In due course, this misguided ambition generated hatred among the three, fears, resentment, and antipathy among the minorities and pernicious disharmony among the entire groups... Chief Obafemi Awolowo
In the third place, there was fierce and almost cut-throat competition among the three so-called majority ethnic group for federal hegemony. It was a war of giants for the waging of which the consent of the minority ethnic groups was never sought and, in any case, was taken for granted; it was a war into which these minorities were impressed by force of political manoeuvres, cajolery, and sometimes blatant intimidation. Each of the three major ethnic groups regarded it as its destiny to lead the country, to the permanent exclusion of the other ethnic groups.
In due course, this misguided ambition generated hatred among the three, fears, resentment, and antipathy among the minorities and pernicious disharmony among the entire groups. The inter-ethnic hatred thus generated has led to a civil war which like all civil wars, was fought with bitterness; and the minority fears have led to the creation of more states, not on the basis of any known sound principle, but on the basis of those fears....
It will be extremely naïve for anyone to imagine that the conspicuous presence of guns and bullet in our midst for the past twelve years, has put an end to inter-ethnic hatred and fears. These monsters, no doubt, have been badly wounded, and badly scorched. They are, however, not only still far from being dead, but are also, from the look of things, capable of recuperating and fighting another day...
.....Chief Obafemi Awolowo, 1977
The recent fiery exchanges and war of words between some ethnic jingoists got me thinking and prompted me to revisit the above words of Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. The quote above was lifted from lecture he delivered in 1977 as the nation return to democratic dispensation after long years of military rules and its many tragic events which included the ill-advised civil war.
Between then and now, one would have expected a serous nation have at least find a middle ground as it build a vibrant nation state. Instead, what we have today is new generation of tribalists,. They no more fight for their people but for their personal pockets, and political ambitions.
Gone were the says when leaders, as selfish as they were, will compete with one another on who better the lives of their tribesmen the more. Gone were the day when political parties attached importance to party manifestos. Gone were the days when average Nigerian were proud of their political leaders and can identify each one of them by their services to the people.
Today, what we have are band of intellectually lazy leaders who aim to "capture" power for the sake of power. They have no specific vision aside empowering themselves and their loyalists. they treat their citizens as second class citizens and have no regard for the sanctity of Life. Instead they ride to power through army of ethno-religious thugs and blood-letting rogues. There is also another addition to the "league of three," and they are all becoming more and more vociferous by the day. They call themselves 4th , 5th largest tribes in Nigeria as if all that one need to lay claim to greatness is the tribal background.
The Nigeria of today have learned nothing from the Nigeria of yesteryears. As the nation slowly approach election year, it is important to state that all the people talking about power transfer, power sharing, etc to their tribes have nothing to offer the masses. Most of them put their children abroad while encouraging children of the poor to to go at one another's jugular.
Right now, they have been making threat of war, bloodshed if their sons and daughters is not considered as the leader(s) they are doing all these hoping that the average citizens will join in their madness when the time come. Nigerians need to be wise this time and understand that no politician is worth their blood of their sweat. They should begin to look at the character of their leaders instead of their tribal and religious background.
The late sage was being prophetic when he said of tribalism at the advent of Second republic that :"they are, however, not only still far from being dead, but are also, from the look of things, capable of recuperating and fighting another day..." Today, the ugly monsters are now back with us, and even stronger and deadlier They o longer content to agitate for power, now they are embracing terrorism to drive their demands.
And if any one wish to go to war, he and his family members should be free to prosecute the war against the other opponent's family members. Enough of blind fellowship. Enough of stupidity. It is time Nigerians say no to blood-letting and insane ethno-religious leaders and their thugs.
One Mr Akinlola Aje the following about this about
this barricade of progress.
Down with Tribalism
I am a monster of
disintegrations
For no good I work
but harms
Harms, ill,
political deteriorations
None likes me but
the fool;
Any good that comes
I rout
Men think am
harmless
Knowing myself a barricade
of progress
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