The sins of our fathers
There are plans to conduct another census next year. The Director-General of the National Population Commission says the 2018 Census will cost an estimated N272 Billion. He explained that this time round biometrics would be used to “put to rest the issue as to whether people are counting donkeys, fishes, horses, cows or trees”. His […]
There are plans to conduct another census next year. The Director-General of the National Population Commission says the 2018 Census will cost an estimated N272 Billion. He explained that this time round biometrics would be used to “put to rest the issue as to whether people are counting donkeys, fishes, horses, cows or trees”.
His comment refers to the fact that Nigerian Census figures are always disputed. This is hardly surprising since irrefutable evidence exists that past Census figures were manipulated for political reasons. Even though the total population and distribution figures in the census will be disputed, the demographics provide a useful insight.
The 2006 Census approximated the age distribution of Nigerians as follows: 1 to 19yrs – (52%); 20 to 39yrs – (28%); 40 to 59yrs – (14%); 60 to 79yrs – (4.5%) and 80yrs+ (1.5%). This highlights the fact that the vast majority of our population is under 19 years old and over 80% were born after 1970. Tragically rather than concentrating on their future, too much of our current political discourse involves events of the past which happened long before the majority were born. Time is supposed to heal all wounds.
There was a time when Germany under Hitler invaded France. Back then the British sided with the French to wage war against Germany. Nowadays the Germans and French stand side by side to oppose the British decision to leave the European Economic Community (EEC). Back in the day America fought a civil war between North and South. Even though the North won since then, the US has moved forward and Americans from the Southern States routinely become US Presidents.
A time must come when the past has to be forgotten and the future borne in mind. This is where we should be in Nigeria right now. Yet unfortunately the root of so much of today’s agitation lies in happenings during the First Republic, the first Military Coup and the Civil War. Despite biased attempts to bend the truth, apportion blame, rationalise or even glorify past actions the fact is that back then mistakes were made on all sides.
The truth is that most people who got caught up in all the disturbances, killings and war between 1966 and 1970 were swept up by unfolding events which they didn’t originally wish for and didn’t intentionally work towards. These events weren’t inevitable, neither were they ordained by God, they were simply acts of omission and commission by those concerned. Atrocities were committed on all sides.
The regional outlook of our First Republic leaders and concentration on the things that differentiate us instead of those which unite us, has led to positive assessments of their motives and actions by their supporters and negative assessments by their detractors. The end result being that the different tribes in Nigeria have developed a self-righteous, holier than thou, attitude which breeds conflict, bloodletting and destructive chauvinism.
The issue at stake is whether the sins of the fathers should be visited upon the children? 2018 is unique because it’s the year when the “millennium generation” comes of age. Those born in the year 2000 will turn 18 years of age and will legally become adults. This generation owns the future. Yet as things stand, they won’t be able considered fit to hold any meaningful political office for at least the next 25 years when a large part of their lives will be over. Before then they will be taught to hate based upon events that happened long before they were born.
The time has surely come when Nigerians should stop looking backwards and concentrate on looking forwards. Nigerian nationalism as it exists was founded out of a belief in the necessity for people of diverse ethnic nationalities living under British Colonial rule to unite in order to be able to resist colonialism. This superficial nationalism has been negatively affected by multiple historical episodes of ethnic violence and repression of certain ethnic groups by the Nigerian government. We must breed a new nationalism.
This will not be too difficult because aside from instances of extremism, most Nigerians continue to peacefully co-exist with each other. Breaking up the nation is by no means a guarantee that peace and tranquillity will reign amongst the proposed entities. None of the big three tribes in Nigeria is sufficiently homogenous to avoid internal problems within themselves therefore break- up cannot be an end in itself.
Will it ensure that every State Governor will govern progressively with probity, imagination, transparency and equity? Or that Niger Delta indigenes will live in a pollution free environment? Or that the illiterate masses in the North will become educated and enjoy the benefits of modern technology? Or that the poor peoples of the South-East will suddenly experience economic prosperity? These are issues of good governance not territorial integrity.
Although a breakdown of law and order is threatened, the decision by security forces not to take aggressive action against the bellicose youths from the North, East or Niger Delta is commendable. They are being misled by elders with ulterior motives. They should not be made to pay for the sins of their fathers.