₦airaland Forum

What is tribalism?

According to Wikipedia tribalism is a state of being organized, or advocating for a tribe or tribes. In terms of conformity, tribalism may also refer in popular culture terms to a way of thinking or behaving in which people are more loyal to their tribe than to their friends, to their country, or any other social group.

In Nigeria context, tribalism is defined as social phenomenon associated with the identity of members of a particular group(s) seeking to protect and advance their interest in a political system. The relevant communal factor is language, culture, religion or common history. According to late Prof Chinua Achebe in his view describe tribalism as discrimination because of their place of birth.In Nigeria today, tribalism has been elevated to dominate national discourse, controls how people think and talk, and determines what they oppose or support. It is promoted by the political elites, embraced by the young and the old, passed from generation to generation, and even has base in the constitution. This explains the assumption that conflicts in Nigeria is motivated by ethnic competition,‘one of the major problems we are facing today that does not unite us but divide us. Wherever you go the first question they ask you , is which state are you from, then which tribe, as if that has to do with your performance or personality. This tribalism is causing so much pains to people, has made some tribe to benefit more than others in project sharing, road construction etc. some states and tribes benefit more on infrastructures and co, according to the tribe in power. Tribalism and discrimination has put a lot of people in position they were not supposed to be, because they are not qualified to be there, due process is hardly establish because to have anything done you must first of all know if is your tribesmen or woman that is in that position before you can make any approach or drop your application or whatever transaction you are about to undertake. It has caused lots of destruction, wars, and deep rooted hate among people, in fact between corruption and tribalism I don’t know which is worst, politician’s uses tribalism slogan to divide the people and make the people to kill each other, people tend to support their own ethnic person in power whether the person is performing or not, support him blindly even when he steals just because he is their tribesmen or woman.