The ills of 'False Pride': the Biafran dilemma

By Abdul-Rahman Baban Saibo

babansaibo@gmail.com

"... No matter, we keep on reminding ourselves, as if such purposeless, painful, shameless reminders were a legitimate excuse for our grand failure, that the Malaysians got their first palm tree seedlings from us! An admission of our ineptitude, no doubt a balm for our ego bruised by the crass sins of embarrassing nonperformance, but certainly not an atonement for the abomination of our inexcusable wilful neglect." The late Abubakar Gimba said in a Presidential address delivered at the 1999 annual conference of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA).

There's a disease that feasts on us. By us I mean humans. That disease is neither viral nor bacterial. As a matter of fact, biologically, it does not exist. Yet, this disease is as deadly as Ebola itself. It manifests on the system until it is certain that the system is no longer functional -or at least, it ensures that the harm done would take a lifetime to recover. It is slow, yet it is crucial. Like Cancer. Only it does not have any physical occurrence. Though it does not possess any physical characteristics, it is terminal at all stages.

This disease differs not so much from Ebola in every respect except in physicality. For even in name they resemble. It is 'Ego'. Were we now to add the 2 letters, "la", that ends the former to the latter, they would become the identical twins that only differ in character (physical effects). Why don't we try it?

Recently, a nicely composed post had its days on Facebook (and other Social medias). It was a well concise write up about the Hausa man. This message was of course meant to counter the harsh insults that was poured upon the Hausa man by his Igbo counterpart. The post enumerates how the Hausa man had the privileges of wearing clothes at a time whence the Igbo wore not. It says that the Hausa man was found by the European living an ordered civil life. That the Hausa man was never put to slavery. That he spoke a well oriented dialect which was recognized (and spoken) far and wide, beyond his own soils. In essence, this write up meant to say that were the Hausa man practicing Colonialism in those days, he, and not Lord Lugard, would have had the liberty of Amalgamating the two Protectorates -or at least so it portrayed.

I remember a friend (Ayatullah Elzhi) mentioning having a 'problem' with the narrative when it was shared with a group we belong to (on WhatsApp) by another brother. His distaste was thus that if the Hausa man would feel such pride, how comes he is now beneath his adversary in terms of growth and development? Is vicissitude the nature of his progress? (Or perhaps he's got the Benjamin Botton's disease!). Does he cry out loud in this tone to console his present wounds with his past remedies? Why mention the past if it does not have any effect on the present?

The mistake that man has always stumbled into, time and time again, is succombing to that 'false' impression that, 'since the past was good, the present isn't that bad either'. He chooses to tell himself a story of greatness that has foregone -or sometimes is yet to come- hence living in a duo; one of the mental past or that which he framed to achieve (e.i., yet to come); the other of the physical present -that which never lasts, for long. That is ego -which Ryan Holiday declared, "The Enemy"!

Man was made, by his Creator, a dependent machine. A mutual survivor by nature. An adaptive creature. And, unlike any other animal, an individualistic skilled organism through which his life's sustenance and way of living is derived. In this case then, no one can ultimately deny the mutual dependence that has far grown beyond the recognition of original formation between the Hausa and the Igbo. Not the Colonial masters. Not even Lord Lugard himself!

Indeed, the false pride of the Hausa man is not any different from that of the Igbo man. They both bear identical bruises. The bruise of want of 'Recognition'. A recognition of significance; of relevance; of matter. Each group sounding a trumpet of proficiency. The Hausa, of fairness, equality and justice in leadership. The Igbo, of ownership of resources and economic schema. (Not faraway, their western brother, singing songs of learnedness and intellectual knowhow -one whom we would consider a neutral in the harsh stand. At least for now!)

The two have grown fond of one another in love, yet in hate. Love for the socioeconomic attachments they have nurtured for over half a century. Hate for the counterfeit ethno-political and religious bigotry that have (politically) been instilled between them.

As the Hausa have become so attached to the commercial schema and perseverance as well as the business diversification of the Igbo, it is as much as the Igbo have mustered a compassion for the simplicity, fairness, and lack of bigotry in his brother. Thus, a natural matrimony between the two was sealed. But the question remains thus, 'what gown wore the bride and what suit wore the groom?'

It is important, here, to reflect on some historic events to which some claims of the discord may be linked, or perhaps be resulted from. Before the independence in 1960, the country's economy solely depended on agriculture, which was largely produced by the North. Thus, the green trade between the North and the South was strengthened. That brought about the gross production and industrialization of groundnut, wheat, coacoa, cotton, rubber, millet and more, which were exported to other countries. These foodstuffs were the backbone of the country's economy before the discovery of Oil.

In 1956, when Crude Oil was discovered in Nigeria, much attention was invested in the exploration of it and with time little to no attention remained on agriculture. That very well brought the decline of agricultural produce, hence turning the country, which was amongst the world's largest exporters of foodstuff, into an importer of food. A rather radical negative turnover!

It wasn't long after when the economist's 'Resource Curse theory' hit the very center of the Nation. As you know, of course, Resource Curse is not a scientific phenomena that occurs in an economy booming State. Resource Curse is simply 'greed'. That thing which is owned and nurtured by the 'able' few. The ones in control. Those whom say 'what should, when should and how'. The Elite.

