Need To Eschew “Us versus Them” Mentality, And the Expediency Of Living Together As Nigerians (OPINION)
By Isaac Asabor
There is no denying the fact that Nigeria, a nation rich in diversity, has been grappling with a persistent challenge, the “Us versus Them” mentality. This divisive mindset, deeply entrenched in the collective consciousness, threatens social cohesion, governance, and progress.
How the divisive mentality became a collective burden which virtually all Nigerians are fearfully groaning under cannot be farfetched as Nigeria’s colonial past no doubt left indelible marks on its social fabric. In fact, ethnic, religious, and regional fault lines were entrenched during the era of colonization, leading to a fractured identity. Given the foregoing, Nigeria is today left with the legacy of divide-and-rule policies, even as the situation is been exacerbated through the perpetuation of an “Us versus Them” narrative.
Unarguably deepening the fear which the retrogressive and divisive “Us and Them” mentality has brought upon Nigerians, the politicians by each passing political dispensation exploit these divisions for personal gain. By stoking tribal sentiments, they secure votes, perpetuate power imbalances, and hinder national unity. The result? A fractured populace, suspicious of one another.
In fact, it is not an exaggeration to opine that tribalism undermines economic progress. This is as when merit takes a backseat to tribal affiliations in employment, education, and business, coupled with the fact that talent remains untapped, particularly as inefficient resource allocation stifles growth. Not only that, the “Us versus Them” mentality erodes trust while communities become isolated, hindering cooperation. As been experienced, not only is suspicion festering, it is also hindering collective efforts, be it infrastructure development, healthcare, or education.
Surprisingly, education which supposed to be our greatest weapon against tribalism, seems not to have made impart on some Journalists, other professionals in various fields of human endeavors, and even professors in Nigeria as it is crystal clear that the phenomenon of educated individuals exhibiting tribalistic or bigoted behavior is by each passing day becoming worrisome.
Against the foregoing backdrop, it is expedient to urge highly regarded Nigerians who are educated to eschew the exhibition of tribalistic behaviors in Nigeria because it hampers development. Without a doubt, tribalism has become a syndrome, and is mostly perpetrated by people who are educated. Therefore, it will not be out of place in this context to opine that we need to fight against tribalism. The expediency of fighting tribalism cannot be discounted as it is glaring that in offices, workers are fighting because they did not get a particular job position, want to remain in a job position, or that the position be occupied only by a certain tribe. This attitude leads to infighting, lack of production, even as it derails our efforts of achieving our desired goals.
It is so retrogressive that you give two people a task to work together to achieve a certain goal, but they will start fighting first about who they are individually, instead of looking at how to achieve the plan at hand. That is time-consuming! When we have infighting amongst ourselves, we are scaring away potential investors. Paradoxically, young people marry each other regardless of their tribes, even as their parents do not even tell them not to marry each other. In the villages, there is no tribalism; it is only in our offices and in the field of politics.
Against the foregoing backdrop, it is expedient for politicians to rise above tribal politics as leaders who prioritize national interest over personal gain can bridge divides, even as policies promoting inclusivity and equal opportunities are crucial. Without a doubt, Nigeria’s future hinges on dismantling the “Us versus Them” mindset as it is incumbent on every Nigerian to recognize our shared destiny, celebrate diversity, and work collectively toward a more harmonious, prosperous nation.
Without a doubt, given the atrociousness that is inherent in the threat posed by “Us Versus Them” it is expedient Nigerians, particularly the elite, begin to be dispassionate in their utterances so as to create a habitable social and political environment for Nigerians to thrive.
In fact, the reason why Nigerians should embrace peace and unity cannot be farfetched as it is not an exaggeration to opine that we are in a part of the world that is marked by division, particularly as it is crystal clear that Nigeria stands at a crossroads. Without a doubt, the toxic mentality of “Us versus Them” threatens our nation’s fabric, hindering progress and sowing seeds of discord. But there is hope in a path toward unity that transcends tribal boundaries as it is incumbent on us to ensure that eschewing divisive mindset is essential, and that living together as Nigerians can propel us forward.
In fact, the peril of “Us vs. Them”, is no doubt inherent with bias. As humans, we gravitate toward groups that mirror our identity, even as fear of the unknown and vanity drive us to see ourselves as superior to others. Looking at the issue from a different milieu, it is germane to recall that from Hitler’s race-based ideology to Stalin’s ideological divisions that history bears witness to the destructive consequences of such thinking.
In a similar vein, our nation faces deep divisions across political, religious, racial, urban and rural spheres to the extent that we have had situations where debates have turned into shouting matches, and politicians, reputable journalists and erudite professors being labelled to be tribal bigots, even as our collective mentality of “Us versus Them” is unarguably threatening our democratic institutions.
Without any iota of exaggeration, the tribalistic situation in Nigeria can be said to have literarily become a hurricane of division, and there is no denying the fact that it has for decades been in the making, particularly as it is evidential that it has eroded our unity, and bad enough, it is glaring that the trend has intensified. As it is, it appears to have assumed a raw-nerve-ending situation as hate-filled rallies, threats to public figures, and partisan animosity becoming commonplace.
At this juncture, it is expedient to assert that Nigeria’s strength lies in unity and that it is pragmatic we dismantle the barriers of “Us vs. Them” and embrace a future where living together as Nigerians is not just expedient but essential for progress.
