HOW did we reach where we are battling presently to exit from without much injury as a nation? What is responsible for the lingering security challenges we are facing as a nation? Why are we getting more and more divided along religious, regional and ethnic lines? Nigerians as we all know are multi-tribal, multi-lingual, multi-religious, multi-deceivers, multi-liars, multi-pretenders and multi-divisive. Many things about us Nigerians are in multiples, either in arithmetic progression or geometric progression. Nigerians can lie even to the dead so much so that one of the most celebrated musicians ever Stevie Wonder looked into our eyes and realized we were liars at one time during his visit to Nigeria in the 80s.
Ask a Nigerian politician if he is a tribalist or a religious bigot and his response would confirm to you what I mean. He will vehemently deny being one and can even go the extra mile to swear with the grave of his ancestors or by any of the religious books and Prophets just to convince you to erroneous believe that he is a nationalist and detribalized.
If only you could gauge the answer using polygraph, he will be busted as a pathological liar, a deceiver, a clown and pretender for he is not only an ethnic chauvinist, but also a religious bigot that trades in hate.
The trending political jargon created by the ruling party APC is the Muslim-Muslim ticket that attracted condemnation and admiration. Going by our warped sense of value, many commentators made their submission through parochial ethno-religious prism. Ask the opponents what is really wrong with the Muslim-Muslim ticket, and their response will expose their stand as ethnic chauvinists and religious bigots. Ask the supporters what is good about the Muslim-Muslim ticket, and their answer will equally expose their chauvinism and bigotry. So, both divides are suffering from same maladies—–ethnic chauvinism and religious bigotry.
Some Nigerians are so satanic that they add ethnic and religious coloration to serious political, economic and security decisions; and some even espouse conspiracy theories such as Islamization, Fulanisation and land grabbing as they dig deep in polarizing Nigeria and pitching neighbor against neighbor to garner sympathy of plight.
It is unfortunate that religion and ethnic consideration creep into everything we do in Nigeria. The APC Presidential ticket was Tinubu/Shettima, as stated in the files with the electoral umpire, INEC just as PDP Presidential ticket was Atiku/Okowa, while Labor Party Presidential ticket had Obi/Datti.
According to Senator Shehu Buba Umar (Bauchi South), Senate Committee Chairman on National Security and Intelligence,” the ballot papers used in the 2023 elections did not bear personal names of candidates but party logos. Instead of discussing the capability and capacity of the candidates and what they can bring to governance table, Nigerians keep chasing, as we turn purely political decision to religious pontification in the absence of robust ideas
When the ethnic chauvinists and religious bigots speak, one gets the impression their constituencies (tribes and religion) are in perfect order. Far from it, because most of the tribal warlords come from divided and warring ethnic setting, while the religious fundamentalists bastardize religion and spread falsehood and hate like wild fire on rampage”.
Therefore, whenever you hear Nigerians talking about religious cause (Christianity or Islam), you may erroneously think they are sanctimoniously special breed whose main resolve on planet earth is to adore the Supreme Being (God/Allah). When you listen to Nigerians as they vow to die in defence of their faith, you will be ashamed of yourself for being rebellious against the Almighty having had no fanatical zeal to defend His cause. But when you see some of those very Muslims and Christians fighting themselves out silly for ecclesiastical offices or egoism in God’s Holy Name, one begins to wonder whether or not their Creator is the same one whose messages to mankind are documented in the Holy Books of the Qur’an and the Holy Bible.
Mutual mistrust and divisiveness based on ethnicity, tribalism or religion is wrecking the nation at lightning speed. Ethnicity or religion is the prism through which people view—in support or expression of dismay many issues, especially critical ones like appointments to high-profile posts. It is a situation whose sensitivity is so critical that, over the years, appointing authorities have had to grapple with how to strike a judicious balance, under which, irrespective of attributes like patriotic disposition, academic and professional credentials, as well as experience, they wouldn’t be seen to be favoring some groups above others.
Contrary to what some Nigerian politicians and journalists, many of who claim to be pro-democracy, think, family, clan, ethnic and religious affinities and ties, cannot be the basis of the representation of any citizen, in a democracy. This brings to the fore the representative styles of Sen. Shehu Buba Umar (Bauchi South), Sen. Ibrahim Bomoi (Yobe South), Bappa Aliyu Misau (Misau/Dambam Federal Constituency, Bauchi State), Sen. Abdul Ahmed Ningi (Bauchi Central), Sen. Muhammed Ali Ndume, Abdul Azeez Yari, Ahmed Idris Wase (Wase Federal Constituency, Plateau State) and Yusufu Babayo Gagdi (Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency of Plateau State). The stated federal lawmakers are assessed to be more focused in providing the needs of their constituents than meddling into trivial issues lacking substance. Projects facilitated by them are evenly shared within their federal constituencies irrespective of imaginary differences. That is the way it should be.
Democratic representation is solely derived from the exercise by the people of the freedom of political association with all other people in the country and the exercise of the freedom of political choice between alternative candidates and parties.
In any electoral constituency in which there are different ethnic and sub-ethnic groups, or, religious and sub-religious, and these are seen as the basic units of political representation, it is very difficult for the voters in that constituency, to call a corrupt, or, incompetent, elected official to order, because, he was elected for his origin and affinity, and not because of what he can do to promote the security and welfare of the people in the constituency. The basis of making him publicly accountable to those who elected him is very weak or absent, because ethnic, or, sub-ethnic, religious, or, sub-religious, representation, does not allow for democratic accountability, and is fundamentally opposed to this pillar of democracy. Those who say that they are pro-democracy and yet insist on ethno-religious political units and ethno-religious representation, are either trying to fool other people, or, are themselves just confused, and actually do not know what they are talking about.
In a multi-religious nation like Nigeria where the practice of the religion of one’s choice is protected by the Constitution, there is no reason for any kind of religious bigotry. Islam, Christianity, African traditional religion, paganism….generally all wish to achieve the same means, the enlightenment of the soul and the wellbeing of mankind. These ends can be achieved all the so much easier if there is mutual cooperation and not the constant variations of the Jihad and the Crusades. Perhaps the best way is to practice what most religions teach and preach, be kind to others, tolerant and generous.
Since all political parties in Nigeria, have professed in one way or the other an anti-ethnic and anti-other divisive vices position, there, should be a basic and common platform of principles on ethnicity which all the parties can adhere to with strict discipline. Signing a public declaration (against ethnic chauvinism for national unity) can also discourage many politicians from playing the ethnic card as the temptations to do so for political expediency are often great.
Presently, Nigerians are experiencing lopsided federal appointments in favour of a certain ethnic group. The people are complaining but those at the helm of affairs are not bothered because they erroneous believe they can always have their ways through maximum use of compromised security structure and the judiciary. But for how long shall that last?
I see a time coming when staging a bloody revolution will be the option at the disposal of the people against maladministration to clean the stable. Very soon those who amassed wealth through dubious ways will have no escape route other than to face the wrath of the cheated. The time is fast approaching in Nigeria. In God We Trust!
Muhammad is a commentator on national issues
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