The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ethnic

  • Ambode, Lagos and ethnic friction

    SIR: While reacting to the recent clashes among some major interest groups at the Mile 12 market, Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode reiterated for the umpteenth time the metropolitan nature of Lagos as a melting point of various ethnic groups in the country. He said: “Let me assure Lagosians that the state is home to every tribe and ethnic group and nobody should give this disturbance any ethnic coloration whatsoever. We are all brothers in Lagos and it shall continue to be like that”.

    Ambode’s position is, of course, a true reflection of the spirit of Lagos. Lagos has always been home to all. Subsequent administrations in the state, especially since the dawn of the present political dispensation, have gone to limitless length to preserve the multi-ethnic status of Lagos. Indeed, the relative peace that has been in existence in the state, over the years, is a manifestation of the unrelenting efforts of the state government to accommodate various interest groups in the state. On a regular basis, the state government organizes stakeholders meetings with the leaders of the ethnic/tribal communities in the state to rub mind together on how to make Lagos a better place for all. The result of this robust relationship is the atmosphere of peace and harmony that currently reign in the state.

    Without a doubt, Lagos has continued to show the way forward in its commitment to an indivisible Nigeria where no one is denied of opportunities for self actualization on mundane considerations. The state’s primary, secondary and tertiary health facilities and, indeed, other such infrastructure remain accessible to all Nigerians without any discrimination. Through the instrumentality of the State Security Trust Fund, the State government has continued to ensure the safety and security of every Lagos resident. The public primary and secondary schools in the state have continued to open their doors to all Nigerians, irrespective of tribal and ethnic affiliations. Since the inception of the now popular Spelling Bee competition, among public secondary schools in the state, the 13 winners that have emerged as ‘One Day Governors’ sufficiently demonstrate the cosmopolitan nature of the state’s public schools. A breakdown of the thirteen ‘One Day Governors’ that have so far emerged reveals that seven are of Yoruba origin, two are from Edo State while the remaining four are of Igbo extraction.

    Realistically, the issues involved in the development and growth of Lagos State and, indeed, Nigeria transcends ethnic and religious sentiments. The brotherly love and bond that have existed between Lagos and the diverse ethnic and tribal groups in the State must not be compromised. Fifth columnists, whose major pre-occupation is to fan the ember of disaffection for self-seeking interests must not be allowed to profit, as it is their practice, from the current false campaigns. Traditionally, the hospitable disposition of Lagosians is legendary. It is a global legend that Lagosians are hospitable people who go the extra mile to accommodate visitors.

    In Nigeria, Lagos remains, perhaps, the only major melting points where all Nigerians could feel at home, irrespective of ethnic and religious differences. There is no other state that has opened its doors to accommodate Nigerians of various shades as Lagos does. It has always been the tradition of successive governments in the state to accord every resident in the State equal and fair deal in the scheme of things. Everyone who resides in Lagos is traditionally referred to as a Lagosian. This is the spirit of Lagos.

    • Tayo Ogunbiyi,

    Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.

     

  • Return of ethnic tensions in Mile 12 Market

    SIR: I celebrated the 16th anniversary of the peace enjoyed in Mile 12 market after the last ethnic attacks in November, 1999 with a research titled ‘Hausa/Yoruba Conflicts and Peacebuilding Initiatives in Mile 12 Market, 1999-2014’. The research was carried out to assess the causes of conflicts between Hausa and Yoruba, the peacebuilding initiatives implemented and the challenges to peace-building in Mile 12 market.

    The rebirth of ethnic tensions in the market and its environs is not something that is shocking but rather evidence of governments failure to adequately cater for its citizenry and this new wave of conflicts should serve as a wake-up call on local, state and national governments to live up to their social responsibilities.

    Since the end of the violent attacks in the market in 1999, government has done practically nothing in building peace within the market. Apart from forcing an agreement on market leaders and setting up of an Inter Ethnic Forum which was short lived, most of the peace-building initiatives were put in place by the stakeholders (market and religious leaders) in the market.

    In the wake of call by some members of the Lagos State House of Assembly to relocate the market, it is important to point out that it is not the market that is responsible for the ethnic conflicts in the area. Relocation of the market to any part of Lagos State is not a guarantee for peace in the area. Though it may ease the traffic problem experienced along Ketu-Ikorodu axis, it will not ensure peaceful coexistence between the ethnic groups. It is important to note that contact between Hausa and Yoruba or any other ethnic group by itself cannot generate ethnic tension but rather it is the socio-economic context of their contact that generate ethnic conflicts.

