ETHNO-CULTURAL INTERCONNECTIVITY: WHAT THE CHIEF SERVANT THINKS OF NIGERIA

This are times Nigeria is seen dancing on the flaking edge of a cliff, tilting delicately and dangerously towards a plunge thought to be eminent and a guarantee to destruction. The prevailing circumstance leading to widespread security challenge in the country has fanned out in different dimensions taking ethno-religious coloration with resultant negatives.

Expressing his worries on the spate of dissipated love and brotherhood, cardinal value attributes of an average Nigerian, Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu raised issues touching, compelling and nostalgic a spice for lovers of hatred and hatters of love. Weaving intricately but explicitly the ties that bind the people of Nigeria, the Chief Servant gave details of connecting links that projects the very essence of ethno-cultural interconnectivity in all six geo-political regions in Nigeria.

Advancing linkages within immediate neighbours in Nigeria, he maintained that Nigerian languages belong to three main language families. The first is the Nilo Saharan family, the second is the Niger-Congo family and the third is Afro-Asiatic family.

The Nilo Saharan language is spoken by some 50 million people across 17 countries located in Northern Africa. In Nigeria common languages linked to this family includes Dendi and Kanuri, among others. Niger-Congo constitutes the largest language families in the world. Bariba, Birom, Busa, Chamba, Edo (including Bini and Urhobo), Efik (including Ibibio), Fulani, Idoma, lgbo, ljo (ljaw), Jukun, Kambari, Nupe, Tiv, Vere and Yoruba. Afro-Asiatic- More than 300 million people speak an Afroasiatic language, spread across 375 living languages. The Afro-Asiatic, consists of Angas, Bachama, Bura, Hausa, Higi, Mergi, Shuwa and others.

This language classification is important in defining Nigeria especially as security challenges seem to be spiralling out of control in on account of perceived diversity. In the submission of Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu Nigerians have no reason hurting each other maintaining that we have common heritage anchored from three distinct families in culture, religion and ethnicity insisting that a careful study of the ethno-religious dimensions in Nigeria must be seen from the perspective of connectivity of just three families burgeoning into colourful variety of smaller language families.

Noting with thanks the Niger-Congo family constitutes a grill of families too incredulous to believe especially on account of evident disparity in virtually every specification of life. But the constant remains no matter how thick the wool is in the eyes, that Fulani, Igbo and Yoruba speaking people are members of the Niger-Congo family!

The concern of the Servant Leader is on the need to revert to the ancient triangular points locating all three families. The doctrine of peace must be established and sustained to help mitigate the consequence of the steaming hate among family members. Therefore, the growing hatred, seamless potentials of friction and reckless bloodletting that seem to be a characteristic variable in Nigeria’s image reflected to the outside world in recent times need to be addressed.

Only yesterday Nigerians were keepers of their brother’s lives and properties. The ties that held us as a nation had no boundaries, isolated no variable from our diversity and established no boundaries in the area of relationships. Then children received brief but stern disciplinary measures from concerned neighbours or an entire stranger and parents will express gratitude for such efforts not minding the person’s language, belief or tradition. Things are sadly different today as we all have chosen to hold on to cleavages like conspiring children from competing mates .

Dr Aliyu’s crusade for a peaceful Nigeria is therefore predicated on the beautiful past, laced with varieties of cultural grill locked up in an atmosphere of love, pump and carnival. Then Nigeria dance of pride was packaged in nugget of peace and harmony. According to the Niger state Governor, people could move and settle freely just in any part of the country.

Using his family as a living example insisted that his ancestors are migrant Hausa-Fulani’s from the Fauta Djalon mountains who first settled in Sokoto lived and prospered their and when his grandfather felt he should relocate to other estates of his Afro-Asiatic/ Niger-Congo family down to Niger state. He settled down in Wushishi for years in peace, harmony and prosperity. The Governors’ father following the prints of his father’s foot decided to explore Minna, where he settled as its first Alkali (lawyer). The show of love, brotherhood and collective acceptance dislocated any form of indigene/settler and the result is the overwhelming support at the polls in 2007 and 2011 respectively.

Are we not seeing all the connections? Are we not seeing each other’s reflection in our faces? Don’t we have some traits of our ties inherent in our spoken dialects, culture, religion and food? Shouldn’t all these knot us in a strong reliable and sustained unity? These seem to be the rhetorical thoughts of the Chief Servant.

Nigerians must know that our diversity as a nation is the reason why we have managed to stand tall as a nation under one destiny. It is unfortunate therefore that the idea of splitting Nigeria as panacea to end the spiral of violence was initially a muted idea which precipitated into debate and has quickly grown to open suggestion/demand.

According to the Governor of Niger state, there are power cauldrons using existing franchise of terrorist groups to plunge Nigeria and Nigerians into excruciating pains physical and mental lacerations occasioned by the wave of chaos in the country. The situation has also inflicted on Nigerians physical hunger for food and peace, and mental/ physical isolation from persons who were once friends but forced to see each others as enemies on account of reprisals and reoccurring human carnage anchored on religious intolerance.

We must remember that we are all family members. Head or tail this destructive pattern will end Nigeria and Nigerians in ruin. There are vultures hovering waiting to make a meal out of our flesh-God forbid! Now is the time to see an Igala man in every Ijaw, a Hausa man should see his reflection in every Igbo. More importantly, a Christian, Muslim should be able to say a word of Amen irrespective of who prays among the two.

Remembering what Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sadauna of Sokoto once said while resolving question of religious intolerance is that once it is established that every 5:30 am the Muslim will call for prayers on loud speakers and every Sunday Christians will use loudspeakers to preach, Nigeria will be a better place to live. He therefore summarised that ‘it is better to understand our differences’ maintaining that we should deceive ourselves by trying to forget our differences.

Written By Ayegba Israel Ebije