Nigeria: Dangers of Ethnic, Religious and Sectional Manipulation

opinion

One of the very important values accepted by most people and nations in the world today is the equality of all men. The idea presupposes that everyone is born equal and should be treated as such regardless of racial, ethnic, religious and cultural differences. The Nigerian Constitution, the Charters of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and the United Nations Organisation (UNO) support this value of equality of all men. In fact, equality of persons is one of the very important principles of democracy. Any government that respects democracy must recognize equality of all men in its Constitution.

But despite constitutional provision for equality in our country, we are confronted with dangerous tendency of mutual distrust and manipulation of what divide us by powerful political and religious cum ethnic mongers. In truth, socio-economic cum political inequality is a reality in Nigeria. But in spite of various efforts to eradicate the problem as evidence in the creation and proliferation of states, ethnic "arithmetic", ethnic balancing, federal character, NYSC scheme, Federal Unity Colleges, various formulas for revenue allocation, the policy of WAZOBIA, relocation of federal capital, official and unofficial exhortations for national unity and interethnic tolerance and inter-faith groups, the problem still hunts us.

...

AllAfrica publishes around 400 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.