In search of a detribalised polity
by
Every generation upon attainment of maturity ought to have something new to contribute to human development. It is hoped that the present and succeeding generations of Nigerians will be more detribalised than those of their forbears.
What makes us a Yoruba tribalist, an Hausa/Fulani feudalist or oligarchist, an Igbo or Ijaw separatist, or an English colonialist, or a Western imperialist? Well, there are many plausible reasons that could be given. One particular rational deduction is that each ‘tribe’ from every cultural group in this world has a particular general characteristic, which it holds onto with dear life. Believing that its own ideas and aspirations are truly righteous and sanctioned by God, either through peculiar and particular divine interpretations or through self-righteous notions of democracy justice and self-determination.
With the migration of peoples because of increasing populations, search for fertile land, conquest and adventure, one particular salient theme in mankind’s history has been the formation of empires. However, such developments have been far from a state of idealism. On a relative scale, though, exemplary empires have prospered under a system akin to confederacy. The basis of such systems being that each tribal group is responsible for its own internal affairs while maintaining full co-operative relationships with its neighbours and recognising the leadership of somewhat detribalised and universal visionary leader.
The advent of nationalism or nation-state, as a force of reality, despite its superficialities, is a peculiarity which seems only to have prospered in what we may refer to as the First World, namely Western Europe, where the concept of nation-state and its off shoot, nationalism, appear to have been called into question - hence the development of regional hemisphere bloc known as European Union (EU), which, ironically, shares similarities with a political system of confederacy.
Having had about 40 years of the so-called political independence, African states, it is hoped, will have to learn from its past political miscalculations and pretence at development. Political development, though, cannot be achieved through simple adoption of Western political party principles such as socialism, conservatism, liberalism and all other lofty "isms." Why? Because we are Africans and our political ideology should reflect this. We need to develop ourselves as a black race, not as regressively competitive and non-cooperative "tribes." In the estimation of this writer, the Freedom Charter of the African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa comes closest to this. In the words of Dr. Nelson Mandela, the Madiba, the charter symbolises something larger than life. In his words: "For the first time in the history of our country, the democratic forces, irrespective of race, ideological conviction, party affiliation or religious belief, have renounced and discharged racialism in all its ramifications, clearly define their aims and objectives and unite in a common programme of action."
Mandela, in No Easy Walk to Freedom, continues: "The charter is more than the mere list of demands for democratic reforms. It is a revolutionary document precisely because the changes it envisages cannot be won without breaking up the economic and political setup of present South Africa". This is what all the nation-states in Africa need to strive towards peacefully, rather than through aggravative tribal self- determination avenues, as presently witnessed in Nigeria through elder and youth-based ethnic movements.
This is what our visionary and progressive forefathers believed in.
Amongst those forefathers none other than King Shaka Zulu of the Zulu nation came closest to the revolutionary ideals of a detribalised Africa in terms of his actual achievements in historical progressive empire- building in South Africa. Kuene Mazisi’s Emperor Shaka is a classical, poetical and historical epic prose of the great Palm Race. The Palm Race is you. The name itself speaks volumes. The Palm Race are all human beings but it seems that the human race have long forgotten their common roots. Thus, it may be unimaginable for too many Europeans and Anglo-Americans to accept others as equals, as well as hypocrites amongst the Arab nations and ambitious subtle imperialists in the Far East (Japanese and others) to accept you and 1 (Africans) as equals. This, really, should strengthen our resolve here in Africa to pursue our development as a distinct multi-ethnic race.
Where does Nigeria fit into all this? There is more than one option for the country to follow. Apart from making a joint or concerted effort to eradicate tribalism in our national psyche, we could decide to decentralise our political administration through devolution. But to this writer, that would be a step towards admitting that we have failed as Nigerians, particularly with respect to nation-building. This writer sees centralisation of government, the creation of more states and the maintenance of archaic traditional kingship lineage without appropriate progressive review as aberrations of a divide and rule, sub- consciously and, indeed at times, consciously and, sometimes, consciously promulgated programme since independence to the present day. The concept and present universal existence of nation-states may have exaggerated the irreconcilability of different "tribes." However, it is still the basis of the present international society. To try and reverse it by reappraising the rationality of present territorial boundaries would only lead to a watershed of violence and civil wars in Africa. There is no need emphasising the many civil wars we have had in the continent - Congo-Kinshasha, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan, Algeria, Somalia, etc.
What we need is an age of enlightenment. Nation-building in multi-cultural Nigeria is and will continue to be an uphill task, as it has always been since we gained independence, for some time. The lgbo nation has paid a high price of one million lives. Martyrs, as well as legendary leaders, have dedicated their lives to pushing Nigeria forward. Even amongst the latter, death has been the ultimate price for their distinct endeavours. However, the struggle must continue. Many amongst our present generation have dedicated a large proportion of their lives to building a stable, progressive and developed Nigeria.
If no man is an island, then the saying should continue as thus, no nation, or "tribe", is an island. The world is a global village, increasingly interdependent. As such, we cannot run away from each other - Ogoni, ljaw, Hausa/Fulani, lgbo, lgala, Ebira, Yoruba, Efik, Ogoja, Edo, Gbagi, Kataf, Tiv, etc. In the immortal words of Sir Ahmadu Bello, rather than put aside our differences, "Let us understand our differences." Simply put, as different as we may appear, we are still rational human beings who can achieve a meeting of minds and work cooperatively while learning from each other.
Every sub-nation within Nigeria has a particular culture and particular asset that should be promoted and shared accordingly for the general good of the underprivileged and impoverished in the country. That is the heart of true African spirit, that is, treating others as you would treat your own family. That is provided they do not break your cultural taboos by showing disrespect to your family, your "tribe" or, indeed, on a larger and more noble scale, work against the gregarious Palm Race.
"From the cradle to the grave the black man is a fighter," those are the words of an African - American. The battle against tribalism in Nigeria now needs to be based on a moral crusade fought by tried, tested and proven integral political moralists and youthful-inspired supporters and political strategists. In the now famous words of Alhaji M. D. Yusuf, a frontline Nigerian politician. "May the Almighty provide us with the will and the way"
Mr. Emeh wrote in from Enugu