In search of a detribalised polity
To begin with, “tribalism” (in the real sense of ethnocentrism) is a political concept that has been twisted and compounded as a political curse on Africans through the disintegration of Africa’s pre-colonial political ideal structure of confederacy and its replacement by a kind of European nationalism. To contend that we are not Nigerians simply because […]
To begin with, “tribalism” (in the real sense of ethnocentrism) is a political concept that has been twisted and compounded as a political curse on Africans through the disintegration of Africa’s pre-colonial political ideal structure of confederacy and its replacement by a kind of European nationalism. To contend that we are not Nigerians simply because we are Fulanis, Hausas, Yorubas, Igbos, Ijaws, Ibibios, Tivs etc but because we are Africans, to this writer, is as clear as water. The same goes for every single tribal group on the continent, which has a distinct inter-racial sociological genealogy.
What makes us a Yoruba tribalist, an Hausa- Fulani feudalist, an Igbo or Ijaw separatist, or an English colonialist, or a Western imperialist? Well, there are several plausible reasons that could be given. One particular rational deduction being that each tribe from every cultural group in this world has a unique general characteristic, which it holds onto with dear life. Believing that its own ideas and aspirations are truly righteous and sanctioned by God, either through peculiar and particular divine interpretations or through self-righteous notions of norms, values, democracy, justice and self-determination. This writer says righteous, but this could be substituted by self-centredness, ignorance and avarice, as well as political treachery and manipulation.
With the migration of peoples due to increasing populations, search for fertile land, conquest and adventure etc, one particular salient theme in human history has been the formation of empires. However, such developments have not always been for the betterment of mankind. In fact, most empires have been far from a state of idealism. On a relative scale, though, exemplary empires have prospered under a system akin to confederacy. The basis of such systems being that each tribal group is respectively responsible for its own internal affairs while maintaining full co-operative relationship with its neighbours and recognising the leadership of a somewhat detribalised and universal visionary leader.
The advent of nationalism or nation-state as a force of reality, despite its superficialities, is a peculiarity which seems only to have prospered in what we may refer to as the First World, namely Western Europe, where the concept of nation-state and its offshoot, nationalism, originated. However, even there, the progressive force of nationalism appears to have been called into question, hence the development of regional hemisphere bloc known as the European Union (EU), which, ironically, shares similarities with a political system of confederacy.
Having had about 50 years of the so-called independence, Africa, it is hoped, will learn from its past political miscalculations and pretence at development. In fact, we cannot have continental development through national development with economic policy taking priority over political development. Political development cannot be achieved through simple adoption of Western political party principles, such as socialism, conservatism, liberalism and all other lofty “isms”. Why? Well, if you have not realised it yet, we are Africans and our political ideology should reflect this. We need to develop ourselves as an African race, not as regressively competitive and non-cooperative tribes. In the opinion of this writer, the Freedom Charter of the African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa comes closer to this. According to Dr Nelson Mandela (the Madiba), the charter symbolises something larger than life. In his own words: “For the first time in the history of our country, the democratic forces, irrespective of race, ideological conviction, party affiliation or religious belief, have renounced and discarded racialism in all its ramifications, clearly defined their aims and objectives and united in a common programme of action”.
Dr Mandela, in No Easy Walk to Freedom, continues: “(T) he charter is more than a mere list of demands for democratic reforms. It is a revolutionary document precisely because the changes it envisages cannot be won without breaking up the economic and political set-up of present South Africa”. This is what all African states need to strive towards peacefully rather than through aggravative tribal self-determination avenues. This is what our visionary and progressive forefathers believed in. Among those forefathers, none other than King Shaka Zulu of the Zulu nation came closest to the revolutionary ideals of a detribalised Africa, in terms of his actual achievements in historical progressive empire-building in South Africa. Kuene Mazisi’s Emperor Shaka is a classical, poetical and historical epic prose about the great Palm Race. You may wonder who or what is the Palm Race. The Palm Race is you. The name itself speaks volumes. The Palm Race are all human beings but it seems that human beings have long forgotten their common roots. Hence it may be unimaginable for too many Europeans and Anglo-Americans to accept others as equals, as well as hypocrites among the Arab world and ambitious subtle imperialists in the Far East (Asia) to accept you and I as equals. This, really, should strengthen our resolve here in Africa to pursue our development as a distinct multi-ethnic race.
Where does Nigeria fit into all these? There is more than one option for the country to follow. Apart from making a concerted effort to address tribalism in our national psyche, we could decide to decentralise our political administrative system through devolution, but, to this writer, that would be a step towards admitting that we have failed as a people. This writer sees centralisation of government, the creation of more states and the maintenance of an archaic traditional kingship lineage without appropriate progressive reviewing as aberrations of a divide-and-rule, sub-consciously and indeed at times consciously, promulgated programme since independence to the present day.
The concept and present universal existence of nation-states may have exaggerated the irreconcilability of different tribes. However, it is still the basis of the prevailing international order. To try and reverse it by reviewing the rationality of present territorial boundaries would only lead to a watershed of violence and civil wars in Africa. God knows we have too many armed conflicts on the continent already. What we need is an age of enlightenment. Nation/state-building in multi-cultural.
Nigeria is and will continue to be an uphill task, as it has always been since we gained independence, for some time. The Igbo nation has paid a high price of one million lives. Martyrs, as well as legendary leaders, have dedicated their lives to moving our dear fatherland forward. Even among the latter, death has been the ultimate price for their distinct endeavours. However, the struggle must continue. Many among present generation have given a large proportion of their life to building a united, stable, progressive and developed Nigeria.
This writer was born a Nigerian as much as he believes he was born an African and a human being in a worldly society of tribes. He asks those of the “next generation”, what were you born as? Think about it. If no man is an island then the saying should continue, as thus, no nation or tribe is an island. The modern world is a global village, increasingly interdependent as such and we cannot run away from each other. In the immortal words of Sir Ahmadu Bello, rather than put aside our differences, let us understand our differences”. Meaning different as we may appear, we are still rational human beings who can achieve a meeting of minds and work co-operatively while learning from each other.
Every nation (in the real sense ethnic nationality) within Nigeria has a particular culture and asset that should be promoted and shared accordingly for the betterment of the underprivileged and impoverished. That is the heart of true African culture, treating others as you would treat your own family. That is provided they do not break your cultural taboos by disrespecting your family, your tribe. Or indeed, on a larger and more noble scale, work against the gregarious Palm Race. “From the cradle to the grave, the black man is a fighter”. These are the words of an African-American and believe this writer, we are all in this together. The battle for a new detribalised Nigeria that will work for the people now needs to be based on moral crusade fought by tried, tested and proven integral political moralists and youthful inspired supporters and political strategists. In the now famous words of Alhaji M.D. Yusuf, “May the Almighty provide us with the Will and the Way.”
Emeh, author/researcher, wrote from Abuja, [email protected]