You could live for 25 years in the northern part of the country and still be regarded as a stranger. Tribalism has eaten deep into our country and brainwashed all the citizens.
Everyone blames one tribe for any mishap. If there are bombing and killing of people, everyone accuses the Hausa. If Nigerians are caught overseas for smuggling of drugs or illegal papers, everyone accuses the Igbos. If a woman is caught in infidelity, she must be Yoruba.
That’s the sad state of the nation. Everyone is guilty of the blame game. I could remember when I was dating a Yoruba lady, the parents told her to leave me because I am Igbo. You’ll be surprised at the reason why she was advised to leave me. They had the belief that Igbo people use their wives for money rituals and they also eat human beings.
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There was a point, I stopped telling people where I come from. Thank God, I have a Yoruba accent. For how long do we continue to live like this? A Yoruba man can’t live in the North or East. He’s scared of being killed during tribal conflicts. An Igbo man will decline to work in the North because he believes he would be the first target during conflicts.
I’ve never been to the North but what I hear from the people living in the South and East say about northerners is really discouraging. If I tend to believe it, I will never go there. They made it look like you’ll be killed immediately you step your feet into that place. Same with other tribes too.
No nation will develop with citizens of this mindset. Everyone needs to feel comfortable and welcomed for the growth and development of the nation.
“We may have different religions, different languages, different coloured skin, but we all belong to one human race.” Kofi Annan
I brainstormed with Lazarus Victoria and definitely agree that – only unity can see us through in this country.
Extracted from her thoughts, ”As I sat down to take my dinner this evening, I took some moments to consider the number of people around the world who had contributed to my evening meal. From the farmers who worked tirelessly on the field all day, cultivating and harvesting, down to the workers at the Rice Mill processing and packaging the food, to the truck drivers and distributors across the country who travel on the road every day and night to ensure the food gets to every citizen of the country. Without these people, my plate of rice would not have been filled with food.”
”Let’s take another quick glance at the shirts, skirts, wristwatches, bags and all, different people have worked together to make it happen. This shows that we are dependent on each other.
Our different phones and laptops are also another reminder. The various technology companies in charge of the production and the service providers trying to keep up with our demands, all revealed how some things we usually think are the product of our strengths are not.”
No wonder, a single forest could destroy thousands of other forests even though they are miles away from our destinations and which could affect the very air we breathe in.
We might be different in our way of life, languages, thoughts and beliefs, yet we are all a product of the same root. Unity brings us together as one.
Until we start seeing each other as one irrespective of the colour or tribe, we will always remain in a spot.
Unity makes everyone sees President Buhari as our President and not the Hausa President. I’m surprised people are only interested in voting for a candidate from their tribe.
But does it really matter?
A house divided cannot stand. From the small bundle of sticks tied together comes the power and strength of a united force.
The broom is something that usually piqued my interest. No matter how dirty the environment is, get a good broom and watch your compound becomes impeccably clean. Despite being a lifeless piece of sticks, the power of togetherness made it an effective tool for cleanliness.
The togetherness of this bundle also made it a very difficult task to sit and start snapping each stick one by one. This actually gave credence to the fact that it is easy to win a war against a lone man, but to defeat a force united in strength would require a second thought.
The unity of the broomsticks is a very special one. I see it as a kind that shifts focus from unity based on tolerance to one that is solidified in understanding that our differences paved the way for our uniqueness and strength.
Let’s assume the human race, country by country imbibed the power of this kind of unity and worked together as a whole, what do you think would be the result?
Nigeria must come together as one. Unity is the key to winning.