NIGERIA AND TRIBALISM Nigeria, officially Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a constitutional Federal Republic state which consists of 36states with a Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa, it is sharing boundary with Benin Republic in the West, Lake Chad and Cameroon in the East and Niger Republic in the North. The country has a population of over 160million people and it also has over 450 ethnic groups but has three(3) major and influential ethnic groups which are Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo. In terms of Religion, Nigeria has 3 main religions which are; Christianity, Muslims and Traditionist. But the main problem facing the largest country in term of population in Africa, a country blessed with Natural and Human resources and the self acclaimed Giant of Africa is Ethnicity and Tribalism. The word Tribalism according to Meriam Webster dictionary means tribal consciousness and loyalty; especially the exaltation of the tribe above other tribes. It means supporting the people from your tribe if they are right or wrong, oppressing or oppressed, anti-people or pro-people; it can be due to rthnicity, colour, race, citizenship, birthplace, school of thought or a group of people with common interest. Tribalism is when someone feels or thinks so highly of himself and those of whom he/she belongs. This kind of poor and retarded thinking has led to various problems to our great country(Nigeria). In Nigeria, Tribalism now become a force that is more dangerous than a chemical weapon. Tribalism led to terrorism, kidnapping, cultism etc. And tribalism is now seen in all facets of the country economy (be it economic, social, political, education) etc.. It is in a country like Nigeria we see catchment area during admission process to various tertiary institutions in the country; it is in a country like Nigeria, contracts are awarded based on ethnicity and tribalism, it is in a country like Nigeria, political posts and appointments is based on ethnicity and tribalism and not based on merit and genuine qualification. What is happening in Niger-delta or happened with OPC and Boko-haram is unfortunately an expression of wider and deeper tribalism. Government jobs are be given based on tribalistic factor. Nigeria a country where some set of people work tirelessly and extra-ordinary but earn less and are given meagre salary while some set of people work less and earn more and still go on to loot our public treasury all in the name of ethnicity and tribalism. It was tribalism that indirectly engendered the Nigeria Civil war and indirectly gives birth to present deceit called quota sysyem and step sister called state of origin. There are direct product that are designed to model the destruction of Nigeria. Im not surprised when I heard some people calling for disintegration of Nigeria. A country of 53years that is still crawling like a new born baby, Terrorism, Kidnapping, Vandalisation of crude oil are all over the country all in the name of Tribalism.(Boko-haram, Niger-delta militants, MEND etc.) Construction of refinery in Kaduna state during the regime of General Mohammadu Buhari when their is no trace of crude oil in the region, this led to wastage of resources, time and energy, all in the name of developing and growth of the region. During the regime of president Olusegun Obasanjo awarding of contracts was based on tribalism, many federal contracts not all was awarded to his kinsmen from south west, the recent imbroglio rocking the aviation sector also shows the level of tribalism in Nigeria. A Minister accused of corruption by most Nigerians, which I know is clear like a crystal, was being supported by her kinsmen, even to the level of protesting in support of her misdeed and shame by some of her kinsmen in Abuja etc. The Yoruba become us and the Igbos and Hausa becomes them and vice versa, all these led to most of our problems and in turn, it leads to most evil of Nigeria traits- religious crisis, political crisis etc. Tribalism is now disease rocking our great country(Nigeria). The realization that we are all victims of economic and political imperialism by foreign countries should prompt and persuade us to educate ourselves by all means of the need for oneness of Nigeria, and we should realize that geographical boundary is not a barrier to national co-operation and mutual understanding. We are Nigerians! Longlive the People of Nigeria! Longlive the Federal Republic of Nigeria! Soetan Emmanuel Adebayo
Posted on: Fri, 25 Oct 2013 20:42:09 +0000
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