Towards an Ethnicity of Values By Okey Ndibe

Posted: Jul, 01 2014, 10:07PM

Okey Ndibe
Columnist: Okey Ndibe
For me, one of the most disconcerting facts about public discourse in Nigeria—including intellectual exchanges—is the rampant, if not default, deployment of ethnic or religious sentiments. Confronted with issues of moral urgency that demand the taking of principled positions, far too many Nigerians find comfort in embarrassing expediencies shaped by ethnic or religious affiliation.

I’d like to suggest that this particular malaise ranks awfully high in the menu of toxins ravaging the Nigerian body politic. And the greater pity—the tragedy, in fact—is that this particular pathology has infected a wide and widening section of that demographic group that answers to Nigeria’s intelligentsia.

It is dispiriting enough to run into unlettered Nigerians who can’t see the right or wrong of any issue without first wearing their ethnic or religious lens. It becomes sordid when those who are seemingly educated resort to viewing matters of profound import through the lazy, easy, hardly pertinent prism of ethnic aggregations or religious affiliations. Such haste to seize and spout ethnic jingoism or religious jingles raises serious questions about the form and content of education in Nigeria. At its best, education is a tool that frees and enlarges the mind, enabling the educated to see matters without the blinkers of ignorance or parochial platitudes.

When we see Nigeria’s parade of PhDs act and speak as if each issue is defined by their particular ethnicity or religion, then we must pause and ask salient questions. Here’s one fundamental question: Is the possession of an academic degree (or degrees) synonymous with being educated? Another way of posing the question is: Do degrees and diplomas translate into education? Is there a correlation between acquisition of a string of diplomas and the cultivation of an enlightened outlook?

I recall that, at graduation ceremonies, the graduates are said to have been found worthy “in character and learning” to deserve bestowal of degrees. Where lies the “character” when many of the graduates of Nigerian and foreign schools are willing participants in crooked activities, including primitive, criminal accumulation of wealth and electoral fraud? Where resides the “learning” when so many of our graduates are ever willing to subordinate principle to ethnic or religious rationalizations?

Perhaps, then, some of the Nigerians we glibly refer to as educated are merely “certificated.” The difference is crucial. A woman or man may cram up some economic theories or principles of moral philosophy without having the slightest clue how to apply them in real life. Such a person would be able to regurgitate the crammed information in an exam to earn a high grade and an impressive certificate. But ask her/him to apply the “knowledge” in the dynamic praxis of lived experience—and you see certified incompetence.

In the 1980s, the novelist Chinua Achebe had occasion to rebuke a group of academics at the University of Lagos for evincing a narrow, stultified vision of education. Here’s what happened. Achebe had given an interview to the then Concord newspaper in which he bemoaned the cataclysmic decline in the quality of education in Nigerian universities. His criticism drew the ire of some UNILAG academics. In separate interviews, these critics sought to dismiss Achebe’s argument. One of them accused Achebe of making a pronouncement that had no “scientific” proof. He then asserted that the spoken English standard of the average undergraduate was superior to Achebe’s. Another—a sociologist, if my memory serves me—reminded Achebe that each discipline has and uses its own jargon. A third, an economist, voiced his disdain for fiction, stating that he had no use for novels. He concluded that he missed nothing by not reading novels.

Appalled by the substandard quality of the responses, Achebe riposted that his critics had inadvertently made his case far more eloquently—about fallen standards—than he did originally. To the critic who accused him of making an “unscientific” claim, Achebe wondered how the counter-claim about the average student’s spoken English standard measured up as “scientific.” He reminded the sociologist that each discipline has its lingo, but that the most learned people are able to rise above the esoteric tongue of their discipline to communicate to a broad audience in an elegant language. He held up Bertrand Russell, the Nobel prize-winning philosopher mathematician, as an exemplar of the educated person who was able to transcend disciplinary claustrophobia. Achebe had some bad news for the novel-detesting economist. He told the man that, in denying himself the insights and pleasures of fiction, he loses much in culture and enlightenment—and would not even be a good economist. Achebe categorized the criticism of his assertion that educational standards had declined dramatically as a case of “combative ignorance rabidly trumpeting its own values.”

