One truth that must be said, is that our stagnation , as a society, issues primarily from tribalism. Merit is often sacrificed on the altar of tribal favouritism.
In the face of any visible opportunity, people struggle to assist only their Kith and kin. Why? Why is everyone chatting the Governor's advocacy for merit, without any concomitant action bring into practice? I will tell you.
As a metaphysician by training and profession, I have traced the foundation of this devastating disposition and found it to be part of our traditional orientation.
THE FOUNDATION OF OUR TRIBALISM
Our people's tribalism seems to be institutional. This is not anybody's problem because tribalism appears to be embedded in our worldviews and philosophy. Anthropological and sociological studies describe worldview as a set of belief about the fundamental aspects of reality that ground and influence all one's perceptions, thinking knowing and doing (Abdullah & Nadvi). This specific manner of perception are often enshrined in a peoples' myths, mythologies and philosophies.
IGBO MYTHS AND PHILOSOPHY
Like most ethnic myths in Nigeria, the most common myths among the Igbos are surrounded around the tortoise as a wise swindler. Hence you hear: the tortoise and the lion, the tortoise and the Tigger, the tortoise and the elephant.
These species of stories are, in reality, varied trainings in swindling and in deception. These we were all taught from the cradle.
The worst of these are found in our philosophy.
Here philosophy is understood as a theory or attitudes that act as a guiding principles for a people's behaviour.
These principles are often embedded in idioms and figures of speech. As already pointed out, a good number of such idioms are principles of tribalism. For instance:
1. "Onye nna ya no n' enigwe anaghi eje oku mou" (One whose father is in heaven, cannot be in hell).
2. Mmanya fu onye oma, obee ugwu (the need to shift grounds in matters involving friends & associates)
3. Nke m ka nke anyi (mine is more important than ours) - a principal of egoism.
The inescapable outcome of tribalism is that a mediocre is often chosen at the expense of a competent professional; and consequently, our society has continued to have round pegs in square holes. This stagnating culture of tribalism has also been legitimised both at the state and at the national levels; with the sobriquets - Quota system and Federal Character. Today, in the league of nations, we have remained, developmental midgets.
At this point, may I, on bended knees, request all stakeholders and political office holders, to rethink our actions, in the interest of posterity.
CONCLUSION
The knowledge of a problem, presupposes a halfway to its solution. This realisation that our stagnation is , to a large extent, foundational, calls for urgent ideological reorientation. Opinion leaders and educators should begin to change these myths and philosophies with their credible alternatives. Nigerian is redeemable if only we can collectively wrestle this culture that has stagnated us for too long; and unless this is done, all dreams and rhetorics about a new Nigeria shall remain an utopian fantasy.
Hilary C Mgbodile
