Tribal and Sectional Sentiments in Nigeria

I read with grave displeasure the article on the infighting at the Nigeria Embassy in Malaysia. The article is about leadership succession reported on Sahara Reporters (http://www.saharareporters.com/report/ethnic-politics-nigeria-high-commission-malaysia-looming-dangers?nocache=1#comment-123638).

Whether the submission is true or not, it is my candid feeling that Nigeria is surely sitting on a time bomb of tribal or sectional sentiment, which at the end will do neither north nor the south any good. The earlier we wake up from this dangerous slumber the better. I don't have any link with Malaysia, Indonesia or the characters in the write up, to be able to confirm the authenticity of the claims made, but one thing is sure, - the substance of the write up is a living testimony of what is happening in the country today.

Rather than ensure that persons of integrity and quality are given the opportunity to lead the country, we are busy fighting each other on whether its the north or south that should be given the opportunity. I understand the crave for resource control, which is a subject for another day. But with good governance which has the rule of law at the heart of its affairs, will all this tribal and sectional sentiment weeping still be necessary?

For 50 years we've been "nominating" leaders, and putting wedges on the emergence of more credible ones. Haba!!! Isn't it time that we wake up from this dangerous slumber? Rather than debate north or south, I think we should be more interested in the change that every leader has been able to elicit. Or better still, if we feel very strongly that we can not stay together again as one, shouldn't we be thinking of splitting up the country peacefully, to avoid a repeat of the instances of the 60s and early 70s? Nigerians please wake up!!!

Nigeria at 50

As our "rulers" converge on Abuja to celebrate their loot in the last 50 years, I hope they left someone in charge of ensuring that the 15 school children kidnapped recently in Abia are set free. Come to think of it, how many of these kidnappers has been brought to book? what about the looters of the last dispensation, is any of them in jail? What is the status of the scandal in the National Assembly that almost deafened us few months back? How about the flood in Sokoto? several other woes bedevilling the country. Happy anniversary to the looted who have survived the hardship thus far. My friend said the fact that he is alive today is something to celebrate, but not because he is a Nigerian or that Nigeria has attain 50 years.

A cynic a few days back threw a poser to Nigerians, which I found quite interesting. He asked Nigerians to demonstrate their patriotism by indicating interesting on his blogsite to volunteer for conscription into the army to fight an imaginary war. Two weeks after, he got no response.

That is the character of the country Nigerians are celebrating today. Some see it as mere geographic expression where nothing exist that serves as the uniting factor.

That expression might be true, but if juxtaposed by the fact that we have no any other place to call our own other than Nigeria, shouldn't we all begin to reflect on how to bring about that uniting factor? What is it that we are doing wrong, how have other countries of the world that are adjudged successful, gone about it?

For Nigeria to move forward, its citizens must be patriotic and this include the leadership. The leaders can not expect the citizens to be patriotic if they themselves are less so. Stop looting today, and we may have something to celebrate about tomorrow.