Around 2013, Akwa-Ibom state government organized a competition for the different choir groups in the state. Each group was led by a choirmaster, and had five different sections: soprano, treble, tenor, bass and instrumentalists. Each section in a choir had been trained to collaborate in producing specific sounds that complement the sounds of the other sections. Each section freely produces and projects their sounds in response to the command of the choirmaster for a beautiful harmony. Thus, the ability to collaborate within sections to produce sounds for the whole choir prefigures the saving capacity of tribalism in Nigeria.
Many political commentators in Nigeria have blamed tribalism and ethnicity for most of the crises and underdevelopment in Nigeria.[1][2] They insist that Nigerians must kill the attachment to their tribes and ethnicity for a new Nigeria.[3] Some even argue that Nigerians should no longer include their town, local government and state of origin in official documents. This practice, they believe, will erase Nigerians’ emotional attachment to their origins, and automatically redirect their emotions for a new Nigeria.
Tribalism is the love for one’s tribe; “It is the state of being organized in or an advocate for a tribe or tribes. In terms of conformity, tribalism may also refer in popular cultural terms to a way of thinking or behaving in which people are loyal to their own tribe or social group.”[4] It involves a positive contribution to the social, political and economic development of one’s tribe or social group. These smaller groups eventually merge with other groups to form larger nations or countries for better socio-economic collaboration, security and sustainability. In choir instance, tribalism would imply the loyalty to one’s particular part or section of the main choir for better sound-production.
However, there is a negative dimension of tribalism, which involves supporting one’s tribe to the detriment of other tribes. This is the version of tribalism blamed for crises and underdevelopment in Nigeria. It arises from the fear of domination or oppression from people of other tribes in a common enterprise. This constant fear of people from other tribes makes an individual seek to fortify and surround himself with his tribesmen.
Nigerian tribes, kingdoms and ethnic communities were brutally merged under a federal government.[5] With the same brutal force, these ethnic communities were also stripped off the rights to their mineral resources[6][7][8] and lands.[9] And with the Nigerian Mineral and Mining Act, the federal government seized and sells the mineral resources to foreigners. Eventually, the revenue from the resources are shared by the federal government to the different states into which the country has been partitioned.
Since resource-revenues from all sections are pooled together at the centre before sharing, people closer to the central tend to favour their kinsmen. By favouring their kinsmen with contracts and posts, they strengthen their influence and grip on their lucrative positions. So, negative tribalism manifests in the provision of more funds, amenities and positions to one’s kinsmen over people from other tribes. And just like in the arbitrary creation of Nigeria, the states were not created with the consent of the constituent ethnic communities. So, whoever is in the position for sharing funds, shares according to his wishes or tendency to favour his or her kinsmen before others.
WHY HAS TRIBALISM REMAINED A KILLER OF DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN NIGERIA?
The main goals of collaboration between various groups in a nation are security, industry and trade. These goals are achievable and guaranteed when the different social groups discuss and agree to collaborate for mutual gain. Unfortunately, the social groups in Nigeria have never truly deliberated to agree on any common purposes, especially productivity. Instead, different federal regimes auction the mineral resources that people could have used for industry, and resort to sharing proceeds. Thus, the focus on sharing opportunities for mineral-resource-revenue diverts the productive mentality of the pre-colonial Nigeria.
HOW CAN TRIBALISM BECOME THE SAVIOUR OF NIGERIA?
Positive tribalism is the love for one’s social group, which is shown by contributing to their social and economic growth. This growth requires modifying the social institutions for the security, freedom and self-actualization of one’s social group. It involves providing practical education for industry, access to the resources for industry and markets to trade their products and services with others. Tribalism will save Nigeria, when the various tribes can educate and organize themselves to use their resources for industry and trade. Then, they will value the need for other tribes as business partners and contribute different percentages of their income as tax for the administration of the country. (Just like a choir)
Charity begins at home; the eyelashes cannot love the legs or whole body more than it loves the eyes. This is because it is primarily linked to the eyes, where it functions, before linking to other parts of the body. Also, it will be unrealistic to expect kinsmen to love other tribes equally, or more than their own tribesmen. Instead, tribesmen must love and collaborate with other tribes to the degree of their inter-tribal agreement for collaboration and common good. We are humans with emotions, not robots with remote controls for turning off our emotions or tribal links. The natural instinct of self-preservation in humans requires a guarantee of safety for their interests for them to relate freely with others.
True tribalism includes an effort to eradicate illiteracy, unproductivity, poverty or insecurity in one’s tribe. It includes the manifestation of the socio-economic virtues for progress and peace with other social groups. It includes enlightenment for peaceful and productive living in one’s tribe.
Unfortunately, real tribalism may be difficult to find in the present Nigeria, as the cultural foundations are quickly phasing out. The people in top-government positions may not be classified as being truly interested in positive tribalism for social liberation. Their actions may be described as fortifying their alliances from and for participation in “the national cake”. It is difficult to say that they truly care about the lower class of people in their own tribes. So, before there can ever be a true nationalism in Nigeria, there has to be a true and positive tribalism. This is because the whole can only be as strong as the parts and the connection between them. Without proper management of tribalism in Nigeria, we will be left with a terrible identity crisis, confusion of origin and cacophony of alliances.
[1] Stella Oduah, “Tribalism, ethnicity, bane of Nigerian development” In Vanguard reported by Taiwo Bello, October 28, 2013. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/10/stella-oduah-tribalism-ethnicity-bane-nigerias-development/
[2] Emeka Nnaya Nwodo, “Politics of Tribalism, sectionalism and the future of Nigerian youths” In Vanguard December 17, 2017. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/12/politics-tribalism-sectionalism-future-nigerian-youths/ retrieved December 21, 2017
[3] DailyPost, “Tribalism, Nepotism, Cronyism and general poverty in Nigeria” In DailyPost July 18, 2012http://dailypost.ng/2012/07/18/tribalism-nepotism-cronyism-general-poverty/ retrieved – 30th November, 2017
[4] Definition of tribalism; http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/tribalism Definition of tribalism by Macmillan dictionary In https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribalism#cite_note-1
[5] S. O. Oyedele, “Federalism in Nigeria” in Issues contemporary political economy of Nigeria (edited) Hassan A. Saliu, op.cit, p.57
[6] Nigerian minerals and mining act 2007 act no. 20, chapter 1, Part 1, Section 1, paragraph 2
[7] Nigerian minerals and mining act 2007 act no. 20, chapter 1, Part 1, Section 2, paragraph 1
[8] Nigerian minerals and mining act 2007 act no. 20, chapter 1, Part 1, Section 1, paragraph 3
[9] 29th March 1978, Land use act. P7