Who is the True Nigerian?
By Joshua Ocheja
“Bad things are not the worst things that can happen to us. Nothing is the worst thing that can happen to us.”
Richard Bach
I have watched and listened with great awe the recent happenings in this country, coupled with the debates raging newspapers and internet sites about our success and failures.
Many questions were left unanswered in those highly prolific debates. From my conclusion, it shows we are indeed blessed with people of high intellectual standard needless to mention feats achieved by Nigerians in the world stage.
Who is the true Nigerian, became necessary as I could not place the anguish of some and the celebration of others as regards the state of affairs in the country.
For starters, it’s pertinent we delve into a synopsis of the history of Nigeria.
Before 1914, the people in what is known as "Nigeria" consisted of 4 different 'empires', some of them extending into parts that are not part of current-day Nigeria, like parts of current-day Ghana, and current-day Cameroon.
THE NORTHERN EMPIRE was composed of the Borno Empire, some Hausa states (Zazzau, Gobir, Kano, Katsina, Birori, Daura) and some other groups (Gwari, Kebbi, Nupe, Yelwa...)
THE CALABAR KINGDOM is the oldest kingdom, and had the oldest contact with the Europeans. It is believed to have been founded around 1000 A.D., and has the oldest church built in Nigeria dating back to 1850. The belief is that this kingdom was founded by twins, and it stretched into parts of current-day Cameroon.
THE ODUDUWA EMPIRE consisted of two main groups. One of them was the indigenous people, whose central religious and cultural center was Ile-Ife, who now make up the Yoruba people .
THE BENIN EMPIRE was also powerful, and stretched to reach some of current-day Ghana. It was very well known for its African sculpturing.
In 1914, Nigeria was formed by combining the Northern and Southern Protectorates and the Colony of Lagos, for administrative purposes, was divided into four units:
The colony of Lagos the Northern Provinces, the Eastern Provinces and Western Provinces
Some parts of current-day Cameroon were still considered part of Nigeria at that time.
Between 1914 and 1922, Nigeria was presided over by a Governor-General. In 1922, as part of the constitution of the time, the British introduced the principle of direct election into the Legislative council.
In 1951, a new constitution elevated the provinces to regional status. The National Council of Nigeria, the Cameroons (NCNC) had control of the Eastern Region government, the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) had control of the Northern Region, and the Action Group (AG) had control of the Western Region. By 1957, the Eastern and Western Regions attained self-governing status. In 1959, the Northern Region attained self-governing status.
On October 1 1960, Nigeria obtained its independence. At this time, Northern and Southern Cameroon were given the option of staying as part of Nigeria or leaving Nigeria. Southern Cameroon decided to leave Nigeria, but Northern Cameroon stayed.
In 1960, a Federal Government based on the Parliamentary system was created, while in 1963, Nigeria became a republic.
We can go on nonstop for the history of our great country cannot be summarized in a brief essay as mine due to the greatness of the country and the uniqueness of its people.
If we could see the strength of our kingdoms from time immemorial, then we will come to self realization that we have in our insouciance abused a generation of greatness.
We are indeed a unique people blessed with abundance of resources but our story today is that of sorrow tears and blood, which has become our trademark. We have seen the worst of governments and its attendant policies that have in no way taken us out of the doldrums.
Oh yes our emotions have been toyed with, our conscience have been trampled upon by a few that were supposed to be custodians of our rich cultural heritage.
We had a cultural heritage that was built on the tenets of love, sincerity, honesty and peace that has long eluded our nascent lives. It has been so worse that nobody is to be trusted in our daily lives that encompass work places, homes and even places of worship.
We as a people of a nation as blessed as Nigeria have been subjected to all manner of ill-treatment by policies, acts and fallacies from the custodians of our rich cultural heritage that has been battered by a few. The true Nigerian going by my upbringing in the stretched walls of jingoism, is one that is willing to die for the nation.
As I grew up in the streets of Lagos, Lokoja, Idah Kaduna, Maiduguri, Calabar, Okija, Owerri, Benin, Ibadan and Makurdi, my orientation began to nosedive as I encountered all sorts of life changing experiences that affected my faith in my country. I fought hard to disabuse my mind from those experiences that was gradually distressing my thought pattern.
But in all of these scenes and episodes, I knew somehow that I loved my country. Yes I love Nigeria and I know there are reasonable percentages out there that love Nigeria more than I do.
We have been through worse and degrading experiences, my fellow Nigerians, but that is not enough to lose hope in the country. We need to be united as a strong entity to be able to bring about that change we so desire. That change must come to reality in this generation. We cannot afford the luxury of subjecting the unborn generation of Nigerians the repulsive experiences we have been through. I reason they might not have the moral fiber to surmount the challenges that comes with such experiences.
The true Nigerian is one without class, one that puts country first and above personal interest. One that understands the biblical interpretation of vanity upon vanity is vanity. For what shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and loses his soul.
No to corruption, No to ethno religious crisis, No to other acts that are inimical to the interest of this great nation. Hausa Empire, Benin Empire. Oduduwa Empire, Igala Empire Igbo Empire Kalabari Empire to mention a few constitutes the nation called Nigeria. There is no Hausa Igbo, Yoruba or Igala man. This is the United States of Nigeria where we will be judged by the content of character and not on ethic or religious sentiments.
Yes we know the leadership has been lopsided, policies have been outdated, a few getting richer while the majority groan in hopelessness and abject poverty. But guess what? Trading blames will not take us out of the woods. We have to come together and build the Nigerian of our dreams, though a great number of policies have to be discarded and new ones embraced.
I have a dream that one day we shall be free from the clutch of despondency and mediocrity. That dreams lies in the inside of every one of us. We have a choice to make it come to existence or simply make it an optical illusion.
The true Nigerian is me and you that know no boundary tribe or religious affiliations. Let’s join hands to make Nigeria great.
Nigeria! Good people…Great nation.
By Joshua Ocheja
labarimedia@gmail.com
Ocheja is a media consultant with Labari Media Limited
