By Deborah Phillips
Benin City
I am one of the few Nigerians privileged to live in the Army Barracks. I am from southern part of Kaduna state though I was born in Nguru, Yobe state but grew up at Abakpa Barracks, which was then in Anambra state, now Enugu state. The barracks is a small country of its own with people of diverse languages, religion, cultures and traditions – people with different background and upbringing. Those privileged to live there can understand what I am talking about.
Our parents taught us to love our neighbours not minding their language or religion. We could even see it from the way they relate with neighbours. My father’s best neighbour was Oga Mohammed, Fulani from Katsina state. We go to their house during Sallah and they respond by joining us during Christmas and Easter. When my father or Mohammed slaughters any animal for the festive season we eat together without minding who slaughters it. We see anybody from the North as our family without discrimination.
Back then, words like hate speech, religious bigotry, Fulani herdsmen killing, Boko Haram insurgency, Niger Delta Avengers, Indigenous People of Biafra, ethnicity, religious discrimination, IDP camps, kidnapping, child rape, ritual killings, were non-existent. We saw ourselves as one big family working towards the advancement of the country. We voted for candidates not minding their religious beliefs or ethnicity. Scholarships were awarded to students based on merit not religion or ethnicity. Politicians were picked based on their competence and not religion or ethnicity. I wouldn’t say there were no hate issues, but we tolerated each other.
Some months ago, a group, Northern Youth Coalition, issued Igbo three months quit notice to vacate the North and I asked myself how we got here. What happened to the one Nigeria we profess? Where is the unity in diversity? Oh! I weep for my dear country Nigeria, the giant of Africa. In the heat of that quit notice, Mr. Dominic Ofuoke from Ebonyi state, who deals in electronics at the Sabon Gari market, Kano was distributing Sallah clothes to 30 almajiri children in the market. Out of curiosity, I asked Dominic his reaction to the quit notice and the reaction of his fellow Igbo traders. He said: “I did it out of love and for God. Though some of my Igbo brothers were not happy but some commended me. I believe Nigeria is one indivisible nation and no one can chase us from wherever we choose to live. Let God’s will prevail in our country’’. What a good heart.
At a time other countries are experiencing natural disasters like earthquakes, hurricane, floods, tsunami, etc, we are not even thankful for the exemption instead we are the architect of our own misfortune. Let’s say no to hate speech, religious bigotry, child rape, nepotism, every form of discrimination, kidnapping, ritual killing, etc. Let’s effect the change we need in our country not minding whether we are Fulani, Hausa, Ikulu, Idoma, Igbo, Kataf, Ogoja, Urhobo, Tiv or Yoruba. Keeping religious sentiments aside and embracing peace. Remember, Nigeria is a country of immense importance in the contemporary world; the changes that take place in the individual lives, in villages, towns and cities of this vast, populous and heterogeneous country are felt not just regionally in West Africa but across the continent and the world.
