TRUTH; There’s an Akiolu in most Nigerians

Oba of Lagos

Rilwan Akiolu, the Oba of Lagos, some days ago, released a river of tribalistic diatribes and Nigerians, mostly Igbos, are wallowing deeply in his rather misplaced words. Threatening the Igbos, and commanding them to vote for a particular candidate in the upcoming gubernatorial elections in Lagos state, is indeed a slap on Nigeria’s democracy. It must be stated, however, that Akiolu does not own Lagos and Lagosians or any human being. 

His speech, if anything, reeks of tribalism and stems from it. He is, however, not the only tribalistic individual in Nigeria. It is, in fact, a Nigerian thing. There is an Akiolu in all of us.

When, in 2008, working for a particular bank in Lagos, I applied for a promotion, my boss said: “you are not in the right caucus in this bank, so you can’t change your levels.” His caucus was filled with Yorubas only. In another department there were mainly Igbos, they had created their own sect too, which I was not fit enough to join.

Another boss, in another department, like Al Pacino in Donnie Brasco, told me to “forget about it.” Everything was based on tribe or “where are you from: Igbo, Hausa or Yoruba?”

True to my boss’s word, my levels didn’t change. I was a bad lottery ticket in the tribal scheme of things in that bank. I left with a sad memory. I was not fit for any of the groups. Or, maybe, just maybe, I sucked at licking tribal asses.
I’m from Edo state, Nigeria. I’m always placed somewhere between been a Yoruba or an Igbo man. That identity didn’t help me in my short banking career. It only helped open my eyes to the truth that Nigeria, as a country, is dangerously divided on tribal lines.

Oba Akiolu’s embarrassing treatise is only a reiteration of the known fact. Ethnic jingoism is a rhythm that afflicts Nigeria and Nigerians. Ask anybody who works in any Nigerian company and that person would tell you of the monstrous existence of tribalism.

Hypocritically, we claim that we are “One Nigeria” but deep down most Nigerians would, when doing a favour for another Nigerian, consider the person’s ethnic background. Why can’t we consider the person as a human being? It is this type of embedded divide that created the likes of Oba Akiolu and his ilk. He even had the chutzpah to say that whoever doesn’t do his bidding would end up in the river. That’s what Nigeria raise: humans with disturbed minds.
Our democracy is a toddler. Toddlers need helping hands as they grow older, and most importantly, any obstacle that might alter their growth must be dealt with. Akiolu should be taken to court and charged for threatening the peace in Nigeria.

It is very easy to join the bandwagon and support the chastised Igbos. The words spewed by the Oba are indeed unethical and tyrannical at the same time. But, we must look beyond his folly and begin to examine the titular issue—ethnicity in Nigeria. In addition, this should create a platform for debates about the problems of ethnicity in Nigeria.

Why can’t Nigerians see each other as one? Where is this so-called one voice/country?

Akiolu is perhaps particularly rich in these verbal derivatives, but similar formations could be sited in many or a majority of Nigerians. This is a wake up call for Nigerians and until we jettison this tribal river, the flotsam and jetsam of tribalism would be Nigeria’s death and division.

God bless Nigeria.

Source; The opinion.