Coup-plotters and ethno-religious sentiment: Time to resist

By Tabia Princewill

“Why can’t Osinbajo be President?” was an article I published shortly after President Muhammadu Buhari’s first departure to the United Kingdom for treatment of an undisclosed illness. All of the points raised as to why in Nigeria we find it so difficult to follow the Constitution, or any given set of rules clearly outlining the manner in which certain situations must be dealt with, is simply a result of the immaturity of certain individuals who consistently and shamefully find themselves in the corridors of power. They manipulate the system, know all its cracks and return to continue their reign of destruction no matter the dispensation, military or civilian.

We have come too far, even with all our troubles and half-baked solutions, to return to the utter destruction of military rule. Our progress was truncated by coups, by the inability, first and foremost, of our post-independence leadership to settle the fundamental question which has plagued us since 1960: How are we all going to live together?

In time, we will have history books devoid of ethnic nationalism and we will be able to honestly discuss the weaknesses of some of our post-colonial leaders and how their actions directly contributed to the coup and counter-coup narrative which often brought out the worst amongst us to lead Nigeria, sending many of our best and brightest abroad, the professionals and intellectuals who ordinarily should have been settling the ethnic question by championing an honest, professional civil service, devoid of ethnic manipulation, a creative, functioning, business environment built on decent customer service and consumer protection, an environment finally, where the quality of one’s character and ideas rather than ill-acquired funds, determine one’s success or failure in life.

Nigeria would have been a great country without the military experiment in politics, without many of the civilians who used the military to get what ordinarily they could never have accessed in saner climes without hard work and industry.

Speaking of industry, it was under the military that manufacturing and any sort of commerce which wasn’t sloth and indolence, died. We became consumers of other people’s goods and not producers. Those who want a full return to that system are the parasites among us, those who breathed a sigh of relief at the President’s illness and subsequent weakness, those who believe they have triumphed, succeeded in killing, yet again, the Nigerian spirit. But don’t be mistaken, the cabal is pan-Nigerian, it knows no ethnicity or religion.

Nigeria is often called a complex nation, yet, in truth, the many issues delaying our development are not only man made but entirely related to the greed and selfishness of a small segment of the population, therefore running contrary to the idea of any inherent obstacles to our progress. Despite what we might think, or what many of us are taught, ethno-religious identity is learned as opposed to being an intrinsic, natural or integral part of the self, meaning: it is because we are taught, by our parents, schools, leaders (in government, churches and mosques etc.), to “be” Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, Fulani, Ijaw, Efik etc. that we ascribe any particular thoughts, behaviours or motivations to these groups.

Nobody is born with any characteristics, instincts or patterns which are typical of any one group. Stereotypes, mocking descriptions of group B,are created by group A as a bonding mechanism for its members but more often than not have little to do with reality. Generalisations have served, since time immemorial, to frame an “us vs. them” approach which creates short term bursts of patriotism with little real effects on group productivity if unbacked by real plans for socio-economic progress. Let us all be very vigilant, not about the threat of Northern domination, as the rumoured coup plot has been framed by some, but by domination of a political class which has allies across Nigeria. Business in Abuja knows no state of origin, only violence in the slums and hinterlands recognises creed or ethnicity.

If we wanted to be Nigerians first, rather than merely belonging to a tribe or a region, we could be, if those of us in a position to conduct ourselves in a manner which favours all Nigerians as opposed to any one group, chose to do so. This would put many of the fears of marginalisation and ethno-religious competition to rest. The Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, is one such detribalised Nigerian.

It is time to allow the best to lead us. How long will we remain prisoners of a zoning arrangement which has only brought us inept leadership masquerading as sensitivity to tribe? Wouldn’t the average Nigerian prefer to have more money in his pocket in an economy that works to serve everyone rather than one state or region? That is all zoning does, hoist one ethnic group and its cronies to power, enshrining massive looting rather than development.

Ironically, studies have shown that in Federal dispensations, the President’s home state often receives less benefits than any other state due to two scenarios: one, if the President wants to prove to other competing groups that he is a President for all and therefore doesn’t single out his own group for any preferential treatment, or, two, the President focuses on enriching his ethnic kin and close associates, so the poor and middle-classes, although some might belong to his ethno-religious group, still lose out. Zoning will never work.

It encourages politicians to see their time in office as a limited opportunity to steal rather than lay down functioning institutions and projects; in short, a legacy that goes beyond day light robbery. We must resist any attempt at side-lining the Acting-President and all those who have proven their competence and begin to build a Nigeria where tribe and religion are simply not a factor.

Dimeji Bankole

This former Speaker of the House of Representatives recently spoke about “reforming Nigeria from within”. An interesting quote given that one can’t get any more “within” Nigerian elite circles than being a former Speaker. What is his track record in regards to reforms? When will politicians in this country cease to be given the space to pontificate based on little else beyond their former positions? The former Speaker spoke as though he had never himself been in public office, and preached about giving young people a chance; the same Speaker who was arrested by the EFCC on charges of fraud. It is another one of those cases with more questions than answers. But in a country where someone accused of corruption, can be a “special guest” at an anti-corruption book launch, anything clearly goes.

Dogara

The current Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has restated his commitment to passing the “not too young to run” bill which seeks to lower the age requirements for elective office in Nigeria. On paper, this is good news, if it happens. In reality, it might turn out to be another one of those laws with no real consequence. Who are the young people who will be allowed to access public office if not the children of those already in power? Are we naïve enough to believe that a system where politicians protect each other from investigation and promote only those who share their selfish interests will allow new entrants? We need to look at mechanisms which enable the renewal of our social classes, such as education, the only real means of uplifting poor children, for example, beyond the social rank of their parents. Anything else will continuously fall short of real change.

Femi Fani-Kayode

He made the usual biased, ethnically-charged statements which enflame only those small minded enough not to see they are being manipulated. The cabal is not purely Northern. Those who have wrecked Nigeria are from every zone.   FFK has his own reasons for promoting “anti-North” feelings. Perhaps he believes the North is behind his corruption trial because he served a “Southern” President. It’s a ridiculous but sadly, powerful idea.

 

Tabia Princewill is a strategic communications consultant and public policy analyst. She is also the co-host and executive producer of a talk show, WALK THE TALK which airs on Channels TV.

 

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