DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT SKILLS REQUIRED IN THE 21ST CENTURY PUBLIC OFFICE IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Public office in Nigeria has been a cardinal place where efforts at managing diversity using the instruments of quota system, zoning and federal character principle occur. This conceptual paper proposes the skills required to manage diversity in the 21stcentury public office in Nigeria. Literature review approach was adopted and, beginning with introduction, it explored key concepts, origin and approaches to diversity management. The origin of diversity management in the Nigerian public office was also x-rayed and the review showed the need for acquisition of 21st Century skills in managing diversity. Consequently, the author proposed the skills required to manage diversity in the 21st century public office in Nigeria as basic workplace skills; 21st Century skills and administrative skills. The proposal revealed constraints to acquiring the 21st century public office skills and implications for the teaching and learning of Business Education in the 21st Century Nigeria. This gave rise to three recommendations including Business Education students and teachers should recognise and appreciate dominant social identities and class ties which identify individuals' backgroundand use same to select qualified students and teachers. This would address diversity behavioural stereotypes formed as a result of individual perceptions of others and create diversity rich environment in the institutions