NOBLE LAUREATE, Prof Wole Soyinka, lamented, yesterday, that Nigeria is not taking positive steps towards attaining nationhood, even as he identified religion as a major threat towards its attainment.
He said this in Lagos at the maiden edition of Obafemi Awolowo Foundation Centenary lecture series titled "Between Nationhood and Nation Space."
His words: "Religion is one enemy of potential nationhood that requires, not just a separate address of its own, but a full week, even a month of seminars, lectures, expositions, artistic events, films and documentaries - but all of a frank, even brutally frank nature, since the intervention of religion in nation being has been of the most savage, unconscionable, and increasingly intolerant kind. No other word for it but butchery, waste and devastation.
We cannot continue pretending that, as long as any one religion aspires to dictatorship in secular matters, we can call ourselves a nation. A theocratic order is anathema to nation-being, since it implicates exclusion, not inclusion.
"Only the secular order embraces all. To religion all its deserving - spaces of privacy, protection, and cultural identity. Any religious following can evoke parallel but opposing sets of protocols, citing the authority of some unseen and unknowable god in realms that have no perceptible contact with the actual. Religion must therefore submit to community, to nation, otherwise co-existence becomes impossible and the human entity reverts to a state of brutishness.
"And thus, finally, the question: is Nigeria a nation today? My answer is - Not yet. Is Nigeria aspiring to be a nation? The answer - Unsure. Can it? Possibly. Should it? My answer to that is absolutely non-sentimental, purely technical and subjective : I prefer not to have to apply for yet another visa when I need to travel to Enugu or Borno.
If it is any consolation - let us simply remember - we are not alone in this predicament. So, for now, we may continue to sleep, dream, open our eyes at dawn on the recurring vision of nationhood on the horizon, hopefully not receding, indeed, almost close to touch, requiring only the complete surrender of hegemonic dreams, the ethos of inclusivity, the recognition of religious privacy, community primacy, and the manifested will of the authentic landowners of - a designated nation space."
The noble lauret, explained that the June 12, 1993 elections, was defining opportunity for Nigeria to attain nationhood noting that it was bungled.
According to him, "On June 12, 1993, this nation space did have a chance to claim the beginnings of nation-being. Would we have emerged effectively as a nation? I am no prophet and have no interest in hindsight. I insist however that the nation claim did stand a chance of embarking on the route to affirmation.
A democratic election, let me repeat again and again, is only one of the several means - as witness the very special case of post-apartheid South Africa. Most nations we know of on this continent cannot even boast of one defining moment, a moment when the possibility of nation actualization was handed to them. Our chance came to us on June 12 1993, and we blew it. We? No. I do not believe in undeserved guilt.
The insincerity, indeed hypocritical, double-talk and matching conduct of a handful of individuals, their abuse of the trust of the people, scattered the hopes of that moment of nation-becoming.
A candidate - may I please remind you? - won a mandate across the national landscape, unambiguously defeating his opponent. That contest was universally adjudged to be impeccably fair. The aspirant to the mantle of state subdued his opponent even in that opponent's most intimate constituency - his local ward.
Now let anyone tell me that this did not resound like the starting-pistol of a nation race, a marathon of course, not a sprint, but a leap forward from the starting-block after so many false starts, several of them deliberately planned and cynically executed.
"The overseer of that debacle, General Ibrahim Babangida, then embodiment of the state, has finally opened up and conceded the undeniable - that election was true, and a victor emerged. History has taken note of his confessions and History sits in judgment, no matter what excuses are invoked by him.
None is acceptable, least of all the totally incongruous plea that, as the then Head of State, he feared that that nation enterprise would be aborted by a military coup. I find that plea an afterthought, and unconscionable. His loss of nerve - if that is what it was indeed - constituted a gross act of governance dereliction at a crucial moment.
There were consequences. There were casualties. Some of this I have recounted in my memoirs, you must set forth at dawn. Homes and businesses were destroyed. Nigerians perished. I do not speak from records, since I was a witness, fortuitously embroiled in those days of nation wrath and state terror. My calling is not that of a soldier, so I do not deal in bloodless statistics.
I concern myself with sacrifice, especially needless, avoidable sacrifice. Those who instigate sacrifice through failure of their mandate must also understand that survivors will demand of them more than mere and belated acknowledgment of Truth. Ambition is no substitute for contrition."
Furthermore, he argued that "the message that all resources and property within any nation space belong primarily, and indisputably to the people. The State appropriates those resources, ostensibly in order to manage them on behalf of the people.
In reality however, it is primarily to sustain itself, a non-productive mutation of nationhood that is entirely parasitic and, to add insult to injury, deploys those very resources for the - often brutal - suppression of nation will."
Dignitaries present at the event include Governor Segun Mimiko of Ondo State, former governors of Lagos, Cross Rivers, Ogun, Oyo and Osun States respectively, Messrs Bola Tinubu, Donald Duke, Segun Osoba, Lam Adeshina and Bisi Akande; former Chief of General Staff Admiral Mike Ahigbe (rtd), Matriarch of Awolowo family, Mrs HID Awolowo and former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof Ayo Banjo.
Others are Action Congress governorship candidates of Ekiti and Ogun States respectively, Messrs Kayode Fayemi and Ibikunle Amosun; Sir Olaniyun Ajayi, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Chief Supo Shonibare, Senators Biyi Durojaiye and Tokunbo Afikuyomi, Oba Oladele Olashore and Alhaji Lateef Adegbite amongst others.
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Religion is just a PRETEXT for TRIBALISM which is the real enemy of Nigerian nationhood. TRIBALISM has made progress IMPOSSIBLE since independence. A problem can only be SOLVED if it is UNDERSTOOD!