I’m willing to suggest—scientific proof or no—that educational standards in Nigeria have further declined significantly since Achebe’s claim in the mid-1980s. In fact, the invention and spread of the Internet has both afforded once repressed groups ease of access to expressive platforms and facilitated the articulation of abhorrent, pathological attitudes. One is constantly shocked by the ethno-religious name-calling between different Nigerian groups on Internet forums. The dirtiest epithets are hurled at the ethnic or religious “Other.”

Those with access to the Internet—many of them, one imagines, university graduates—frequently promulgate ideas that members of other ethnic groups are sinister and diabolical, in short as the very incarnations of evil. In like fashion, these Internet partisans often make sweeping ethical claims for those who belong to their states, ethnicity or religion.

Such claims, whether they denounce or extol whole groups, are caricaturist in nature. They have little or no validity, even when they appear persuasive or seductive. In fact, we should recognize them as inimical to the cultivation of a broad base of enlightened society. I have argued elsewhere that ethnic baiting and stigmatization often precede genocidal horrors. The free circulation of ideas of the inherent villainy of members of other ethnic groups and the inherent moral goodness of members of one’s own ethnic collectivity is a clear and present danger. Those who champion such attitudes are ever reluctant to subject their positions to self-scrutiny. They seldom pause to interrogate the legitimacy of their notions of collective guilt and collective heroism. Without any form of examination, ethics is collapsed to the size and shape of ethnicity.

The rampancy and growing appeal of such wholesale creeds have fed the argument that Nigeria ought not to remain one country. That contention is outside the purview of my talk, except in one respect. It is this: If Nigeria is ever to have a chance at self-realization, then its enlightened citizens must strike alliances across ethnic, religious and social lines. A critical core of citizens must begin to look beyond ethnic and religious considerations when faced with issues that behoove us to take principled positions.

I am Igbo by birth, but I make no extraordinary claims for my ethnicity. There are admirable Igbo men and women and deplorable Igbo men and women. The same is true, I believe, for members of Nigeria’s other myriad ethnicities. I make a point of judging Igbo politicians and public officials by the same criteria I use to judge politicians and public officials who happen, say, to be Kanuri, Efik or Yoruba. I admire people who share my values, whatever their ethnic or religious identity. I believe, quite simply and unapologetically, in the ethnicity of values.

This column is adapted from a talk I gave at an event organized by the National Association of Seadogs in New York City on June 28, 2014.

Please follow me on twitter @ okeyndibe
(okeyndibe@gmail.com)

http://saharareporters.com/column/towards-ethnicity-values-okey-ndibe

Ethnic baiting and stigmatization on radio preceded and chaperoned Rwanda's nightmare. Our media houses aren't allowed blatant jingoism but a critical mass of Nigerians is now online, a sufficient number to bring our nightmares to life. The rulership and most of us who claim to be for one Nigeria simply ignore this present danger but once it starts it will be too late to stop, at least not before the deep wells of mutual hatred have been depressurized. That might be well after the 10 millionth death from what I have assessed from the pervasive online rants.

'I have argued elsewhere that ethnic baiting and stigmatization often precede genocidal horrors. The free circulation of ideas of the inherent villainy of members of other ethnic groups and the inherent moral goodness of members of one’s own ethnic collectivity is a clear and present danger. '

biodunid: Towards an Ethnicity of Values By Okey Ndibe

It is dispiriting enough to run into unlettered Nigerians who can’t see the right or wrong of any issue without first wearing their ethnic or religious lens. It becomes sordid when those who are seemingly educated resort to viewing matters of profound import through the lazy, easy, hardly pertinent prism of ethnic aggregations or religious affiliations.

Such haste to seize and spout ethnic jingoism or religious jingles raises serious questions about the form and content of education in Nigeria. At its best, education is a tool that frees and enlarges the mind, enabling the educated to see matters without the blinkers of ignorance or parochial platitudes....

One is constantly shocked by the ethno-religious name-calling between different Nigerian groups on Internet forums. The dirtiest epithets are hurled at the ethnic or religious “Other.”


Those with access to the Internet—many of them, one imagines, university graduates—frequently promulgate ideas that members of other ethnic groups are sinister and diabolical, in short as the very incarnations of evil. In like fashion, these Internet partisans often make sweeping ethical claims for those who belong to their states, ethnicity or religion.

Such claims, whether they denounce or extol whole groups, are caricaturist in nature. They have little or no validity, even when they appear persuasive or seductive. In fact, we should recognize them as inimical to the cultivation of a broad base of enlightened society.

