Olatunji, Samson OlusolaDe Campos, Elisabeth2018-07-092018-07-092015De Campos, E. & Olatunji, S. O. (2015). Diversity, Security and Development in Nigeria: A Re-examination of the Language Factor. Journal of Peace, Security and Development 1(4), 1-182360-9435http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/956peer reviewedThe paper critically examines the diverse nature of the Nigerian state in terms of language and cultural heritage, the security challenges violently threatening its continued existence and the issues of the country’s underdevelopment. It, through extensive literature review, examines the role of language in fostering national unity and development. The commonly held opinions about the role of the English language in the unification of the many ethnic nationalities that constitute Nigeria are also critically engaged. The Nigerian language policy is then juxtaposed with cases of multi-ethnic nations that thrive in unity in spite of their linguistic diversities and record impressive development through the multilingual policy implementation in education. The paper, therefore, while not disregarding the immense contribution of the English language to the welding of various nations to make the entity called Nigeria, advocates Government’s commitment to the entrenchment of the multilingual policy in Nigeria’s education system because doing so will not diminish but foster greater level of unity, better security and accelerated all-round national development.enSustainable developmentmultilingual educationlinguistic heritagecultural heritagepoverty, religionArticle