Nigeria: Religion Threatens Country's Nationhood - Soyinka Professor Soyinka is quoted here saying :
We cannot continue pretending that, as long as any one religion aspires to dictatorship in secular matters, we can call ourselves a nation. A theocratic order is anathema to nation-being, since it implicates exclusion, not inclusion.
Here are some points that I think are important to consider with relationship to : RELIGIONS & NATIONS : RELIGION is a system of spiritual worship . There are a multitude of religions. NATIONS a communites of people living within clearly-defined borders
With Professor Soyinkas above-noted quote in mind [AND] the two(2) definitions on RELIGION & NATIONS also noted , Id like to give us Africans more Food For Thought : 1) Religion , in my opinion, is Mans attempt at : a) Making sense out of the world Man lives in b) Undertstanding his purpose ; from a spiritual perspective. * Its like being very rich naturally, but feeling empty spiritually. Some people are driven by their inward wars to seek what we call religious refuge from the inward wars in their souls.
2) Id like to offer 7 possible motivations for man seeking a Religious Refuge : a) The need for direction (Like a lighthouse guides the ships in the night ) b) The need for communication c) The need for family d) The need for clarity or understanding e) The need for something that keeps us motivated and active f) The need for our own inique place within a religious construct g) The need for Rest , Relaxation, Fun, etc..
3) The major focus of many religions appear to be on One (1) God o, many gods, knowledge as gods, etc * Some religions may point toward our one-time death and then judgement * Some religions may point at our continuous return to Earth via Reincarnation ; until we finally get it right and dont have to return again. * Some religions incorporate man and creation into all being connected..
4) With Professor Soyinkas above-noted quote in mind : [ We cannot continue pretending that, as long as any one religion aspires to dictatorship in secular matters, we can call ourselves a nation. A theocratic order is anathema to nation-being, since it implicates exclusion, not inclusion. ]
* I believe Professor Soyinkas statement is correct. Heres what I mean : A Rose By Any Other Name .Is Still A Rose . Akinwande Oluwole "Wole" Soyinka is our esteemed Professors name. What if someone took it upon themselves to call Professor Soyinka some other name ? Would that instantly change who Professor Soyinka actually is ?
Herein lies the problem with the designs of most Religious tenets or beliefs. Man has presumed to know things that Man actually just believes to be true. To believe is to think that something is. There is a big difference between believing and knowing. Believing is an act of faith. Knowing is understanding from firsthand facts. I believe (by faith) that the recorded books of the Bible are true. I know from actual firsthand experience that certain things written in the Bible are true.
5) Based on THE ONLY CONTINUOUS RECORD of Mans Hstory from the time God said ON THE SIXTH (6th) Day Of The Week Let Us Make Man In Our Image , up until the present ; I believe the following generic goals God (Jehovah) has for Man (Adam) : a) MAN , who is Adam and Eve in total , should : * Love Himself * Love Others * Love God
6) IN CONCLUSION : WHAT CAN WE DO EVEN IF WE DONT AGREE ON OUR RELIGIOUS APPROACH ? * Remember A Rose Is A Rose No Matter What We Call It . * We may call ourselves , from a religious perspective, a Christian, Muslim, Jew, Buddhist, Sikh, Atheist, etc.. BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS LOVE. * No matter who we are, if we Love, that is what God (Jehoavah) , The Creator of All, wants Adam to do. * ADAM LOVE.
I agree with Gishola our problem is tribalism for Nigeria is not the only country with numerous religion United state ,Britain and others our case is even beter for t,s only chritians and mosilims are our problem but the major problem is tribalism just look at the current case between external affairs minister and Nigeria amberssador to the United state. we christians in the hausa tribe we have moslims in the yoruber tribe as well as ibo tribe . so the problem is pure triberlism that disturbing Nigerians more especially in politics but when it comes to international football competitions everybody defends nigeria no religion or tribe want nigeria super eagle to loose irrespective of who ever wears the jessy but when it comes to politic our leaders becomes sick and use religion and tribalism as escuse to still and punish the poor masses but all these people eat together in Aso rock and gorvernment houses that time there will be no tribalism and religion discrimations. kaacee
please sir Wole Soyinka let these leaders don,t deceave the poor Nigerians with religion discriminations and tribalsm because there is no such when they share ourmoney among themeselves .when they eat together in the Aso rock and gorvernment house there will be no religion and tribalism when awarding and receiving contracts among eachother the poor hav sufered enough and enough is enough with all these excuses for faliour from the goverment for the poor masses include chritians and moslims ,hausa , yoroba ibo and other minorities we can not even ditermine wish religion or tribe surfers most when it comes to poverty in the country let us face the reality and stop decieving ourselves.kaycee
That foreign ideologies forced on Africans today constitute the biggest danger to our country and people can,t be taken for granted.We have come to the stage whereby we start asking questions about the negative influnces these various foreign ideological concepts are having on us the Africans who had these(religions) lumped down our throats by the invading ARABS and EUROPEANS.Till date these warmogering races of humans still don,t accept us (African) as people and we have fake men of God in Africa furthering this mental slavery for sellfish ends.Africans,wake up and face life the way others are facing it and one aspect of that is believing more in the positives of your roots and culture so as to see the world clearly, a foreign GOD cannot save us but an African centered belief system that tends to take into consideration our cultures and ways of life which we can,t wish away no matter how hard we try.Support indigenous religions with the zeal you support foreign ones,we should save ourselves or we perish as a race, the choice is ours to make.