Tribalism will kill Nigeria if Nigeria doesnt kill tribalism

From my careful observation and keen interest on most social-political platforms on the internet and being compelled, i felt the need to put out the bare facts and am doing this not really knowing between the blue wire and the red which one to cut in other to stop the ticking time bomb in our national sphere called tribalism. Before, i continue,my boss is Hausa, my grandmum was Yoruba from ikorodu, my inlaw is Igbo and am Isoko via paternal bloodline. So am a full blooded-Nigerian to say the least.

The Igbo doesn't really hate the Yoruba and vice-versa, if there is a tribe that the Igbo detests, its the Hausa/Fulanis and its also vice-versa. Its evident that the residual emotions deposited from the post civil war still lingers and still breeding. what is happening between the Yoruba and Igbo is a transferred aggression syndrome probably for the part played by some of the Yorubas in aiding and abetting the then attack on secession."the only thing that can heal the civil war wounds is an Igbo presidency" this were the words of former head of state, Rtd Gen.Gowon who has had the greatest share of the experience during and after the war. He is definitely not far from from reality if we really sit and take a deep ride of fairness in retrospect.

The supposition of tribalism in today's Nigeria will continue to fester but hinder potential democratic tendencies looking at the status quo. Triblism reigns at its highest peak in our national reins and we cannot feign ignorance of this biting fact. I was telling a friend the other day while we were watching views from channels TV news concerning the Saraki travail how almost everyone interviewed will opine along tribal lines and it turned out true. While the peeps of the South south and South east were sighting witch-hunt on Saraki/Ekeremadu, the peeps from South west were in favor, thumbing the Buhari/Osinbajo anti-corruption project on course. But this is just a mere case study. this sequence received full bar on since the day ACN and CPC decided to merge into APC and this merger was perceived by many as having tribal undertones even though it was a brilliant political plot to topple the previous government. Votes garnered from the north and the south west would always surpass those from a combination of south east and south south and as they say, majority will have their way. Even the embrace of politicians from the south south and south eat could not really appeal to the people of these zones who unreservedly pitched their tents with the former president Jonathan largely because he was closer to them.

Bearing in mind that our nation has continually sustained on plying the path of federal character as they call it,if Buhari and his advisers from northern Nigeria must do right for the sake of a united country in this current dispensation, then perhaps this is the time to heal whatever inflicted wounds that still remains fresh since the civil war. perhaps its time to draw the people of the south east closer by wooing them and this will only take political will and forthrightness. "am for no body and am for everybody". If these words can become factual and dynamic in its workings, then we wont see what we have witnessed so far in the area of political appointments already made.Think about this, If Buhari announces today that based on his one term agreement with his party, he will start shopping for a successor from the south east, you will be amazed at the sudden best of friends he will become with them and even others from minority ethic groups. You can see its that simple to drive the nation on such a 'one love' mantra along side'change' mantra. The talk of biafra will self extinguish, there will be a feeling of oneness through out the entire federation and when this happens, our full potentials as a diverse people will shock the world in less time.

I will draw my summation with this, a house divided a against itself will not stand and will not last. there is an unimaginably great potential in us if we can harness 80percent of our diversity for we are only but harnessing 30percent. if every part of Nigeria is treated fairly and justly, if meritocracy becomes our everyday ruler and tribalism/nepotism expunged, then we can start seeing our full potentials on full swing.Yorubas are made to be wise and peace-loving so we need this wisdom and love to thrive; The Hausas love the art of fighting and we need protection; The Igbos love to be industrious, so we need this competition. The SS will continue to provide the oil, and we need this wealth. Everybody got something to offer.

Written by General P