September 02, (THEWILL) – Anybody visiting Nigeria in the weeks leading up to the 2023 General Election must have observed the tensed atmosphere in the country at the time. He must have also noticed, from the conversations around the forthcoming election, the deep-seated anxieties and expectations of the people. Nigerians were desperate for a change, by any means possible, even when they had little faith in the efficacy of the ballot and reposed little confidence in a political system that seemed committed to perpetually thwarting their aspirations for the good life.
Preparation for the general election had already assumed heightened emotional dimensions. Prospective voters quickly aligned themselves with the candidates of political parties they believed most likely held the keys to fulfill their desires. As always, tribal champions were deemed preferable. With this came an ill-wind. Friends turned to sworn enemies. All of a sudden, electioneering had become a “do-or-die affair,” just short of exploding into open warfare. The situation was like this during the election, especially the presidential election.
At Independence, Nigeria was known by the sobriquet, ‘Sleeping Giant of Africa’, earned from admirers who foretold that she would do great things in the future. One of the reasons she was nicknamed ‘sleeping giant’ was her population. She had a population of 45.1 million at the time, one of the highest in Africa, especially for a newly independent nation. Endowed with a sizeable population, vast natural resources and skilled manpower, a bright future was envisaged for the young nation. Nigeria’s multi-ethnic and cultural composition was at the outset viewed as a great advantage. Sadly, those who took charge of the country’s affairs did not remember this when they started beating the drums of war, just six years after independence.
While it lasted, the Nigerian Civil War raged with unequalled bitterness among a people who had once expressed the desire to share a common destiny. The drum beats were heard again during the
2023 general election as hate speeches and threats of violence progressively filled the air. In some cases, certain persons associated with some prominent members of the ruling class openly carried out acts of violence against helpless and innocent Nigerians. Ethnic profiling was the order of the day. Unrestrained, political thugs had a field day, snatching ballot boxes,
beating up representatives of rival political parties and generally constituting a nuisance around polling booths.
Right thinking Nigerians are getting worried about the increasing wave of hate speeches, especially in the social media. About 30 years ago, what started in similar pattern, as hate speech fueled by ethnic propaganda eventually resulted in the infamous Rwandan genocide that started in April, 1994 and lasted for some months.
A few days ago, a Nigerian woman living in Canada reportedly threatened to kill other Nigerians resident in the same country. The woman targeted people of Yoruba and Edo ethnic stocks without
giving a reason for doing so.
It was not the first time that Nigerians had received threats from their fellow countrymen. It is almost safe to say that this is a common practice nowadays. Shortly before the threat by the Canada-based Nigerian, another X user tweeting via a popular account known as Lagospedia had called for the mass ejection of Igbo people resident in Lagos.
While well-meaning Nigerians have reacted to the actions of these agent provocateurs, calling for their arrests and prosecution, as well as investigations, but the Federal Government has strangely remained silent and unperturbed by the developments.
Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu did condemn Lagospedia’s call to his fellow Yoruba to expel the Igbo from the state, but that was all. Not even an investigation was ordered to unravel the author of the infamous post. Nor has the culprit been arrested.
Hate speeches and ethnic hatred are not good for any country, especially a Third World country like Nigeria that is still struggling, in spite of her oil wealth, to come to terms with the realities of surviving in a fast-evolving modern world. Ethnic hatred ultimately leads to war. Nigeria in its current state certainly cannot afford another civil war.
The Boko Haram insurgency, which has led to the loss of thousands of lives, is still thriving because the government has not done enough to check it. Similarly banditry in parts of the North. It is clear that these criminals will continue to take government’s seeming nonchalance and aloofness as an encouragement to intensify their evil activities around the country.
Government might just be stoking ethnic hatred across Nigeria and adding to complicated security situation, if it continues to ignore the actions of people who constitute a permanent threat to the peace and stability of the country.
