The Tragedy Of Religion and Ethnicity.
By Success Ojonugwa
Religion have done more harm than good to my dear country Nigeria. It had long be institutionaliz
ed as a fulcrum for financial enrichment and a tool for realisation of political aspirations by self serving leaders who have nothing to use as a campaign tool..
Some preachers of faith (pastors and Imam) fused their survival on religion. So many pastors and Imam start from the scratch no doubt but is not enough reason to keep improvising the poor and keep getting richer.
Religion have been used as a divisive tool for enthronement of less qualified politician whose aim is nothing short of embezzlement and furtherance of his parochial tendencies. They use the various preachers of different faith to cause division inciting one religious group against the other such that the masses focus more on how the self inflicted insecurity can be averted instead of clamouring for provision of social amenities and employment. Holding the government accountable become a child play as they are willing religious youth trained to unleash mehem on the presumed enemy.
Religion is a division tool and an attention diversionary measures employed by our political office holders to keep the masses mute and insecure to enable them strip our country naked. The earlier we realize this, the better.
Come to think of it, how come the Northern Moslems fight the Southern Christians yet Buhari and Amaechi remain friends? How come we have families made up of moslem father and Christian wife (vice vasa) in middle belt region yet they live peacefully?
The gun and other equipment used during religious and ethnic crisis are bought by our politicians. Is it not obvious? How many bag of rice, millet, corn etc have been brought to your house unbranded in good faith? except the branded one to induce your support in their next aspirations. When will our sense start working?
Religion have divided our country into various interest group whose aim is to divert attention, steal and milk our common resources exposing the masses to poverty and starvation.
Who will rise and say no to religion in politics? Unknown to us, prigrimage and Hajj commission have long been created and properly funded but Ministry of education and industry is underfunded. The time to take up a stitch is long over due.
What about Ethnicity? A working tools for zoning and mediocrity? Yes, it is. Sense of Ethnicity have beclouded our sense of nationality such that we think of Mr A name, surname and his absolute ethnic group to the point that his competency, reliability, transparency, commitment and absolute dedication to duty is sacrificed for the less competent. The less competent is usually favoured because of where he comes from and not what he can do.
Let's build a nation to keep an ethnic group alive because it take a nation for your ethnic group to survive.
Let's imbibe the sense of Nation hood to avert the tragedy of religion and ethnicity.
A New Nigeria is still possible!
contact; nugwas@yahoo.com