Posted by By Basil Okafor - basilokafor@sunnewsonline.com on
Father of Relativity, Albert Einstein, once described nationalism as an infantile disease, the measles of mankind....
Father of Relativity, Albert Einstein, once described nationalism as an infantile disease, the measles of mankind.
Such were the passions generated by nationalism that a crest-fallen and disappointed Einstein, having witnessed, first hand, the horrors unleashed on fellow humanity by anti-Semitic zealots, decided to do something to help stop the Nazis before the entire human race went down with them.
Of course, Einstein's role in the Manhattan Project, which ultimately led to America acquiring the atom bomb, brought him even more misery. The subsequent destruction of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the bomb, following Japan's bombing of America's Pearl Harbour, claimed an estimated 150,000 to 220,000 lives in one fell swoop and wounded even more people.
Indeed, the passions of nationalism could flare even higher than the gas fields of Nigeria's Niger Delta region and when unleashed on a foe, could only be as scalding as witnessed in the conflagration that consumed the doomed twin Japanese cities. Or, for that matter, Hitler's gas chambers of Dachau and Auswitchz/Birkinau, before it.
Extreme nationalism has brought the world untold misery but on the other hand, when mobilised, great nationalists are an unstoppable positive force for the good of their collective stake - the nation. Could such nationalistic zeal be generally, easily aroused for Nigeria, in an average citizen of this entity called Nigeria, for the sake of another fellow citizen, but not of his own ethnic group?
This is doubtful, judging from the many experiences Nigeria has passed through and is still passing through. So, if not, why not?
In Nigeria, the antagonisms of extreme nationalism are inward bound. Equally, the zeal that drives citizens to work and achieve for state is self-serving because, as we saw here last week, there is no state to serve, in the first place. What Nigeria is, in reality, is a quasi-state; a conglomerate of ethnic nationalities forced to live together for a purpose - to be exploited.
When therefore, as we equally saw during the 1966 crises and have continued to witness during general elections and such upheavals, ethno-religious conflicts have always erupted into serious and fatal conflagrations, with such inward antagonisms as which passions could only be matched by the nationalism of various states at war. It is thus easier to exploit a group between whom there is hardly any love lost.
Nigeria as it is today is just a utopia; a dream of a state that could be achievable if properly discussed and agreed upon, guided of course, by a code of ethics, of truth, of equity and of fairness. Is Nigeria, as presently constituted, based upon any principles at all, let alone those of equity and truth?
There are too many examples to show that the Nigerian state does not enjoy any of these ideals, which is why virtually everyone these days prefers to work for himself or herself. Many ordinary people, who, in the past, dedicated themselves to the service of Nigeria, got nothing but misery in return, as being witnessed presently from the plight of pensioners. This kind of anomaly is only possible where no nation and therefore no nationalistic spirit exist. There is generally no stake in a nation. The spirit is that of 'every man for himself, God for us all".
With such tearaway attitude, everyone is eager for what they could grab from the Centre - for tribe or group, for church or mosque, for club or friends, for town or for family, for wife/husband and children, for concubines or for boyfriends, as the case may be. These many forces tear Nigeria apart instead of pooling together the available enormous resources that should, otherwise build a very great nation.
Therefore, many who over the years, have claimed to be 'nationalists", who love Nigeria very passionately, are only being extremely economical with the truth. There is no such possibility of loving what is not in existence, what one cannot behold and appreciate. These people are only confusing love of self and what they could gain for themselves and their interests, from a lopsided entity such as Nigeria, with love of nation. They only love and appreciate Nigeria the way anyone would love and appreciate his Sallah ram or Christmas goat - tasty, in an aromatic pot of stew!
Like the Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddhafi points out in his Third Universal Theory, love is a centrifugal force that emanates from a core and radiates outwardly. Therefore, it is impossible for a man who does not love his family well, to love his kinsmen. It is equally impossible for one who does not love his town well, to love his tribe and so on, to the larger society, which is nation.
The challenge before the leadership of this country therefore, is how to device a means of transmuting this great love that our people have for themselves into a nationalistic zeal for the good of the generality of a Nigerian nation. The only means by which this is possible is through an equitable society, ruled by truth.
Such ideal nation-state is only possible with leadership that has a clearly defined programme. But how many of the present contestants to replace President Obasanjo in Aso Rock really have the foggiest idea of what to do for Nigeria when elected into office? How many of them can produce a well-articulated manifesto?
The point, however, is that even with the best manifesto, without a fundamental restructure of this artificial country called Nigeria, there may be no way forward. The only basis for building a society ruled by freedom, individual liberty, justice, truth, equity and fair play that we all desire so badly, is when we sit down and discuss our future together, truthfully and dispassionately, without intimidation from any quarters, whatsoever.
Africans, including Nigerians, are destined to tear down the walls of ethnic and parochial prejudices, if they must find lasting peace and happiness. That is the wish of the God of Africa that brought every one of us together under one pigment of skin, in the first place.
What hasn't nationalistic zeal done to, and for humanity? It led the Nazis to horrendous war crimes. It brought out the very best in humanists like Albert Einstein, but that best led to the eventual destruction of innocent Japanese. When the good sides of nationalism were re-channelled into positive goals, they helped a great nation like the United States wax into a super-power.
The re-channelling of Nigeria's great potentials is the major task before our leaders of 2007. To do this, they must organise a Sovereign National Conference for Nigeria. That is the wish of the Almighty God Himself.