    A major trigger of the ethnic tensions in the area is lack of social amenities. As at today, the market lacks good road network, public toilets, health facilities and so forth. As if that is not enough, conflict and dispute resolution mechanism in the market has been commercialized. Instead of resolving conflicts, restoring and building relationships, the focus is on generating revenues for market leaders and government. Traders are charged before issues of conflicts and disputes are entertained and resolved. This has been largely responsible for traders’ unwillingness to report disagreements and conflicts to appropriate authorities.

    The recent clash is not because Hausas are blood-thirsty; it is also not because Yorubas are not accommodating. Nigerians should not be deceived to agitate along illusionary ethnic lines. Reducing explanations of conflicts to primordial causes implies sheer ignorance. Truly ethnic diversities are natural. Local, state and national institutions must play roles in regulating the level of the conflict potentials of ethnicity. Government must provide adequate social amenities to the people, set up permanent inter ethnic forum charged with orientating Nigerians on the need for oneness and peaceful coexistence and establish an early warning mechanism to spotlight conflict flashpoints.

     

    • Lawal Rafiu Adeniran,

    lawalrafiu88@gmail.com

  • Buhari’s appointments and ethnic divide

    SIR: The age-long ethnic divisions and mutual suspicion among Nigerians have been brought to the fore once again. President Buhari recently announced the appointment of six individuals including the Secretary to the Federal Government and this announcement has been met with criticisms from different sections of the Nigerian society. A statement in defence of the president’s appointments of twenty five persons since the beginning of the administration stated that the president would right the wrong and would ensure to pacify all frayed nerves in subsequent political appointments.

    Some Nigerians have also faulted this statement saying that the president knew all along that the appointments made so far were tilted towards a certain section of the Nigerian society.

    Now President Buhari has been tagged the “King of the North” in an article by no less a person than Chief Femi Fani-Kayode who described the president’s appointments in three months after he was sworn into office as a mess. This article has lent its voice to the various criticisms and attacks on President Buhari’s political appointments and has also increased the debate about the intentions and agenda of the president.

    We the Nigerian people, especially political parties and politicians, have to champion the task of nation building through cohesion and integration of the diversity of cultures and ethnic groups in Nigeria. We need to move away from our old ways of thinking because Nigeria has been experiencing a setback on account of tribalism, ethnicity, sectionalism, zoning and federal character. President Buhari should not see these attacks and criticisms over his government’s appointments as personal but rather as a wake-up call and an opportunity to work earnestly towards achieving nationhood and national unity as many Nigerians do not have an outlook of one Nigeria.

    Chief Femi Fani-Kayode said in his article that the logic of ignoring federal character for merit is absurd. Besides, he concluded that equitable distribution of political appointments is a pre-requisite for peace, security and national unity.

    I beg to disagree with this assertion as federal character and zoning have not served our collective interest since independence. What they have done at best is to inflict pains on the Nigerian people and hamper the country’s growth and development. That is why the issue of tribalism, ethnicity and sectionalism still remain a big problem in Nigeria after 54 years of independence. Nigerian politicians and leaders should not fan the embers of discord and disunity among the different tribes and ethnic groups of the Nigerian society. They should rather champion the cause of national unity and nationhood.

    Federal character, zoning and the likes have been used over the years as a way of addressing the problem of ethnicity and tribalism in Nigeria but these principles have failed to solve the problem of disunity —creating ýmore problems that the APC had to run away from them due to the negative impact they had on the PDP during their 16 years rule.

    Some people have admonished those who argue in favour of merit over federal character not to speak like illiterates. Well, being in support of federal character over merit as a criterion for government appointments does not mean that a person knows very much either.

    President Buhari has to work tirelessly towards achieving national unity and nationhood. Though the present administration has security, the fight against corruption and jobs creation through the economy as its top priorities due to the ýexigency of our current national crisis, the Buhari administration now has to include national unity as one of its top priorities.

    The president’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, has said that political appointments would be balanced in the long run. It is not enough to balance government’s appointments but it is important to change our sectional and regional outlook which has affected our ability to see ourselves as Nigerians first.

    President Buhari and all political elites have to work towards fostering social harmony among over 170 million Nigerians and not contribute towards widening the ethnic divide that has plagued the country for many years. Governor Adams Oshiomhole in his defence of the president’s appointments said that we must not reduce governance to political patronage of bread and butter but unfortunately, we are yet to move beyond this point as a country. Besides, political appointments have over the years been consolation prizes rather than getting the best minds to move us into the future.

