By Femi Fani-Kayode
Permit me to begin
this contribution with two incontrovertible assertions. Firstly had we
successfully answered what has come to be collectively known as the
‘’Nationality Question’’ in the ’50s and ’60s there would have been no civil
war in 1967. Secondly had we not chosen to forget our differences but instead
had we tried to understand them, the last 53 years of our existence as an
independent nation would have witnessed far more unity, stability and progress
than it has done.
Permit me to begin
this contribution with two incontrovertible assertions. Firstly had we
successfully answered what has come to be collectively known as the
‘’Nationality Question’’ in the ’50s and ’60s there would have been no civil
war in 1967. Secondly had we not chosen to forget our differences but instead
had we tried to understand them, the last 53 years of our existence as an
independent nation would have witnessed far more unity, stability and progress
than it has done.
The agitation and quest to answer the ‘’Nationality
Question’’ in Nigeria will not stop until the question has been
successfully answered no matter how long our leaders, politicians,
professionals and intellectuals ignore it and attempt to brush it under the
carpet. The quest to properly identify, situate and define the rights, duties
and obligations of each and every one of our numerous nationalities in a wider
Nigeria will never end until it is achieved.
Question’’ in Nigeria will not stop until the question has been
successfully answered no matter how long our leaders, politicians,
professionals and intellectuals ignore it and attempt to brush it under the
carpet. The quest to properly identify, situate and define the rights, duties
and obligations of each and every one of our numerous nationalities in a wider
Nigeria will never end until it is achieved.
As a matter of fact, given the sheer desperation of each of the
major ethnic groups to win control at the centre in 2015, the activities of
Boko Haram, the agitation of the Niger Deltans, the resurrection of MASSOB, the
unmistakable resurgence of a rather extreme form of igbo nationalism, the
activities of various ethnic nationalist groups and the growing religious and
sectarian divide in our country, it has only just started in earnest and it is
a cause that I have chosen to dedicate my life to.
major ethnic groups to win control at the centre in 2015, the activities of
Boko Haram, the agitation of the Niger Deltans, the resurrection of MASSOB, the
unmistakable resurgence of a rather extreme form of igbo nationalism, the
activities of various ethnic nationalist groups and the growing religious and
sectarian divide in our country, it has only just started in earnest and it is
a cause that I have chosen to dedicate my life to.
As long as I live, I will resist the idea of any part of
Yorubaland being turned into a ‘’no-man’s land’’ where the Yoruba people are
meant to live as second class citizens and never-do-wells and where they are
treated like filth. If that makes me a tribalist or a bigot, then so be it.
Yorubaland being turned into a ‘’no-man’s land’’ where the Yoruba people are
meant to live as second class citizens and never-do-wells and where they are
treated like filth. If that makes me a tribalist or a bigot, then so be it.
If loving my nationality, which comprises of 50 million Yoruba
people, and adoring my nation of 160 million Nigerians at the same time is a
crime then I am guilty of that crime. I do not have to love one at the expense
of the other. We are not America which is a nation that is made-up of
immigrants and ex-slaves and a country which literally wiped out the indigenous
population that they met there when they arrived who were known as the Red
Indians. We are not Americans who somehow found their way into the world barely
300 years ago, we are Nigerians.
people, and adoring my nation of 160 million Nigerians at the same time is a
crime then I am guilty of that crime. I do not have to love one at the expense
of the other. We are not America which is a nation that is made-up of
immigrants and ex-slaves and a country which literally wiped out the indigenous
population that they met there when they arrived who were known as the Red
Indians. We are not Americans who somehow found their way into the world barely
300 years ago, we are Nigerians.
And each and every one of the great and numerous nationalities
that make up our beautiful nation has a noble heritage that goes back for
thousands of years. We may not be as developed or as wealthy as they are but we
know who we are and we know where we are coming from.
that make up our beautiful nation has a noble heritage that goes back for
thousands of years. We may not be as developed or as wealthy as they are but we
know who we are and we know where we are coming from.
