To me, the place to start is a redefinition of the identity of this country AFTER we have accepted there is no country. There is no way thousands of ingredients can be put together without processing and it will be called a soup. What we have now is the thousand ingredients or tribes. We don’t have a country.

A Re-Definition of Nigeria

Any country, like an individual must have a name that reflects its character and destination. The name Nigeria is too vague. What does it mean? We think in terms of pictures. For example when we say a dog, we don’t think the spelling. We think in terms of the picture. Each adjective adds more details so a local dog conjectures a different picture from a bull dog. When we say Nigeria, what pictures comes to mind?

This is where we must start from. It is time we refine our beginning and stop referring to the amalgamation of the north and the south as our beginning. This is the reason why we have stronger tribal sentiments than national outlook. We were forced together as a product of ‘spoils of war’ and for economic reasons of the colonial masters. They had no blue print for development because they were not interested in any country. They were interested in the resources.

We felt the merging was a rape. And the hurts run so deep that those of us who weren’t alive then unconsciously carry the scabs of this ‘forced’ marriage’. Our ethnic have better identity, structure and organizations because they evolved organically. So, what we call the federal or the Nation now becomes a sham- a yahoo. If we want to move forward from here, we must admit it is a rape and decide if the forced marriage should be annulled or changed from a concubine to a wife. And give her the identity that reflects her status.

This is why I strongly believe that is the place to start from- a mental revaluation in terms of identity and perception of what this country is about. I am not talking of rebranding because ‘re’ means we assume that we already have something. We don’t have any federal identity. If we see it this way, we will start from nothing and eventually work it out. The problem is that we started with an impossible pose and we are trying our best with Photoshop.

The reason we talk about federal character is because of this same problem. So, each state must produce a minister to the centre even in cases that no individual merits an office. By running the country this way, we strengthen the hold of mediocrity. But you see, each state knows (assumes) that the only way to have a big bite in the national cake is to have at least some one there. God help you if you don’t meet their expectations.

The federal role is seen as a no man’s place. This is an example of what am saying. NEPA
would have worked by now if it had been sold completely. How so? Telecoms worked because that sector was sold. Look at Nigeria Airways! Are we saying that a whole country cannot manage a fleet of planes but an individual in that same country can? The problem is the attitude of the people. They will not see the Nigeria Airways as a collective property but their orientation changes IMMEDIATELY it becomes a private company.

But why do we resist the selling (they call it privatization) of these entities? Apart from the fact that it is sold their cronies and the best hand will be ignored if it is not willing to play the game. We also have the fear of what the new boss will do if it officially takes over. The new regime comes with a new people. New people come into a new culture. And the new culture brings result. Am a blaming the civil service? No! Remember that this piece is about the way forward!

There is no culture of the Federal. We only do lip service when we say there is. So, we don’t see the President as the representative of the people. He is not OUR president. We see him first of all as the representative of his tribe and geopolitical zone. During moments of crisis, we are inclined to see his tribe rise to support him even if he is wrong because ‘he is our own’. Another example, why should a man who is from Kaduna but has spent 20 years in Lagos still be seen as a foreigner and be living at Sabo? His Yoruba may be very fluent but he is still seen as a foreigner.

Can he contest as the governor of Lagos State? Even his son cannot contest! So, if Obama was a Nigerian, he cannot contest an election because we would remind him of his roots! A man who lives in America for seven years is entitled to claim some rights but not in Nigeria. We talk about southerner, northerner or any other ‘er’ because rather than the centre defining us; it is the sides that define us. Because the President is restricted by this absurdity- he must start 6 universities in the 6 geo-political zones even in those areas that don’t need one or it is not a priority. If he doesn’t, he is accused of being partial.

So, what is the way forward? My answer may be absurd but it is effective- entertainment. We need to engage our theatre practitioners- movie producers, actors and actresses. And I have a case study that proves this. In India, the Government tried all they could to get parents to send their daughters to school. They spent billions. But it was soon noticed that the attitude of one part of the country was changing while the other side wasn’t. After careful investigation, it was noticed that the side that was changing had access to Cable TV. They were watching how the West treated their women and the opportunities that they had.

Their perception changed and so did their attitude. Have you seen how our police are portrayed in our movies? Our hospitals? Our courtrooms? Let the theme change to where we are going. I served at Abuja and my orientation changed. We have intelligent Northerners. I saw how they treated their wives and it is not all that display religious fanaticism. Our attitude is a digital projection of our perception. If we can alter our perception of this country, gradually it will seep into our attitude. Have we noticed that there is no tutorial centre where we learnt how to dance asonto, alanta and yahooze. We learnt it via informal channels.

Let us employ the same channel to create an identity for this country- a Nigerian culture. Our movies and songs have dominated the Africa scene. Fela brought the Africa to the consciousness of the world by creating Afrobeat. It became a culture. We need to do the same for Nigeria. In a way, MNET is doing the same with their ‘I am Africa’ concept but it is not really going to work because Africa is a continent not a country. Let them introduce a player in Europe and you will hear something like he is an African. No, brother Africa is a continent- not a country.

If we stop painting the Ibos as extortionist and the Hausa man as an idiot and the Yoruba man as a lousy person, the next generation gets another perspective. If we stop talking about three major tribes, our children will understand that we are a borderless people. How can we talk about MAJOR tribes? If we stop or reduce blood making rituals in our Ibo movies, our children will not associate East with greed or Nigeria police with corruption! It is not about distorting the facts but about creating the picture of what we should be. Gradually and eventually, we will become it.

Our theme must change. Have you noticed what Akpos and Ekaette mean now? Or how Warri is perceived? Subconsciously, we imbibed a picture about these names and places via what the comedians were saying. Just check the reaction of a child to wowo, orobo, ajebo, paki? Though these words are with us, they have been imposed into our consciousness in a fresh way? Do we need spend billions? NO! Just set the ball rolling and some will keep it rolling!

We must paint a different picture about Nigeria so that the next generation can have a concept to work with. When we were growing up, those staying in the village had a picture of the city. It was the picture that motivated them to experience the city life by all means. It is the same picture we have about abroad now. We can use similar procedure here. Create a picture of what Nigeria is so that we have something to work towards. Yes, this country can work but where is the country?

This is the first step. There are many more but as they say a journey of a thousand miles starts with a step.

ADEMOLA ADEBAYO

Moderator Front page please...

Nice projections, no blame game, no sectionalism. Well done!