I have argued elsewhere that ethnic baiting and stigmatization often precede genocidal horrors. The free circulation of ideas of the inherent villainy of members of other ethnic groups and the inherent moral goodness of members of one’s own ethnic collectivity is a clear and present danger. Those who champion such attitudes are ever reluctant to subject their positions to self-scrutiny. They seldom pause to interrogate the legitimacy of their notions of collective guilt and collective heroism. Without any form of examination, ethics is collapsed to the size and shape of ethnicity.
.....

http://saharareporters.com/column/towards-ethnicity-values-okey-ndibe

Okey Ndibe, I salute you for this piece! In fact, you deserve a national award. You echoed my sentiments, exactly.

You need to spend one week in the 'politics' section on Nairaland, and I swear that you will find perfect examples of people displaying all the traits listed in the highlighted portion, of your comments.

Some of them have 1st, 2nd & 3rd degrees in various disciplines, yet their affinity for using subjective analysis to attack other ethnic nationalities, betrays an inherent pathological disorder.

Nigeria, we hail thee!!

If only the Nigerian youth will take heed. Most will come here and instead of reading the piece, will rather rant about its length.

I'm sure Okey Ndibe had NL politics section in mind when he wrote this because the level of hate promoted in posts here can make even Hitler cringe. How can we make progress as a nation when we hate other ethnic groups so much? Even if we have to go our separate ways, is it not better to do it peacefully? Some come here to promote war and I wonder how many of them experienced the ife-modakeke crisis, umuleri-anguleri crisis or ijaw-itshekiri crisis? I won't even mention the civil war or the boko haram theaters in the north.

If our politicians lack sense and are incapable of thinking about the future of the larger society, what about us, the citizens who are at the receiving end of their collective thievery and wickedness? Shouldn't we be bothered about the terrible scenarios that could become the lot of this country as a result of our hate filled words, posts and actions?

I wish we all will take the time to digest what Ndibe wrote. We are dancing dangerously close to the precipice and the earlier we stop the mad motion, the better. With over 300 ethnic groups and 160 million humans, Rwanda will be an inconsequential child's play in comparison.

Nigerian youths, pls think.

Will the ethnic baiters think? He should have mailed this write-up to the hordes of urchins, his kinsmen who are the worst culprits and when it all happens, they are most likely to be the biggest losers. I wonder how they will change their tones as soon as the clueless fisherman is out of Aso Rock back to his Otueke prison.

yawns

Brilliant as always from Okey.
more people should read his articles on sahara reporter. but again a lot of people read without comprehending..all tribes and groups in Nigeria have the good, the bad and the ugly. stop alloting an individual crime on the collective.

madam_oringo: Will the ethnic baiters think? He should have mailed this write-up to the hordes of urchins, his kinsmen who are the worst culprits and when it all happens, they are most likely to be the biggest losers. I wonder how they will change their tones as soon as the clueless fisherman is out of Aso Rock back to his Otueke prison.

You obviously failed to grasp the essence of Okey Ndibe's piece. Otherwise, the last sentence in your speech, would not have been there at all.

Well said. It's time our higher institutions began to pay more attention to the character development of our youths.

Thanks for sharing OP.

madam_oringo: Will the ethnic baiters think? He should have mailed this write-up to the hordes of urchins, his kinsmen who are the worst culprits and when it all happens, they are most likely to be the biggest losers. I wonder how they will change their tones as soon as the clueless fisherman is out of Aso Rock back to his Otueke prison.

What a pity. The underlined with particular emphasis on the bolded text is a typical case of fussing about a tiny speck in another person's eye when you've got a whole log in your own. Is your post not ethnic baiting, madam? Or do you suppose that attempting to avoid directly naming a group made it other than that? Smh with grief.



@OP, thanks for sharing. Okey makes a lot of sense indeed.

Mr. Moderator, please kindly move this thread to the front page so that more folks will be able to view it . Hopefully, they will read, repent & go forth to sin no more by creating posts that will enhance the level of objective discourse, on Nairaland.

laudate: Mr. Moderator, please kindly move this thread to the front page so that more folks will be able to view it . Hopefully, they will read, repent & go forth to sin no more by creating posts that will enhance the level of objective discourse, on Nairaland.

And it would be reparation for the damage nairaland itself is unwittingly contributing.

What needs to be done to move this thread to the front page??! The lessons in it, are quite instructive.