    Nigerian leaders and politicians must recognise the dangers posed to the unity of Nigeria by being sentimental, encouraging tribalism and playing the ethnic card. It is high time they began to work on addressing issues emanating from our stark contradictions and flawed political foundation; and which are responsible for Nigeria’s perennial crisis as well as the current criticisms and reactions trailing President Buhari’s recent appointments.

    We are at the early months of the new administration and there is no better time to work towards national unity and nationhood than now.

     

    • Bolaji Samson Aregbeshola is  the author of ‘’Nigerian Political Parties and Politicians: Winding Road from Country to Nation’’.

  • ‘You can’t win with ethnic card’

    A group, Bayelsa Patriots (BP), has told Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson and a former governor, Diepreye Alamieyesigha, that they cannot win the December 5 governorship election by playing the ethnic card.

    The group addressed reporters yesterday in Abuja “on recent happenings in Bayelsa State”.

    Its leader Chief Preye Alaowei said the warning became necessary, following what he called unguarded statements by Dickson and Alamieyesigha in the media.

    Alaowei noted that Bayelsa Patriots, as a group of concerned Bayelsa State residents, has urged security agencies to hold Dickson and Alamieyesigha responsible, should something go wrong during the election.

    He said: “These two ethnic jingoists should be told that playing ethnic cards will never give them victory in the governorship election.

    “The Nigerian electorate, especially the Bayelsans, are now wiser. They know those who are really committed to their welfare.

    “We would have applauded these two men, if they had focused on issues that matter most to Bayelsans rather than manipulating the people and employing ethnic sentiments to win an election.”

  • Terrorism is deepening ethnic distrust, researchers warn

    Researchers at the University of Ibadan (UI) have found that the spate of bombings in Kano has deepened mutual distrust between indigenes and non-indigenes.

    The research also found that most clergy men are rejecting posting to the northern part of the country due to insecurity while churches track their members by opening a register containing their phone and addresses.

    The study entitled: “Effects of Terrorism on Non-indigenes in Sabo-gari Kano State” was carried out by a student of Sociology, Nwanosike Chiamaka Precious, and supervised by Dr Oludayo Tade? at the University of Ibadan.

    While warning that further deterioration of security may make relocation of non-indigenes from the northern states inevitable, the researchers urged Federal government to step up intelligence among its security agencies and stop insecurity and rising terrorism.

    The research which was conducted among residents of Sabon-gari, a predominant settler community in Kano, focused on the effects of terrorism on the socio-economic lives of non-indigenes and their coping strategies. While speaking to newsmen on their findings, the researchers said that terrorism has crippled evangelism, business, and social relations among peoples while restricting their movement to a particular place in the state.

    They quoted a respondent as saying: “We non-indigenes are scared because we do not know their next plan. Whenever we go to the market, we buy quickly and return to our houses. We are scared in terms of school so that they will not go to our children’s school to go and look for them there.”

    Another participant said: “This insecurity is affecting our right to life and right to own property. Nobody can make any investment in this town and nobody is sure of tomorrow. You next door neighbour is number one suspect. One must be careful and focused and watch the next step the person beside you is about to take.”

    The researchers also found that social activities, such as attending parties, birthday, and weddings have reduced, while churches now? record lower attendance, with many projects abandoned as people avoid religious centres. Commenting on that, another respondent “Church crusades are now discouraged while evangelism is at minimal. ?I have stopped going for night programmes. We normally go out for evangelism before but we cannot go because of fear of bomb, and fear of gunmen. Visitation has stopped. We only reach people through mobile phones. But to visit or go to hospital to pray for people that are sick? Those ones have been grounded.”

    The researchers noted that the Book Haram threat has negatively affected the economy of Kano, and that most house owners are being owed rent due to uncertainties over security. Many non-indigenes have relocated their investments away from Kano to the east, west and south while many husbands have sent their wives and children to their home states to reduce the risk of becoming victims.

    This, they attributed to the fact that the men fear starting afresh in a new place after investing in Kano all their lives.

    While calling on the Federal Government to tighten security and build solidarity among Nigerians, they warned about the unintended consequences of allowing terrorism to separate Nigerians through mutual distrust. The researchers also asked police to set up check points around Zungeru and Burma roads where there are no security checks.