THE CAPACITY IN
NIREC TO GROW A NATION
Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua
Whenever
the lyrics of the National anthem are echoed, the Nigerian citizens are
reminded of their pledge to “serve our fatherland” as “one nation bound in freedom, peace and unity.”
In spite of this oath of allegiance to serve one nation, some people have
opined that Nigeria is not a nation but a mere geographical expression. One
would have expected that the construction of this one nation that started long
ago would have been completed by now with visible dividends of what a civilized
nation should be. The human and natural resources are not in short supply so
there is no reason to remain at the level we are now. In 1960, this building
project of one nation was taken over by those who thought that the human beings
who were amalgamated from different empires and tribes would have a new
identity in a way and manner that each citizen would be proud to be called a
Nigerian. With Nigeria’s independence, it was thought that the end of slavery
and colonialism had been achieved. Unfortunately, Nigeria is still gasping for
breath like a patient on oxygen with a life seeking for meaning.
This project of
national identity has been fractured into Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo and the tribes that
are labelled ethnic minorities. Since independence, almost every civilian and
military leader thought that like a good orthopedic surgeon, he or she could
mend these broken bones to form one body. The civil war slogan, “to keep
Nigeria one is a task that must be done” indicated that this project to build
and grow one Nigeria was not feasible. The civil war should have taught the
ruling class in Nigeria that the gun and weapons of mass destruction cannot
unite a nation. The gun cannot kill an ideology nor cannot it impose virtue in
the hearts of human beings hence unity in diversity has become a mirage in
Nigeria. The evidence before us today shows that even the level at which the
colonial masters had attained in this project Nigeria has been sustained only as
a selfish dream to enrich some opportunist politicians and military dictators
who had access to the national treasury. Today, what rules Nigeria is not ideas
but money. This is why Late Prof. Dora Akunyili who led the Ministry
of Information and Communications in the “Rebranding Nigeria Campaign” died
without realizing her dream. May she rest in perfect peace forever!
I
would not like to go through the frustrations of the different leaders in
Nigeria who have indicated interest to build a nation that is free of ethnic
bigotry and religious discrimination. The incumbent President and the immediate
past President would suffice for our enquiry. During the political campaigns in
2015, President Muhammadu
Buhari lamented the depth of division religion and ethnicity has eaten deep
into Nigeria. He said: “Wicked
propagandists continue to spread vicious lies about me for political gain,
including claiming that I once asked Muslims not to vote for Christians. This
must be the height of absurdity. How could I ever say that, when whoever voted
for me would be voting for the Christian running with me on the same ticket?
And how could I ever say that of Christians when my own holy book, the Qur’an,
tells me that in the entire world those that are nearest in love to me are
those who believe in Jesus Christ? I ask, who, intending to win any election,
ever does that? How can I choose southern Christian running mates (Chuba
Okadigbo of blessed memory, Pastor Tunde Bakare and Pastor Yemi Osinbajo) and
with them by my side make such silly utterances” (https://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/267533/2019) ?
The immediate past Presidents has expressed his frustrations in his
recent book: Goodluck
Ebele Jonathan, My Transition Hours,
Kingwood, Ezekiel Books, 2018. Just a few quotations may drive home our points
in searching for this one nation: “It takes conscience to use power as a shield
and ego to use power as a sword” (Page 2). “When some individuals preach one
Nigeria in public, those who know them better in private simply chuckle. One
Nigeria, where there is equity, fairness and justice is what I believe is best
for the people of this country” (Page 17). “In Nigeria, during football matches
involving the national teams and foreign teams, both Christians and Muslims
sing and dance to the tune of the same music. That is patriotism. In politics,
I am yet to see such patriotism” (Page 20). “Until African politicians consider
their countries’ interest first in whatever they do, the continent will
continue to lag behind. Politics should be about the people and not about
fighting to occupy offices (Page 26).
With
the above exposition, one may be right to ask me: “If the search for one nation
has not be successful since the creation and independence of Nigeria, why do
you venture into the same search now through the Nigeria Inter-Religious
Council (NIREC)? I could begin my answer with the preamble to the Constitution
of NIREC that appears to me like a compass that points to the direction of our
search: “We, the representative of the two Principal Religions - Islam and
Christianity in Nigeria, having voluntarily decided by ourselves to come
together to form an association on the 11th day of September, 1999,
and the association having been inaugurated on the 29th day of
September, 1999, guided by our divine revelations and the dictates of our
CREATOR, determined, within the context of our religions, to forge Inter-Religious
harmony and concord, having firmly and solemnly resolved, within the confines
of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to live in unity,
harmony and peace for the welfare, security and prosperity of our peoples and
our Nation under God, do hereby make, enact and give to ourselves this
Constitution to guide and direct our collective endeavors.”
With
this declaration, I have no reason to doubt the sincerity of our Religious
leaders in this resolve to influence the politicians who are either Muslims or
Christians to grow, promote and sustain a united Nigeria. I take my endorsement
as Executive Secretary of NIREC as a mission given to me by God through the
CBCN and the Executive of NIREC. ARTICLE 3 of the Constitution of NIREC points
to a direction that can help our mission to discover a united Nigeria. This
article articulates the aims and objectives of the council among which are: To honestly
and sincerely understand the true teachings of the two religions; promote
dialogue between Christians and Muslims; inculcate moral, ethical, social and
cultural values of the two faiths for the rebirth and rebuilding of a better
society; to provide a forum for mutual co-operation and promotion of the welfare
of all citizens in the nation; to create fora and channels for the peaceful
resolution of any friction or misunderstanding that may arise from time to
time; to serve as an avenue for articulating cordial relationship amongst the
various religious groups and between them and the Government; to assist the
Federal, State, and Local Governments of Nigeria and the Populace by
emphasizing and accentuating the positive roles religion should play in nation
building and development; to serve as a forum to achieve national goals,
economic growth, national unity and promotion of political stability; to
consider and make recommendations to the Federal and other levels of Government
on matters that may assist in fostering integral and spiritual development of
Nigerians; to make recommendations on such other matters as the Federal and
other levels of Government may from time to time refer to the Council and to network
with organizations of similar aims at home and internationally, for the
furtherance of the objectives of the Council.
NIREC
can reposition Nigeria if what matters is the common good of the nation and not
the contest for supremacy between Christians and Muslims. NIREC Secretariat
should be a home for every Christian and Muslim. Given that the NIREC office is
situated in the Federal Secretariat, the staff of NIREC should engage the staff
of the Federal Secretariat in a way and manner that the Federal Secretariat
could be a model of what a nation should look like. At resumption of office as
Executive Secretary of NIREC, I visited the Imam in charge of the Mosque and
the Police officers in the Police Station at the Federal Secretariat. They all
expressed the need to work together to grow a united Nigeria where peace,
progress, justice and freedom could be core values. With these experiences and
the opportunity, we could take NIREC to the grassroots by visiting the different
States with the message of building a nation where everybody would be proud to
be called a Nigerian. If the Nigerian government could provide an office space
for NIREC inside the Federal Secretariat, then NIREC is one of the ways we can
discover the capacity of that can discover the nation God willed Nigeria to be.
May this our search for one nation through NIREC not be in vain!
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