WHY BETTER TOGETHER NIGERIA PROJECT ?

Some people trace the root of ethnic and religious problems in Nigeria to 1914 when the Northern & Southern protectorate were joined “together” to form one nation off multi-ethnic/religious interest. They argue that Nigeria’s diversity fuelled tribalism, ethnic minority insecurity, religious fighting, ethnic politics, secessionist agitation, political instability and I think they are right because of the conflict theory: “For various reason but above all contentions over limited resources diversity fosters out group distrust and in-group solidarity”.          

But B2G Project Team think they maybe wrong if they also believe that the only way to solving Nigeria’s diversity problem is for Nigerian to be divided (back) into its primeval form. The questions promoters of such idea must answer are: Is Nigeria’s ethnic & religious diversity more than of the – G-20 nations which WE want to join by 2020? Despite the relevance of true federalism, don’t we have these (same) issues of diversity in our different regions and states, religions, town unions & families?

We think our diversity is not our main problem. Our population and diversity itself is an asset if well managed. The problem, we think is.

·        Mismanagement of resources (corruption)

·        Mismanagement of our ethnic & religious diversity. (Ethnic/religious politics).

This fact was recognized by General Yakubu Gowon (as) far back as 1966:

Suffice to say putting all consideration to test – political economic as well as social - the basis of unity is not there or it has been so badly handled not once but several times. 

The civil war was fought to address the effect of this diversity mismanagement. At the end Gowon said jubilantly “In this war, there’s no victor, no vanquished”. And many in the old Nigeria said “We fought to understand ourselves better”. Many expected that war ended the crisis of ethnic and religious diversity in Nigeria but it happened again several times again and it’s still happening. Today (with exceptions) what prevails in Nigerian politics, public offices, and schools, religions etc is misunderstanding, divisions, discrimination, hatred and conflicts.

To be recruited to fill a public position you must not only know people in power, but also come from the same ethnic group or even practice the same religious faith. The same procedure is adopted even in the admission of young people/students to government owned education institutions, electioneering etc.

But we think all GENIUNE LEADERS (Christian leaders, Muslim and non religious leaders) in Nigeria will not allow things to continue like this. We need to divide Nigeria or find an alternative of making it Better-Together. We need to improve or better the way leaders/people of different ethnic & religious identities view and relate with each other in this country. We need to respect people’s ethnic and religious identity but, also give them, at some point in a month, an opportunity to meet and want to be with people with whom they have something in common that’s not defined by their religion or ethnicity  alone. We need BETTER 2 TOGETHER NIGERIA PROJECT:  TV SHOWS,RADIO PROGRAMS AND LIVE EVENTS where young people & leaders from different faiths, ethnic & social backgrounds comes together to better understand each other, build mutually benefiting relationship with each other, develop their leadership abilities & work together to  better Nigeria. Doing this will not only help build stronger bridges of understanding, relationship between Nigeria people of different ethnic/religious backgrounds, give us opportunities to grow or develop our leadership abilities & act together with others to impact social issues of choice deep concerns. It will also tell a different and positive story of Nigerian youths, from different religious, ethnic and social background-now taking better actions together.

Diversity by (its) nature triggers /produces tension in communities. And diversity tensions left unattended leads to inter -group conflicts. Inter-group conflicts leads to more inter-group tensions and more tensions leads to more conflicts. Diversity tensions left unattended (therefore) does not go away, it only fester, grow and underground. The mistake we make lies in the assumption that “our diversity will one day lead to peace & unity”. But social science & faith findings and common sense shows that’s impossible.      

DIVERSITY WELL ENGAGED CAN BUILD SOCIAL COHESION (UNITY) AND SOCIAL CAPITAL (CIVIC ENGAGEMENT) WHILE DIVERSITY LEFT UNATTENDED TENDS TOWARDS TENSION & CONFLICTS

In other words B2G understand that:       

·     Those that appear as stable societies worldwide are not necessarily the ones that are devoid of diversity and conflict, but the ones that have with experience learned to manage diversity to thwart explosive situations. The duty facing the modern Nigerian Youths, citizens & leaders therefore is the need to reeducate people on the various social & cultural factors that frustrate ethnic & religious groups relationship. These leaders should also examine previous solutions to the problems and look for alternative strategies not necessarily to eradicate the problems but to seek understand ways to effectively manage ethnic & religious diversity in order to enhance social & economic advantage. (Samuel C. Ugoh Dept. of Political Science, Unilag & I.U. Wilfred  Dept. of Industrial Psychology of people Management. – University of Johannesburg).

