Before you say that word have you considered the impact it could have?

 

We are in the twilight of the electioneering season, and it has been full of hostilities and verbal missiles. Interestingly, unbridled political verbal wars degenerated into ethnocentric name calling to the extent that our shared statehood has been greatly damaged and the little cord that binds the ethnic groups is almost broken. At times like this, the Rwandan genocide comes to mind, where two ethnic groups sought to exterminate each other over ethnocentrism. One referred to the other as cockroaches in their cupboards and before long the killings started. This was how a country was almost destroyed through genocide. However, the remnants of the conflict had to come together and promulgate strong laws and stiff penalties for anyone who played with the ethnic diversity of the country. Today, people travel to the Rwandan memorial to see for themselves what a great nation did to themselves because of the seed of hate that was allowed to fester.

 

We must learn from the Rwandans.

 

It obvious that there is a big crack in the wall and we should be thinking about how to mend the wall rather than identify with a cleavage and exacerbate the bad situation.

 

We must as a matter of urgency de-emphasize and de-escalate our differences and focus on what binds us together. We must stop digging up historical antecedents that only divides us. We must get rid of the idea that someone who shares his or her parenthood from two ethnic groups cannot lay claim as a bonafide member of his paternal family. We saw this ugjy narrative play out in the Lagos gubernatorial elections as it became a tool to foster hatred, intimidation and electoral violence. Inter-ethnic marriage is one cord that binds plural societies such as ours together. When inter-ethnic marriage gains the ascendancy, tribalism diminishes and nationhood falls into place naturally.

 

Ethnocentrism has become a hydra headed monster which has forcefully reared up its ugly head in our polity and we must deal with it before it incinerates us. One of the challenges facing Nigeria’s next president, governors and other political leaders is to deescalate the ethnic tension fueled by the 2023 elections. The Nigerian Peace Committee, headed by Nigeria’s former Head of State, Abdusalami Abubakar should go beyond creating the platform and atmosphere for political aspirants to sign the Peace Accord to expanding the scope of their responsibility by injecting programmes that mitigate ethnic tensions and hostilities both during and after the general elections.

 

The seeming preponderance of ethnocentrism in Nigeria can be effectively dealt with through intentional policies and programmes.

 

WRITTEN BY NNAMDI ABANA

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