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“Everyone is a foreigner somewhere, today it is Lagos; tomorrow it could
be anywhere else”
~
The statement by the Oba of Lagos and the brouhaha that followed is the
reference point here. Pertinent questions are the validity of the Oba’s
sentiments, and how many other cities or communities are
currently dealing with similar tensions.
Before beginning to proffer solutions, it is worthwhile to play some
possible scenario to set the scene.
~
(1) Abians discover large deposits of oil in their State. With prudent
use of the additional revenue, the State really transforms the economy and
wellbeing of its citizens. Within a few years,
Abians no longer do blue-collar or dirty jobs. Spotting the gap in supply,
many Hausas migrate to Abia and begin to fill the jobs and to provide
services that indigenes would not deign to touch. Such
is the abundance of opportunity and the number of migrants that within a
decade the new comers now constitute a majority. What will happen if a
block vote by the settlers demands Sharia law as a
condition to support candidates for governor?
~
(2) A radical governor revolutionises rulership in Sokoto State by making
education mandatory till secondary level, and also financing it. The
transformation in lives results in a huge explosion in
demand for services. Over a few years, powerful interests from Yoruba land
respond by moving offices and employees in large numbers. These families
relocate and settle all over the state. On account
of their economic significance and dispersal across the State, the
settlers insist that a form of Yoruba customary law should operate
side-by-side with Sharia. How are the indigenes likely to respond?
~
In each case there are legitimate demands, but are they appropriate? Would
the first guests have been welcomed if they made such a request on
arrival? Now, it is easy for the elite to dismiss these
issues and obfuscate reality with sophisticated arguments and logic.
However, they are often far removed, economically and socially from the
trouble spots. The privileged do not have to compete with
non-indigenes for survival opportunities. Neither do they live in
localities where residents are directly impacted by the dress-code, social
conduct, and religious practise of their neighbours. So to
them, the problem is selfishness, in-hospitality, intolerance, or some
other hidden agenda.
~
We should learn from the Europeans and the problems they have had with
integration of migrants. The issues are real and cannot be wished away.
What we see in some parts of Europe is a failure of the
political elite to balance the economic benefits of migration with the
social costs. The United Kingdom has struggled with an influx of Eastern
Europeans; in the Federal Republic of Germany, Turkish
immigrants have faced exclusion from the mainstream; and in the French
Republic, French identity has remained controversial and elusive for
descendants of North Africans.
~
Some of these “foreigners” were already resident in their adopted country
before Nigeria became independent! What went wrong? Leadership failure
though, had opened up an opportunity for far-right
nationalist politicians to gain political relevance. These fringe parties
offer themselves as vents for the concerns of threatened groups. In
return, they gain bloc votes that put them in the
limelight and the corridors of power. From there, they project a fulsome
agenda on an unsuspecting but hitherto apathetic majority.
~
It is important to restate that Nigeria is not as divided as some fringe
political activists will suggest. The results from the last elections must
not be taken at face value, and construed to mean
that the SS and SE see the world distinctly from the rest of the country.
Nevertheless, our present relative peace and unity must not be compromised
by further complacency by the elite. It is time to
think of, and act on, strategies that will strengthen our bonds and mend
the breaches in our relationships, in a New Nigeria.
~
O.J. Oyewole is a socio-political analyst & commentator
@NewNigerian (Twitter)
lanre@net-technologies.com (email)
be anywhere else”
~
The statement by the Oba of Lagos and the brouhaha that followed is the
reference point here. Pertinent questions are the validity of the Oba’s
sentiments, and how many other cities or communities are
currently dealing with similar tensions.
Before beginning to proffer solutions, it is worthwhile to play some
possible scenario to set the scene.
~
(1) Abians discover large deposits of oil in their State. With prudent
use of the additional revenue, the State really transforms the economy and
wellbeing of its citizens. Within a few years,
Abians no longer do blue-collar or dirty jobs. Spotting the gap in supply,
many Hausas migrate to Abia and begin to fill the jobs and to provide
services that indigenes would not deign to touch. Such
is the abundance of opportunity and the number of migrants that within a
decade the new comers now constitute a majority. What will happen if a
block vote by the settlers demands Sharia law as a
condition to support candidates for governor?
~
(2) A radical governor revolutionises rulership in Sokoto State by making
education mandatory till secondary level, and also financing it. The
transformation in lives results in a huge explosion in
demand for services. Over a few years, powerful interests from Yoruba land
respond by moving offices and employees in large numbers. These families
relocate and settle all over the state. On account
of their economic significance and dispersal across the State, the
settlers insist that a form of Yoruba customary law should operate
side-by-side with Sharia. How are the indigenes likely to respond?
~
In each case there are legitimate demands, but are they appropriate? Would
the first guests have been welcomed if they made such a request on
arrival? Now, it is easy for the elite to dismiss these
issues and obfuscate reality with sophisticated arguments and logic.
However, they are often far removed, economically and socially from the
trouble spots. The privileged do not have to compete with
non-indigenes for survival opportunities. Neither do they live in
localities where residents are directly impacted by the dress-code, social
conduct, and religious practise of their neighbours. So to
them, the problem is selfishness, in-hospitality, intolerance, or some
other hidden agenda.
~
We should learn from the Europeans and the problems they have had with
integration of migrants. The issues are real and cannot be wished away.
What we see in some parts of Europe is a failure of the
political elite to balance the economic benefits of migration with the
social costs. The United Kingdom has struggled with an influx of Eastern
Europeans; in the Federal Republic of Germany, Turkish
immigrants have faced exclusion from the mainstream; and in the French
Republic, French identity has remained controversial and elusive for
descendants of North Africans.
~
Some of these “foreigners” were already resident in their adopted country
before Nigeria became independent! What went wrong? Leadership failure
though, had opened up an opportunity for far-right
nationalist politicians to gain political relevance. These fringe parties
offer themselves as vents for the concerns of threatened groups. In
return, they gain bloc votes that put them in the
limelight and the corridors of power. From there, they project a fulsome
agenda on an unsuspecting but hitherto apathetic majority.
~
It is important to restate that Nigeria is not as divided as some fringe
political activists will suggest. The results from the last elections must
not be taken at face value, and construed to mean
that the SS and SE see the world distinctly from the rest of the country.
Nevertheless, our present relative peace and unity must not be compromised
by further complacency by the elite. It is time to
think of, and act on, strategies that will strengthen our bonds and mend
the breaches in our relationships, in a New Nigeria.
~
O.J. Oyewole is a socio-political analyst & commentator
@NewNigerian (Twitter)
lanre@net-technologies.com (email)