·     That people find it easier to trust one another and cooperate when the social distance between them is less. When the social distance is small there is a feeling of common identity, closeness and shared experiences. But when the social distance is great people perceive and treat the other as belonging to different category. Social distance in turn depends on social identity: our sense of who are .Identity itself is socially constructed and can be socially deconstructed and reconstructed. This sort of change do happen anytime in any dynamic & evolving society. The challenges that diversity pose to social cohesion and social capital are best met “not by making them like us” but rather by “creating a new, more capacious (Bigger) sense of we”. A reconstruction of diversity that does not bleach our specificities but creates an over-arching identities that ensure that those specificities do not trigger allergic reactions (Robert Putnam – Diversity and Communities in the 21^st Century).     

Therefore to manage, mitigate and overcome the challenges that Nigeria’s diversity poses to its promises, unity and progress (both in states & regions) – we need a need Better Together Nigeria Project:And We need youth leaders, development activists, student leaders, entertainers, relationship experts, public speakers ,project consultants, faith leaders  like you who have  to SUPPORT The initiation AND IMPLEMENTation of  SOCIAL PROJECTS,CAMPAIGNS,EVENTS AND POLICIES that can effectively diffuse those ethnic religious, economic & political tensions; Concepts, ideologies & attitudes which drives ethnic/religious misunderstanding, discrimination, divisions and conflict in this system- Nigeria & To promote concepts that builds cooperation.Not necessarily to eradicate them but to effectively manage them in-order to Better our interfaith & interethnic relationships & to attain  moral, economic and political objectives.

We need young people and leaders in Better Together Nigeria project because without stronger understanding, relationship and cooperation between young people of all faiths and cultures i.e. future leaders and citizens of Nigeria, we can only look forward to continuous ethnic/religious discrimination, hatred & conflict in the 21^st century but our role model in the 21^st century Nigeria should be our founding fathers. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Alhaji Tafawa Balawa were youth leaders from different ethnic, social and religious backgrounds who despite their differences, came together and built the bridge of leadership understanding & cooperation that became stronger than the powers of colonialism – wining Nigeria’s independence.

Our generation of youths & leaders will write our own story through B2G Nigeria Project.

Events involving people of different ethnic & religious cultures were seen in the past as opportunity resigned to ethnic  leaders and theology scholars. Now B2G also see this shifting to become a social platform (a tool) for managing our diversity i.e. for the consolidating democracy, unity & faith in the 21^st century.

And within shift, the youth are the most well endowed to lead because:

·     Youths are no more the leaders of tomorrow but leaders of today. We are the new generation of leaders & citizens. In the next 20, 30 -50 years we are the ones that will suffer the worst effects of persisting ethnic & religious division/conflict or the fruits of a Better Together Nigeria.

·     Youths played important roles in social change leadership in the past. Youth leadership played significant roles in the struggle for independence in Nigeria & other African States in 20^th century  and in the restoration of the institutions of democracy etc. Our generation of youths & leaders can write their own story through Better Together Nigeria Project.

·     Though daily news are filled with tensions & news of conflicts & division, many youths in Nigerian urban cities have grown up in friendship with people of different religious & ethnic perspectives.

Add to these your own reason + Nigerian youths desire to explore, for relationship, and for progress & peace. Then you will see why the youths should lead Better Together Nigeria Project.

The time has come therefore for us to rise above ethnic and religious boundaries and unite against divisions, discrimination conflict, suffering & deprivations (using creativity not protests). But there’s a tendency for us to think that A Better Together Nigeria is a sole responsibility of military men and position politicians. I want to challenge this concept with the aim of making us Better youth leaders/citizens.

Citizens initiatives like Better Together project is needed also even if it lacks instruments of coercion & laws- because laws and force (alone) cannot lead to sustainable peace & progress. Citizens or grass root initiatives often have greater credibility to people and may therefore be able to win the friendship and cooperation of groups who don’t TRUST the police, soldiers, and political agents. Government security operations, peace efforts and conflict resolutions will do better by relying on grassroots organizations. “The top down strategy (laws & military force) though necessary is insufficient.                                                                                               Unity & faith peace, progress needs to start from the deep politics of the society reverberating from there upwards to the high politics of the state. National integration efforts should be characterized by a more inclusive bottom-up efforts so that SPACES can be created for the emergence of a strong united & civilized Nigerian society. BETTER TOGETHER NIGERIA PROJECT IS THEREFORE THE MOST IMPORTANT NEED IN NIGERIA NOW! And we are looking for Leaders & Citizens like you.