That is why I am proud of this country and all the various
nationalities that make it up regardless of our difficulties and challenges.
Yet we are not so different to some others. In the United Kingdom there are
basically four nationalities: The English, the Welsh, the Irish and the
Scottish. Each of these four nationalities is actually a tribe yet you very
rarely find a British person who will tell you that he is not proud of his
Scottish, Welsh, Irish or English heritage AND at the same time proud of his
nation.
nationalities that make it up regardless of our difficulties and challenges.
Yet we are not so different to some others. In the United Kingdom there are
basically four nationalities: The English, the Welsh, the Irish and the
Scottish. Each of these four nationalities is actually a tribe yet you very
rarely find a British person who will tell you that he is not proud of his
Scottish, Welsh, Irish or English heritage AND at the same time proud of his
nation.
He is first an Irishman, a Welshman, an Englishman or a Scot
before being British even though he cherishes being both. He does not
have to sacrifice his Irish, Welsh, English or Scottish heritage and roots for
Britain and neither does he have to sacrifice Britain for his heritage and
roots. He balances it well, he has the best of both worlds and this is indeed a
wonderful thing. He derives his strength from both.
before being British even though he cherishes being both. He does not
have to sacrifice his Irish, Welsh, English or Scottish heritage and roots for
Britain and neither does he have to sacrifice Britain for his heritage and
roots. He balances it well, he has the best of both worlds and this is indeed a
wonderful thing. He derives his strength from both.
He enjoys being Irish, Scottish, English or Welsh and cherishes
it deeply just as much as he enjoys and cherishes being British. And, today,
centuries after Great Britain was established as one nation under one Crown and
one Royal Sovereign the British citizen still cherishes his primary nationality
and tribal heritage so much that power has been gradually devolved from the
centre at Westminster in London to the various tribes and ethnic nationalities
in the regions over the years.
it deeply just as much as he enjoys and cherishes being British. And, today,
centuries after Great Britain was established as one nation under one Crown and
one Royal Sovereign the British citizen still cherishes his primary nationality
and tribal heritage so much that power has been gradually devolved from the
centre at Westminster in London to the various tribes and ethnic nationalities
in the regions over the years.
Such is the agitation for the restoration of ethnic identity and
devolution of power in the United Kingdom today that Scotland is preparing for
a referendum to determine whether her people should remain in Great Britain or
not. This is a beautiful thing. It is known as self-determination and no human
being ought to be denied that right. Taking pride in your primary roots and
your ancient heritage is not a crime.
devolution of power in the United Kingdom today that Scotland is preparing for
a referendum to determine whether her people should remain in Great Britain or
not. This is a beautiful thing. It is known as self-determination and no human
being ought to be denied that right. Taking pride in your primary roots and
your ancient heritage is not a crime.
That is how it is meant to be. It is only in Nigeria that we
call this perfectly natural and wholesome phenomenon ‘’tribalism’’. We give it
an ugly name and we ascribe to it an even uglier connotation. Everywhere else
in the world the reality of ethnic nationalities is acknowledged, respected,
valued, cherished and well-managed. As a matter of fact such diversity is a
source of strength and pride for many. For example in the nation of Belgium one
will find that there is an ancient dichotomy and deep rivalries between the
Flemish people of the north and the Waloons of the south.
call this perfectly natural and wholesome phenomenon ‘’tribalism’’. We give it
an ugly name and we ascribe to it an even uglier connotation. Everywhere else
in the world the reality of ethnic nationalities is acknowledged, respected,
valued, cherished and well-managed. As a matter of fact such diversity is a
source of strength and pride for many. For example in the nation of Belgium one
will find that there is an ancient dichotomy and deep rivalries between the
Flemish people of the north and the Waloons of the south.
