HAPPY IN THE PENDING

…WE DON’T KNOW ANY BETTER
I’m just watching a movie titled “ Nigeria” in my imagination; Jonathan is ruling, David Mark tenure is unending, Legislator are debating; whether or not a 13 years old girl should be marrying. Anyway, Fashola is working, Governors are fuming, River State is boiling, Politicians are deceiving; its 2015 they are thinking. Federal Government is misleading, ASSU is striking, Education is declining, Oil is booming and other sectors are dying. Boko Haram is bombing, Nigerians are toiling; PHCN is holding; Musicians are beefing; actually its noise they are making. Super Eagles are trying, Nollywood is shocking. Dangote is building, Poverty is growing and the masses are mourning. Then finally, someone I know is speaking, and me -Am now writing.
1st October every year, Nigeria becomes the subject matter of the literary world, writers can agree to discuss what to write on as there is a plethora of issue involving Nigeria to write on in approbation on the above, 2013 is not an exception; From the unholy tussle rocking the seat on power, to a deceiving educational sector, a useless extravagance on iPhones, a police reform that never was, a notional change of car plate numbers because one man is supplying the new number plates, a rebranding that was never branded , subsidy, a new faction of same old politicians, a bill that was ill and so much more. Mind you, it is not all gloom and doom for Nigeria; one can simply be on a merry mood and write about Nigeria last outing at d African cup of nations that saw the Nigeria national team emerge as African champions -the choice is really yours. This is why I write on this day, not on recent trends but on the same old monster that has enslaved us since we attained independence.
The slogan of Nigeria during the re-branding and post rebranding era is “Good people, Great nation” and I have always had the impression that this slogan emanated from a heart of hope for the future and nothing else. Aristotle once said, “To conquer a thousand army is not as difficult as to conquer one’s self”. Nigeria as a nation attained independence some 53years ago and not surprisingly its first conquest was itself. The country was amalgamated in 1914 by Europeans who had their interest at heart. Nigeria has not deemed its fit to put these circumstances behind her and come together for the greater good. The land mass or Nigeria undoubtedly cut across many ethnic lines and the sad reality is that these lines have been made even more visible over the years –Yes, Nigeria first conquest is TRIBALISM.
It is of common place for Nigerians to ask for your tribe at the start or a conversation, this is usually the determining factor if they will be interested in continuing the conversation or initiating another one in future. Universities are flourishing with ethnic division. I have seen them, I have seen parents refuse to give consent to a child that will allow him or her marry someone from another tribe, I have seen traders sell goods cheaper to tribes men, I have seen neighbors of same tribe live well knowingly ignoring another neighbor that’s not of that tribe, I have seen people ignoring Facebook request solely on the basis of tribe. I don’t want to pry into the employment quota of any organization because I don’t usually see the application details and for similar reasons, I will choose to ignore the ill dividends or tribalism on admission of students into Nigerian universities. This unholy monster has made no intentions to hide his presence, so why have nothing been actually done in tackling it after all this donkey years: The reason is not far-fetched;
“Tribalism has been swindled and systematically manipulated to work in favor of quite a many few”
Firstly, politicians have sought solace in the unflattering wings of tribalism before and during election as a result, leaders who win the polls tends to dish out favor’s to tribesmen as gratitude after elections and the circle goes on.
Secondly, Nigerians don’t seems to know any better, that is why politicians are so confident or this route to power, they understand Nigerians will never learn, they know too well how to use the same promise in different ways, they have mastered the act on fooling Nigerians over and over again, and all this is made possible on the grounds of sentimental attachment to a common tongue (which they may not even speak well). Too many at times, Nigerians expect an election to produce a messiah, but history have shown that election produce leaders (when it actually free and fair). A leader ought to be a selfless manager; not a miracle worker but, one whose works are miraculous.
Finally, the odious grip of tribalism has choked us because the average Nigerian is first his tribesman before he is a Nigerian, and why not? I do not necessarily blame them, a National figure in the first republic once publicly acclaimed to be a Yoruba man before he is a Nigerian. What he did not know was the fact that such utterance would form the bedrock of our problems, some 50years latter, he didn’t know any better.
Tribalism has become a tenure score card, we often find people saying, “we put our brother there and he has forgotten about us”, I often find Nigerians telling fellow Nigerians ”what are you doing in our land, go back to your place” and you still tell me these are great people, from a great nation?? That slogan just has to be hope. Nigerians don’t know that a nation is not a great nation because it has common ancestors but because it produces a common descendant. Unless they are acquiring oil blocks, it is most difficult to find a man who hails from northern Nigeria investing in the southern part of Nigeria, a country where the location of a company determine ninety percent of the staff body and non-indigene of the primary community are treated like outsiders. I profoundly wonder the point of having our national i.d card read “Nigerian” when our hearts differ. When a man does something, the first look out is for his tribe and attempt to generalize in accordance with the attribute bestowed on his tribe by our own native intelligence.
Nigerians don’t know any better that such attribute only channel the spotlight in a particular part of these persons let me give you an example; as much as I hate being drag into this act, it is widely acceptable that “ all Igbo’s like money” but I mean, give me a break -who doesn’t? Giving these attribute to the Igbo’s only does one thing; in a conversation or when dealing with a group of people, if anyone who is not Igbo brings up the issue of money, it is addressed as normal and the issue comes first but where this person turns out to be Igbo, because there is already this spotlight on the person from our heart; we tend to put the person before the issue. This is the lightest case I can think of, as we usually laugh over it when it occurs in our everyday society, but suffice to say, there are other technical issues were tribalism becomes a genuine cankerworm that eat into our systems and leave our production system rotten. It blinds our eye to efficacy and effectiveness. Sentimental loyalty should be encouraged for natural grace and not national disgrace.
Let us put effort to teach the children, “culture for the value of heritage” as the letter should not be longer than the envelop, let us also ensure they never forget that their only laudable heritage is a “One Nigeria“ that is really ONE.
Let them know better.
While this pending…
Nigeria is 53, and we are happy in the pending.
With these few words I wish u a Happy independence.
Written by: Gbakeji Joshua
Produced by: Comedian PrincewilL