Write an essay on tribalism is better evil than cultism
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ESSAY - The unfortunate reality staring us in the face is that we are unitedly divided and dividedly united. Call it a forced marriage made possible by lord Lugard and his wife on Lugard’s love bed decades ago. This forced espousal has led to a daily painful intercourse with strange bed fellows. And just like King Solomon may attest that anything (maybe not everything) could be possible under the intoxication of savoured feminine passion.
Jerome Samson
We are unitedly divided and dividedly united, which is a terrible fact staring us in the face. Call it a forced marriage arranged by Lord Lugard and his wife decades ago on Lugard's love bed. This coercion has resulted in everyday painful encounters with unusual bedfellows. And, as King Solomon may witness, anything (though perhaps not everything) is possible when intoxicated by savoured feminine passion.
We can only pinpoint one underlying source of our country's troubles in the face of this morass. Tribalism! We (Nigerians) sound like a chorus of tribal singers! It has been impossible for us as a people to present a united face in a country with roughly 170 million people and over 600 ethnic groupings.
Tribalism is defined as a man's support for his people, whether they are right or wrong, oppressors or oppressed; belonging to this group might be based on blood kinship, ethnicity, colour, birthplace, citizenship, school of thought, or a group of individuals with common interests.
Tribalism is the belief that one is superior to others and that others are of lesser social status. For example, in George Orwell's Animal Farm, we are taught that all animals are equal, yet some are more equal than others. As a result, the person who feels tribal thinks highly of himself and those to whom he belongs. This isn't to imply that a sense of brotherhood is completely unfounded. Not in the least. However, when such fraternity threatens the cohesiveness of the whole, it becomes corrupt.
Tribalism has risen to prominence in Nigeria, outnumbering nuclear weapons. It is at the basis of Boko Haram's emergence in today's society. Tribal sentiments inform militancy in the Niger Delta, as well as the OPC and Bakassi. Terrorism thrives on tribalism. We don't have to seek far to find the source.
In the governing circle, the selection of public office holders that has thrown the country into darkness is a twin brother of tribalism. People in high places in Nigeria award contracts to incompetent contractors based on tribal ties rather than true qualifications and ability. The current administration had to confront the question of "how can a minority group rule over us?" at some time. (Note the difference between them and us.)
In the name of 'we are born to rule,' a country should not make certain people work extra-hard simply to scrape by, while others are practically given the key to the government coffers to enrich themselves at pleasure. One of the main reasons why Nigeria has yet to reach truly "one Nigeria" is because of this.
It was tribalism that indirectly engendered the Nigerian civil war and indirectly gives birth to the present evil called “quota system” and step brother called “state of origin.” These are direct products, consciously or unconsciously designed out of mediocrity to model the ruin of Nigeria. This fuelled the growth of National inequality and anger of perceived injustice. One of the unfortunate characteristics of tribalism is this unnecessary competition with other tribes.
The Yoruba are referred to as "us," whereas the Igbo and Hausa are referred to as "them." As if any group has a sole right to hold Nigeria's seat of power, the North claims that authority must return to the area. Because he is not from 'our region,' a Niger Deltan is elected and all hell breaks out.
This is, in fact, what has caused the majority of our issues, which has led to the most heinous of Nigerian characteristics - religious strife and, more lately, terrorism.
In Nigeria, the belief in one tribe's superiority and the weakness of another has resulted in a slew of battles.
It is truly evil to claim superiority and to see other tribes as second-class citizens. A Northerner is equal to an Igbo guy, and a Yoruba man is equal to both. We are people with equal rights and position, and that is who we are.
If the Boko Haram insurgency is to be brought to an end, ethnic tensions must be resolved, and Nigeria must advance beyond what we see, we must consciously choose to be our brothers' guardians. First and foremost, we must acknowledge that we are brothers. That is, if such a revelation ever comes to pass. We need to break free from this stymied mind process of enthroning evil through our deeds and inactions.
Whether we come from the north, south, east, or west, we all share a common destiny. So it appears. The realisation that we are all victims of economic imperialism and foreign vested interests should motivate and urge us to educate and persuade ourselves about the importance of Nigerian unity, and to recognise that geography is not a barrier to national collaboration and mutual understanding.
Only by doing so will we be able to put an end to the evils of terrorism, militancy, and ethnic and religious hostility.
All of us are Nigerians.
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