The rising rate of ethnic disturbances and religious extremism in parts of Nigeria took the centre stage yesterday, as the Federal Government was urged to prevent religion and ethnicity from becoming Nigeria’s national identity.
The government was also urged to forge national cohesion in its efforts to douse ethno-religious tension as the country’s leadership must rise to the challenges posed by ethnic and religious extremism to avert conflict situations.
This was the thrust of the lecture entitled: “Religion, Ethnicity, and Citizenship”, delivered by Prof Kehinde Olupona, at the 18th convocation of the Nigerian Academy of Letters, NAL, and Investiture of New Fellows at the University of Lagos.
At the forum, where the institution’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Management Services, Prof Duro Oni, was among those honoured, Olupona warned that failure to address the problems posed by religion and ethnicity, the country would continuously be exposed to conflicts. According to him: “Ethnicity, religion, and citizenship, are three building blocks of a nation-state, if properly handled they can evoke growth and development and stem sectoral and religious crisis witnessed in the country.
The orientation of the masses should be changed to identify themselves first as Nigerians, able to promote and uphold national identity before other affiliations such as religion and ethnicity. “I urge the president to set the pace of orientation of a strong and virile nation where its citizens will be proud to be identified with.
To examine what we can do to avert conflict situations in the nation, the question of leadership needs to arise as we need a national builder to integrate and harmonise all the different ethnic groups. Also, the issue of rule of law, education, civil education, and values need to be addressed.” Scholars like Peter Eke, however in trying to seek the root cause of the ethnic crisis in Nigeria, said the problem is rooted in colonialism.
The theory of federalism was undermined by ethnic and religious sentiments. “The ghost of the civil war still haunts us. The military, however, brought some level of patriotism to the country, though it was under their its watch that Nigeria descended to the worst moments of our lives. Despite our differences in religion, language, culture, we have in common national citizenship,” he said.
Citizenship is beyond holding a passport. It requires commitments and sacrifice. Therefore, if these issues are addressed, Nigeria will experience great feats. But if the issues of ethnicity and religion are not addressed, we can’t go anywhere. Therefore, religion and ethnic identities should not be our national identity alone.
(Vanguard)
