Ethnicity is a major factor in the fierce struggle for relevance and survival in Nigeria’s economic and socio-political space. Ethnic minorities, from the onset, are a hugely disadvantaged category in the battle. For one, just about 60 years ago, the over 200 ethnic groups were “unrecognized” and subsumed under larger ones in the three regions of the country. In the North, the pursuit of Islamization (Jihad), the advent of Christian Missionary drive, and the British colonial policy of Indirect rule led to minority languages and cultural practices being considered “second rate” and even, “obscene”. This is a study of how the Eggon, a group that was not conquered, sustained and used its performing arts to drive the mission of identity, self- actualization and group aspiration. From a qualitative framework, the study descriptively analyses the artistic milestones that sustained Eggon values and response to various challenges. The kernel of the work are the prospects offered to their struggle by the limitless possibilities of technology to performing arts. In particular, the modest first steps by the Eggon Carnival and Home video Industry is X-rayed, against the background of their current socio-political challenges. The study concludes that the new advancements in technology will not only promote and expand the production and consumption of performing arts in general, but serve as a veritable vehicle for projecting the identity and aspiration of Nigeria’s ethnic minorities, which the Eggon symbolizes in this study
Keywords: Ethnicity, Fierce Struggle, Performing Art., Socio-Political Challenges