Resource Curse is simply an offspring of 'Egola' (that which we spoke of earlier). Now, Egola has an evolutionary lifespan just like its 'biological' twin sister -Ebola. It grows in forms and then transforms. At first it is only a feeling; a suggestion. Then it becomes an impression; an idea. Then a behavior; a norm. And that is when it becomes 'greed'. Now greed births envy; envy births jealousy; jealousy births hate; and hate births prejudice. And prejudice is the great grand daughter of Egola. We'll see how, shortly.

Whilst the Igbo blames the Hausa for parasitism now, the Hausa blames the Igbo for the same thing in the past. How ironic! I call it the 'paradoxical juxtaposition of claims'. The Igbo claims that the Hausa leaches on his resources. His', for reasons that it (the resources) is being extracted from his own land. The Hausa on the other hand claims it was his sweat that was used to explore those resources. But that's not just it. In fact, that's not it at all!

The real claims are actually hidden in words and acted in gestures. The true claim of both regions is political. Simple! The truth is, there was a sewn discord between the two since the events that resulted in the 1966 coup dé ta and the Civil War which exploded thence after. And thus, a motive inspired the conviction that defines both the parties' grievances: that non of the parties shall come to trust the other with the nation's leadership, henceforth.

But again, that's not the end of the story. Not even close.

Coming back to my friend's disapproval of the claims and pride of the Hausa man over his Igbo counterpart, 'how is it that the Hausa man is proud of never being enslaved by the white man, yet, he finds it soothing being in shackles by his own fellow Hausa man?' And that goes to the Igbo as well. If your own kind would hold you a prisoner on your own rights, yet still, you can't see that that's the problem, then that is called 'blindness' - and that's, indeed, one of the last stages of Egola.

If the Hausa man would continue to parade on claims of freedom and 15th century civilization over his counterpart, then why is it that his own kind, his everyday leader, leaves him in destitute and desperation; in ruins and shame; in hunger and illiteracy? And why does the Igbo square hate and blames on the Hausa when it is the same Igbo whom leads him and leaves him in the very same poverty and insecurity; unemployment and underdevelopment; hopelessness and regret?

Here's the explanation. It is said that when ebolavirus infects the body, it takes charge of the cells, and by so doing it replicates itself in the blood system thereby causing permeability within the blood vessels. It then blocks the 'neutrophils', these are the white blood cells in charge of alerting the body's immune system. 'But this virus is one damned smart virus, I tell you.' It then finds its way to commandeer the immune system itself, turning it into a transport system, hence, through this aid the virus finds its ways into the most vital organs of the body.

That's, precisely, the same thing that happens when its psychological twin strikes. Once the person develops an idea -true or false- he finds his ego creating for itself a storyline which would negate every immediate hindrance that could tarnish the absoluteness of that idea. In other words, it blocks all faculties of reasoning. It then develops itself to becoming a motive. And then... Blindness!

Both the Hausa and his Igbo counterpart chose to neglect the very basic reason for their woes. They rather, instead of shameful self blame, see their counterpart as the cause of their woes. That's the denial of truth in the absolute sense of the phrase. A willful deliberate blindness. It is the self restraint, for instead of asking "Oh master, why hath thou forsaken me?" They'd rather ask "Oh fellow compatriot, why doth thou torture me?" When there has never been any evidence of either one torturing the other!

Ego maneuvers every truth to becoming false. And sometimes false becomes reason. This reason culminates every pride, envy and hate. And there, is where Prejudice becomes a descendant of Ego. End of story!

It is rather due time the discordants realise that the attires they were forced to wear on their wedding day makes them appear absolutely hideous (even makes them act it!). It is no fault of the bride that the gown looks ugly. Neither is it any fault of the groom that the suit didn't fit. Perhaps it is the fault of the priest whom read to them their vows. Perhaps!

Be the case as it may, it doesn't really matter anymore. For the truth remains to be, it is the duty of the Igbo people to declare Namdi Kanu a criminal and have him called to book as such -and not the Hausa man. For if Namdi Kanu stands, in anyway, to be a threat, then it is a threat that would claim more harm to his people than not. It is rather wise to kill the ego now, for it has been proven to be an epidemic and as deadly as its biological twin sister.

Therefore I reiterate what Abubakar Gimba ended his rather 'conscience awakening' speech with, "... We, as a people, must work on ourselves. The key is in our hands... The greed in us, the selfishness, the prejudice, the inconsideration, the impatience, the intolerance, the arrogance, the pride, all evils, screen us from a dignifying greatness. All the corruption and oppression that have dwarfed us and stunted our growth are a manifestation of these devilish traits in us. We must school ourselves to tame these devils in us, and face the real issues, and not chase shadows based on narrow minded calculations camouflaged as altruistic pursuits. Lamenting the issue of tribalism for instance. Harping on tribalism is shadow-chasing. Tribalism needs not be applauded any less than nationalism and patriotism, or even brotherhood. We only need to seive out the dishonest manipulation of any group identity, prejudiced exclusivity, and unjust advancement through false exultation of one's group to the detriment of others... Thus group identification is not the problem. The real culprit are the untamed devils in us. And to effectively fight these, we must arm ourselves with honesty, justice... "

This is indeed the truth in which the Hausa, the Igbo and even their Western brother, in pretence of neutrality, needs to awaken to, and embrace with every heartfelt compassionate desire. For it remains that, "The world will not respect Africa until Nigeria earns that respect. The black people of the 'world' need Nigeria to be great as a source of pride and confidence." -Madiba