Nigeria: A Country Where Ethnicity and Religion Is The Only Identity
In Nigeria, tribal and religious affiliations are rated even higher than competence. This has not always been the story of Nigeria, the increase in tribal and religious hatred has been well highlighted with the actions of President Buhari.
Before the Civil War that lasted almost 3 years (1967–1970), the ethnicity of a Nigerian was not a factor in government appointments or political affiliations. The Mayor of Enugu State was a man from the Western part of Nigeria, while Nnamdi Azikiwe (who later became the first President) was a lawmaker representing Lagos in the Federal Assembly. The first indigenous Vice Chancellors of Nigeria’s premier universities (UI, UNILAG, UNIJOS,UNN) were all men from the Eastern region of the country. Competence was rated above ethnicity and religion then, but how did we get it all wrong?
At the end of the Civil War, the distrust between the three major ethnic groups was at an all time high. This led to deliberate attempts by the Federal Government to reward the two major tribes that fought on the government side, while seizing all properties owned by those from the secessionist tribe. Derogatory terms were invented from all the three major ethnic groups, the hatred led to government to create the Federal Character Commission and the Nigeria Youth Service Corpse in 1973, a mandatory one-year service that will help young Nigerian graduates get posted in a region of the country with a different tribe and to learn, relearn and unlearn everything about the tribe.
The result of the NYSC was almost an instant hit, with 47 inter-tribal marriage recorded among those that undertook the program from 1973–1963 according to Prof Itam et al. Today the NYSC some people will argue have lost its relevance, however, it is left for the FG to decide the fate of the program that united Nigeria in ways no one expected. The wound from the Civil War was healed, inter-tribal marriage became a norm and not an exception, the country flourished and despite pockets of violence by Islamic extremists in Northern Nigeria on Christians, the country remained relatively safe and tribal and religious sentiments was no longer a factor. But in 2015 all hell was let loose by the election of a self-proclaimed religious fanatic and nepotistic Gen Buhari. He made it clear from the onset that he will treat his tribe and religious folks differently (favourable), this he explained in a mathematically incorrect 97% vs 5% division.
With almost every important Federal appointment made by Buhari so far skewed towards the North, the resentment is now palpable. IPOB, have somehow discovered their strength, Buhari seem to give them a legitimate reason to fight for independence. Buhari seem to have created a huge divide between the Northern and Southern parts of the country with his attitude, actions and words.
Today, once an appointment is made, the first thing Nigerians check for is the Tribal or religious affiliation of the appointee, this is not healthy for a country known for religious and ethnic cleansing. The citizens need to take action in the 2019 general election, if they fail to do so, this hatred towards the South exhibited by President Buhari may lead to the disintegration of the country.
