Of Tribe, Religion & Politics

Generally, most people fit try make sensible arguments about most of the things wey dem dey do. Even if you no agree with dem, you no go fit talk say dem head no correct. When the issue enter politics and religion sha, e dey change o. Politics and religion na topics wey dey make even those people wey sharp well well begin to craze. For Naija you fit add ‘tribe’ and to that list.

Before the General Elections of 2011, I been dey yarn with some family and friends about the presidential race. Wetin shock me be say, these people wey I dey yarn with so, na people wey you go consider smart in every area. Dem go school, dem done see things, dem dey successful and dem fit contribute well to any discussion. But in this issue of politics, dem no dey make any sense. I ask somebody who e go vote? E say na Jonathan. I ask am why. E say na because the man na one of us (na Niger Deltan). 

‘E done reach time wey we suppose rule o. E done too much for the Northerners sef. Abi na only dem dey?’ E tell me.

I look am and I smile. ‘So na just for that reason?’ I ask am.

‘Yes, na our time. Make Christian rule too.’ E answer.

We argue plenty after that, until e vex say ‘Carry your oyibo ideas comot here abeg!’

But before e vex, I tell am three things.

(a)   We know say most of us no dey see steady light for this country at all. If today, you begin receive steady light for Port Harcourt, you go test the light to see whether na Hausa or Yoruba light? You go reject the light because na Hausa man be president? Or if dem finally construct road come reach your house for village, you go say you no fit use the road because no be Ikwerre man construct am?

(b) Wetin be the benefit wey we dey get if somebody from our part of the country become president? Afterall, our state governors from ‘our part’ of the country. Ibori no be Delta man? How far? Corruption no get tribe or religion. E dey everywhere. Just as Southern Christian politicians dey thief, na so Northern Muslim ones dey thief too. But the more important thing be say just as every part dey produce thieves na so dem dey produce excellent Nigerians too. Why we no go forget where people come from or wetin dem dey worship and look whether dem fit do the work?

(c)  Our people say ‘Na from mess smell you go know shit smell’. Jonathan done be Deputy Governor, Governor, Vice President, Acting President and President. And honestly, I no really see wetin e done do for all these positions. And e never even promise us anything apart from fresh air. For my mind, that na smelling mess. So why you think say him shit go be perfume?

Courtesy: genealogyreligion.net

After over one year of Jonathan, e dey clear say wetin I been dey talk that time no be ‘oyibo idea’ as dem been accuse me. The suffer wey we dey suffer now no dey discriminate between tribes or religion.

All over the country now petrol na at least N97 per litre. For some places e pass that amount. Both for Northern Nigeria and the Niger Delta, our pockets dey cry out. E dey cost more now whether na church or mosque or babalawo house you wan drive go. 

Light still no dey o, but our light bill done go up sharply. That increase of light bill na for every Naija person wey dey use light. Somehow, our wonderful government done get something wey go tell dem who get money and who no get. That way NEPA (or PHCN) go bill people wey get money more. Somebody been tell me quietly say dem dey advertise for dibias. Ehm… no talk say na me tell you about the dibia dem o. I go deny you!

And we go soon begin chop cassava bread, by the way. I no know how e go dey, but any day wey I chop bread and e smell like fufu…

Try remember say people wey dey make us suffer like this from every part of Naija and dem dey worship anything dem like. Christians dey, muslims dey and jazz men dey too. Their religion no help us one way or another. The suffer no be Christian or Muslim type of suffer. Na Naija suffer!

Normally, I suppose believe say when the time come to do something about our present problems, we go do the correct thing o. Like every ‘good’ Naija man, I dey ‘pray’ say e go be like that too. But as I done learn, with ‘smart’ Naija people person no dey know dey know finish…. 

This na @nfsqueezed on Twitter