They speak different languages and have a completely different
history and cultural heritage yet these two great and ancient nationalities or
tribes are proudly Belgian and they rally under one flag. This is how it ought
to be everywhere. I have no hate or ill-feeling towards any other ethnic group
in this country or anywhere else. If I did I would say so and damn the
consequences. Racism and tribalism is below me and such primordial traits
offend my sensibilities. To harbour such views is well below my intellectual
and spiritual dignity. Those that know me well can attest to this. I have as
many non-Yoruba friends just as I have Yoruba ones. I look down on no other
human being, no other race and no other nationality and I do not claim that the
Yoruba are better than anyone else.
history and cultural heritage yet these two great and ancient nationalities or
tribes are proudly Belgian and they rally under one flag. This is how it ought
to be everywhere. I have no hate or ill-feeling towards any other ethnic group
in this country or anywhere else. If I did I would say so and damn the
consequences. Racism and tribalism is below me and such primordial traits
offend my sensibilities. To harbour such views is well below my intellectual
and spiritual dignity. Those that know me well can attest to this. I have as
many non-Yoruba friends just as I have Yoruba ones. I look down on no other
human being, no other race and no other nationality and I do not claim that the
Yoruba are better than anyone else.
What I insist on though is that I should be allowed to
acknowledge my history and to preserve my ancient heritage, culture, values and
ethos. I also insist that my people should be allowed to develop at their own
pace. I am not ashamed of who I am and where I come from and had it not been
for others holding us back I know where the South-west and the Yoruba would
have been by now in terms of development. And neither would I go to England or
America or Enugu or Kano and claim that I own the place or that my people built
it from the scratch and that they generate all the money that is there. I would
never say or do such a thing and neither should I be expected to sit back
quietly when someone says it about my land, my people and my territory.
acknowledge my history and to preserve my ancient heritage, culture, values and
ethos. I also insist that my people should be allowed to develop at their own
pace. I am not ashamed of who I am and where I come from and had it not been
for others holding us back I know where the South-west and the Yoruba would
have been by now in terms of development. And neither would I go to England or
America or Enugu or Kano and claim that I own the place or that my people built
it from the scratch and that they generate all the money that is there. I would
never say or do such a thing and neither should I be expected to sit back
quietly when someone says it about my land, my people and my territory.
In this debate I have threatened no-one, I have incited no-one,
I have accused no-one and I have not sought to silence anyone with threats or
blackmail. I have not expressed hatred towards anyone. Yet my family has been
subjected to insults, threats, humiliation, hate-speech, misrepresentation,
falsehood, intimidation, calls for arrest and lies by some people who really
ought to know better. My father of blessed memory has been insulted
during the course of this debate as has my late mother, my wife, my children
and my people from the South-west. We have been called all sorts of names and
subjected to the most filthy and disgraceful abuse and malicious lies. And now
some ask me if I will ever stop this fight for the rights of my people. The
answer is that I will not because a price has already been paid. I will
never renounce my views.
I have accused no-one and I have not sought to silence anyone with threats or
blackmail. I have not expressed hatred towards anyone. Yet my family has been
subjected to insults, threats, humiliation, hate-speech, misrepresentation,
falsehood, intimidation, calls for arrest and lies by some people who really
ought to know better. My father of blessed memory has been insulted
during the course of this debate as has my late mother, my wife, my children
and my people from the South-west. We have been called all sorts of names and
subjected to the most filthy and disgraceful abuse and malicious lies. And now
some ask me if I will ever stop this fight for the rights of my people. The
answer is that I will not because a price has already been paid. I will
never renounce my views.
