–Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA) –By Austen AKHAGBEME:
ONE of the palpably visible source of anger that readily culminates into feelings of separatism and other existential cry in our Nation today is insecurity.
This is more so, given the level of workable strategies ( or lack of it) and the attention the government has given to it so far. Pan-Nigerianism is taking a backdoor in the present scheme of things as everyone seems to remain on the extreme position based on whether or not we should remain as one.
Ethno-religious tendencies are taking over hitherto peaceful composures and ethnic belligerence , hate and hate speech is gradually taking over our sanity and sanctity.
Who are the victims of the Status quo and who are the predators? Who is the predator or the victim of this present arrangement between the poor man in Sokoto and the one in Abakaliki or Osogbo; who have been bamboozled, cheated, oppressed and marginalised by his own rich and privileged ethnic neighbour and fellow countrymen?
What is the difference between the Northern elites and their southern counterparts in terms of selfless devotion to their ethnic course, desires and the welfare of their people? Why are some of us easily believing that the end of Nigeria as a sovereign entity is the end of all challenges and more, for every individual and ethnic group that once make up the nation?
Why are we suddenly believing that an Egba man will have no grudges with an Ekiti man and that a Wawa man from Enugu will always be at peace with his brother in Abakaliki? All of a sudden, the Igede man in Benue will feel more comfortable with his Tiv brother in Gboko and the Bini man in Edo state will forever embrace his brother from Okpekpe, Irrua or Agenebode.
These are powerful pessimistic conjectures that no one wants to give a deeper, fairer and more objective thought to, but rather choose to run off with the emotional speed of separatist tendencies as an all inclusive panacea to our present woes.
Nigeria’s problem was and still is the mismanagement of her diversity by ethically biased comprador nationalists but superbly able, regionally minded politicians who actually proved their mettle in their regions. Those who pretended not to understand this ( especially the military usurpers) further balkanised the nation into unviable hungry fragments called states, all in a bid to appear nationalistic or as Patriotic heros.
There are only two tribes in Nigeria; the tribe of the predatory rich elites and that of the poor masses who incidentally, are the crying victims. Let us go back to where we missed it and let Nigeria be.
- Austen AKHAGBEME is a Columnist with Blank NEWS Online
