One of the greatest threats to the existence of Nigeria is the ugly tendencies of wanting to view everything concerning us as Nigerians through the narrow prisms of tribe, religion and politics. This unfortunate situation has become even more exacerbated by the shameful twist of hate, fear, violence and mutual distrust which have now come to form part-and-parcel part of our politics of late.
It’s not as though some of these unfortunate negative tendencies have not always been part of our existence but, they have never been this bad where nothing is taken lightly anymore. Today, people are so edgy and tense that some things that people would laugh over in the past would today raise so much dust and tension.
In the last one week or so, two separate incidents, involving renowned journalist, Dr. Reuben Abati, and ace musician, David Adeleke, better known as Davido, were subjects of heated debate on social media. Dr. Abati’s reported statement on Ndigbo and their refusal to sell land to strangers as well as Divido advisory on the state of the nation, to me, need not attract the kind of tension and sharp reactions they attracted.
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Again, the acrimony arising from our divisive political trend lately may be responsible for that.
The journalist and ex-presidential spokesperson had inferred that Igbo in Nigeria’s south-east region do not sell land to “outsiders”.
Speaking as co-host of Arise Television’s ‘The Morning Show’, Abati shared the story of how Theophilus Benson, minister of information, in the first post-independence government, narrated how Ndigbo do not sell lands to non-indigenes.
Reuben reportedly said, “Chief TOS Benson, former minister of information, now late, on one occasion at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs — and I’m not making this up — he said it publicly, if anybody can contradict me let them do so… he said something about Igbo people.
“He said he had an Igbo wife, and had an Igbo daughter, that he wanted to buy land in Igbo land for his daughter, for his wife, and he said ‘I’m getting old, let me build in this place for my wife’.
“He said that his in-laws told him that they don’t sell land to outsiders.
“That is the irony of Nigeria, about the politics of federation of unity.
“The same Igbos who are so industrious that they are all over and do well in other parts of Nigeria, you go as a non-Igbo man to go and buy umunna (kindred) land, you will be told that you don’t belong even as an in-law.”
While, I agree that Abati slipped in his generalisation, because the context in which he drew his conclusions was the experience of the late TOS Benson, but the question to be asked is, would that same kindred land which was denied Benson have been sold to an Igboman who is not of the same kindred from where Benson married? The answer would be no. So the refusal to sell to Benson was not because he was non-Igbo but because he was not their kindred. In other words, if a prospective buyer is from say, Ebonyi State, he would have been denied a similar opportunity in Anambra because the land belongs to umunna (blood relatives or kindred).
However, does this slip by Abati translate to or enough evidence to establish a case of Igbophobia or hate? I certainly do not think so and I believe that was not what Reuben intended because it’s inconceivable to think that Reuben believes that there are no non-Igbo land owners in the whole of the South East.
After all, if the same kindred had given their daughter’s hand in marriage to Chief Benson, what then is a piece of land that they would deny him just because he was Yoruba or non-Igbo?
Whereas, I am not competent enough to hold brief for Dr. Abati, as he is more than able to do that himself, I think this whole unfortunate incident should not have been taken this far but for the daily widening and expanding schisms created by our divisive politics of intolerance and hatred.
This particular incident also reminds one of a similar case where the late Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, former president of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in a statement condemned some vandals who were targeting Ndigbo in Lagos over political differences moments after the very divisive 2023 general elections.
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Even those who should know better to understand the late elder statesman joined in castigating him for allegedly dismissing all Yoruba as inhospitable and hostile.
That’s what our lazy brand of politics that is lacking in ideology, content and character has reduced us to. Very unfortunate! In the case of Nigerian Afrobeats superstar, Davido, his remarks discouraging black Americans from relocating to Nigeria due to the country’s economic challenges, has also attracted divergent reactions from people across the world.
Speaking during an appearance on The Big Homies House podcast, Davido painted a picture of Nigeria’s economic landscape, citing poor leadership, a struggling exchange rate, and soaring oil prices as factors complicating the country’s recovery.
He was quoted to have said that, “It is not cool back home. The economy is in shambles. I do my part, I am an ambassador. When I go home and I am filming, I am not going to show the bad parts.
“I am talking about the situation in the country. Now the exchange rate is messed up, a lot of stuffs are not going well. The economy is just not good enough. The oil price is too high. Imagine the country that produces oil, paying more for it than a country importing oil.”
Trust some hypocritical party loyalists. They have continued to attack Davido for what is clearly our reality and very factual.
Those who are not blinded by partisan politics say he is de-marketing the nation and as an ambassador; being a celebrity; he should not be seen propagating negative reports about the nation.
Again, in the case of Davido should he also have issued such an advisory against people coming to the country? Maybe not. But what he said about the state of our nation, are they true? Very true.
It would be delusional or foolhardy for anyone to think that deodorizing the rot of this nation is a mark of patriotism. It’s not. We must collectively and deliberately address our failed system and infrastructure. We must be deliberate and intentional in our desire to change the fortunes of this nation. No amount of political razzmatazz or jingoism can change the parlous state of the nation. Nigeria is down but most certainly not out. No amount of propaganda can change this present reality.
The greatest de-marketers of the nation are the ruling elite who are plundering this nation and stashing away our common patrimony abroad.
The nation’s most unpatriotic are those who have unconscionably left the majority of Nigerians in squalor while they and their children live in obscene splendour.
Is it a lie that all indices of growth and development have continued to head southward? Is it a lie that our institutions have collapsed and our infrastructure in decrepit condition or is it a lie that millions of Nigerians are daily being thrown into multidimensional poverty? Is it also a lie that the nation had been more insecure recently than it was many years ago?
For me, the best way to address these issues is by providing clear and focused leadership. An exemplary leadership which seeks to serve the greater majority by providing basic amenities for the people to thrive and as well provides an enabling environment for meaningful growth and development.
Improving the lot of the nation would do more good and be a better propagation of the nation than seeking to pretend about the truth, which by the way, is there for even a first time visitors to see.
Our political elite should do us a favour of rendering selfless service by building our infrastructure and institutions. They should stop junketing around the globe on medical tourism, or for education or for vacation and help develop our country and make it attractive to visitors and investors.
We are down as a nation and the perfect response for our detractors is to roll up our sleeves and get to work. Propaganda is not enduring and can last for only a while.
