social groups, often leading to an "in-group" versus "out-group" mentality that fuels conflict. This research provides a fresh perspective on Northern Nigeria conflict by emphasising the importance of political influences, which are frequently overlooked in discussions of Boko Haram insurgency, religious intolerance, and neighbourhood violence. The study also challenges the redundancy in the exploration of John's text by offering a unique political analysis of the themes of violence and rebellion. It, ultimately, presents that John's proposed solutions advocate for unity by rejecting divisive social categories, in order to secure peace and stability in Northern Nigeria. Keywords: Nigerian Literature; Northern Literature; Rebellion; Social Categorisation; Violence
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 0 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Average | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Average |