Those that have chosen the path of aggression and open hostility
and that seek to suppress our voices, intimidate us into silence and drown us
with their propaganda are vulger, crude and rude. They are also experts at telling
lies. Yet they cannot silence a whole nationality or just wish us away. We are
here to stay. To me this is simply an intellectual exercise and we can agree to
disagree and still remain compatriots and friends. However I will not give up
my identity because that is all I have. I will not betray the dreams of my
forefathers and their aspirations for our people. For four generations now the
Fani-Kayode have contributed positively to the affairs of this country.
and that seek to suppress our voices, intimidate us into silence and drown us
with their propaganda are vulger, crude and rude. They are also experts at telling
lies. Yet they cannot silence a whole nationality or just wish us away. We are
here to stay. To me this is simply an intellectual exercise and we can agree to
disagree and still remain compatriots and friends. However I will not give up
my identity because that is all I have. I will not betray the dreams of my
forefathers and their aspirations for our people. For four generations now the
Fani-Kayode have contributed positively to the affairs of this country.
Unlike some of those that are bleating and insulting us we have
paid our dues. Like millions of others we have a stake here and we are from
Yorubaland. I have a little Fulani blood in me too and I am very proud of that
but I am first and foremost a Yoruba and I will live and die for the Yoruba and
indeed for my nation Nigeria if needs be.
paid our dues. Like millions of others we have a stake here and we are from
Yorubaland. I have a little Fulani blood in me too and I am very proud of that
but I am first and foremost a Yoruba and I will live and die for the Yoruba and
indeed for my nation Nigeria if needs be.
I have written about virtually every major ethnic group and
nationality in this country over the last twenty three years and sometimes in
very harsh terms, including my own, Yet it is only when I disagree with some of
our Igbo brothers and sisters and dispute their claims on Lagos that all hell
breaks loose.
nationality in this country over the last twenty three years and sometimes in
very harsh terms, including my own, Yet it is only when I disagree with some of
our Igbo brothers and sisters and dispute their claims on Lagos that all hell
breaks loose.
They say our territory is ‘’no-man’s land’’ yet they will never
offer us theirs in return or even allow us to build there. Who is the fool
here? And when we complain they have the nerve to insult us. Enough is enough.
I am not a racist or a bigot but I believe that I have a right to defend that
which is mine and to preserve my identity.
offer us theirs in return or even allow us to build there. Who is the fool
here? And when we complain they have the nerve to insult us. Enough is enough.
I am not a racist or a bigot but I believe that I have a right to defend that
which is mine and to preserve my identity.
We ignore our differences at our own peril and this is not only
naive but it is also exceptionally dangerous. They made the same mistake in
Yugoslavia through the ’70s and 80s until the explosion came in the ’90s and
all hell broke loose. No-one saw the war coming in that country except the more
discerning and brilliant minds who had been shouting for decades before it came
that their very own ‘’nationality question’’ had to be answered and that
Colonel Broznin Tito’s dream of an eternal and everlasting old Yugoslavia was
unsustainable. No-one listened to those discerning voices and consequently
millions were killed in the most horrendous and vicious civil war that Europe
has ever seen.
naive but it is also exceptionally dangerous. They made the same mistake in
Yugoslavia through the ’70s and 80s until the explosion came in the ’90s and
all hell broke loose. No-one saw the war coming in that country except the more
discerning and brilliant minds who had been shouting for decades before it came
that their very own ‘’nationality question’’ had to be answered and that
Colonel Broznin Tito’s dream of an eternal and everlasting old Yugoslavia was
unsustainable. No-one listened to those discerning voices and consequently
millions were killed in the most horrendous and vicious civil war that Europe
has ever seen.
From being one country where the people and numerous
nationalities were compelled to ‘’forget their differences’’ by law, Yugoslavia
was eventually broken up into five sovereign independant states as a
consequence of fratricidal butchery and unrestrained and all-out war. I pray
that we never break up and that we never witness or fight such a war in
Nigeria. The answer is to understand and settle our differences and not to
forget them.
nationalities were compelled to ‘’forget their differences’’ by law, Yugoslavia
was eventually broken up into five sovereign independant states as a
consequence of fratricidal butchery and unrestrained and all-out war. I pray
that we never break up and that we never witness or fight such a war in
Nigeria. The answer is to understand and settle our differences and not to
forget them.
Source: Vanguard
