Nigerians are multi-tribal, multilingual, multi-religious, multi-liars and multi-divisive. Many things about us Nigerians are in multiples, either in arithmetic progression or geometric progression. Nigerians can lie, so much that Steve Wonder could look into their eyes and know they are lying. Ask a Nigerian politician, if he is a tribalist or a religious bigot. He will deny and could even swear with the grave of his ancestor, to convince listeners that he is a nationalist and de-tribalised Nigerian. If only you could gauge the answer using polygraph, he will be busted as a pathological liar; for he is not only an ethnic chauvinist, but also a religious bigot.
The trending political jargon is Muslim-Muslim ticket, attracting condemnation and admiration. Going by our warped sense of value, many commentators make their submission through parochial ethno- religious prism. Ask the opponents what is wrong with 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 colouration to serious political, economic and security decisions; and some even espouse conspiracy theories such as Islamisation and Fulanisation, as they dig deep in polarising Nigeria and pitching neighbour against neighbour.
It is unfortunate that religion and ethnic consideration creep into everything we do in Nigeria. The APC Presidential ticket is TINUBU-SHETTIMA, as stated in the files with INEC, just as PDP Presidential ticket is ATIKU-OKOWA, while Labour Party Presidential ticket is OBI-DATTI. Furthermore, the ballot papers will not even show the names of these candidates and their deputies, but the party’s logo. Instead of discussing the capability of the candidates and what they could bring to the governance table; we keep chasing shadow, as we turn purely political decision to religious pontification.
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 bastardise religion and spread hatred.
When you hear Nigerians talk about the religious cause (Christianity or Islam) you will think that they are sanctimonious special breed whose main resolve on planet earth is to adore God/Allah. When you listen to Nigerians as they vow to die in defence of their faith (Christianity or Islam) you would 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 these very Christians or Muslims fight themselves out silly for ecclesiastical offices or egoism in God’s Holy Name/Allah, one begins to wonder whether or not their God/Allah is the same one whose messages to mankind are documented in the Holy Bible or the Holy Quran.
Mutual mistrust and divisiveness based on ethnicity, tribalism or religion is wrecking the nation. 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 public 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 favouring 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 citizens or, groups of citizens, in a democracy. Democratic representation is solely derived from the exercise by the citizens of the freedom of political association with all other citizens 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 because of his origin and affinity, and not because of what he can do to promote the security and welfare of all citizens in his constituency. The basis of making him publicly accountable to those who elected him is very weak, 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. Christianity, Islam, African Traditional religion…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, be kind to your fellow man.
Since all political parties in Nigeria have professed in one way or another an anti-ethnic 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 and 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.