By Oluwole Ogundele
Many ethnicities were living in the broad, contiguous geographical region later christened Nigeria in 1914, by the British colonial government under the direction of Lord Frederick D. Lugard. Each one of these ethnic groups had its own independent political system(s) among other cultural traditions such as kinship, belief systems, agricultural/culinary practices, art and science of designing and constructing buildings and burial systems. It is difficult to neatly separate some of these deep and surface cultural behaviours from the age-long phenomenon of local, regional/trans-regional flows and communications. Indeed, every ethnicity is in a state of flux. This development defines every human group to a certain degree.
Relics of these local and/or global exchanges can be gleaned from the numerous languages and other cultural traditions of the Nigerian ethnicities. In other words, these groups were not strange bedfellows at all. But we may never know the actual names of these ancients living in this territory more than 4,000 years ago. Such modern ethnicities as the Yoruba, Igbo, Edo, Urhobo, Itshekiri and Igala had a common ancestry in antiquity. Ethnic evolution or separation is real and unending. Most of the ethnicities now at each other’s throats usually for political reasons were once members of a super family. Therefore, historical consciousness is pivotal to liberation from monumental ignorance anchored to political instability and backwardness in a myriad of ways.
Social evolution goes on among the various Nigerian groups. For instance, every language has its own dialects. Words from other cultures are being incorporated into these dialects. The Yoruba language has several dialects which are on their way to complete separation. Ekiti dialect is very difficult for an Egba or Ijebu person to fully comprehend despite the fact that both sub-ethnicities belong to the Yoruba. The same thing applies to the Akoko, Ikale, and Igbomina sub-groups. Igbo language also has its local variations. I want to postulate here, that the complete evolution of these dialects into full-blown languages will happen in the next 500 years or thereabouts. By this token, the Ekiti, Egba, Ijebu, Akoko, and Igbomina among others in Yoruba land would have become separate languages and by extension, ethnic groups. Nothing is fixed once and for all.
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Despite the fact that Nigeria was a product of Europeanisation embedded largely in self-interest and blatant disrespect for Africans, sustainable development is still light years away. No history and culture-sensitive education. Political maturity and/or uncommon patriotism are/is a panacea for progress. Nigeria has to go back to its roots in a critical manner. The ethnic nationalities need to learn to work for the common good. We must condemn the current ideology of reckless prebendalism which characterises the Nigerian brand of politics. For example, the Igbo and Yoruba among other ethnicities especially in the southern and central regions of the country descended from a common ancestry in the remote past.
Ethno-religious bigotry has to be wrestled to the ground because it is crippling our common sense and by extension, progress in a wide range of ways. It is a pity that many Nigerians are prepared to die as a result of starvation as long as their uncaring kinsmen are the political rulers. This is one illustration of blind, village solidarity reminiscent of savagery.
Time is of the essence! There is need to overhaul our political system particularly at the central level. In this regard, the National Assembly working in collaboration with the presidency has to begin to craft a new legislation enshrined in justice and equity. Given our low level of political maturity coupled with the complexity of Nigeria, rotational presidency is a task that must be done. We do not need some “super humans” from outside to teach us how best to manage our local affairs within the context of healthy globalisation. After 64 years of political independence, we should be able to work for peace, a precondition for socio-economic sustainability.
Every human society has its own peculiarities tied to the apron strings of social history and geography. Nigeria can only be different at its peril. Rotational presidency across the six geo-political zones is a task that must be accomplished. A single term of five years is enough for each president. Up to now, the political leaders are thoroughly detached from the led. Their (leaders) appalling behaviour towards the ordinary people is very worrying. They do not care a hoot about the agonies of Nigerians. This underscores the reason why for goodness sake, these rulers are still talking of establishing new universities when the old ones cannot be properly maintained. Politicisation of education is most unpatriotic.
Certainly, our foreign partners are happy that Nigeria has failed to grow up in spite of its huge natural resources and robust human capital. Our failure is a blessing for Europe, America and parts of Asia. What is Nigeria doing with 109 senators and 360 members of the House of Representatives? In my own opinion, these lawmakers are a socio-economic burden to the country. We don’t need such a huge number particularly now that Nigerians are experiencing unprecedented hardships. Nigeria has the second highest paid federal lawmakers in the world. They are expected to sit for 180 days or thereabouts annually, with a pay of about N30 million per month for a senator. Therefore, it is time to domesticate and enrich the operational box of the Nigerian political culture as a basis for socio-economic sustainability. Nigeria is a wonderful country where university professors especially in federal institutions, are still being shabbily treated with less than N600,000 (approximately $350 monthly). Not unexpectedly, most federal academics are now languishing in penury. Is it a crime to be a fine brain in Nigeria? It is worrying that some senior academics have turned themselves into errand boys/girls of the powerful political elite as a coping strategy.
The size of the political elite group has to be drastically reduced. We don’t need more than one third of the current federal lawmakers. Again, their operations should be on a part-time basis. This was the legislative culture during the First Republic. The huge salaries and allowances of our parliamentarians have to be reduced significantly. There should be no space for extravagance and insensitivity as if demons are let loose upon the country. The leaders and the led have to be partners in progress. Currently, Nigeria is very sick! Indeed, the country is in dire need of a major surgery.
The Nigerian political class members and their gluttonous business associates as well as notorious bootlickers should begin to embrace the principles of idealism or holy spirit-ness. As a matter of fact, the essence of robust humanity is not about what you have fraudulently or otherwise acquired, but what you give to people in order to engender their happiness. Those who are busy maiming and/or killing people as a result of their politics of the belly need to do a rethink. It is an existential reality that everything ends in a box. This is food for thought.