Brothers and sister, I know that the result of the 2019 presidential election was a cause for sorrow and worry for millions of Nigerians. While for others, it was a moment to exult and rejoice. The unfortunate implication of this is that the gulf between supporters and opponent of Buhari and the APC administration grew as large as the gap between the minimum wage of Nigerian workers and the security votes of state governors.
Now, we must contend with two distinct and irreconcilable Nigerians aiming guns at each other, sizing each other up and tearing each other down. Even families are being torn apart. We are increasingly unable to agree on common meanings for truth. By so doing, we pose an unprecedented threat to ourselves.
Brothers and sister, I am disturbed by the bitterness and rhetoric in our political discourse even when it is bordering on serious issues such as the present insecurity in the land. Too many of us are too angry to listen, to learn or find out facts before joining in spreading propaganda materials aimed at dividing Nigerians.
But while we so quickly point to and yell at our real and perceived opponents, the real threat is ourselves - that we are losing faith in our commonalities and trust in each other. Brothers and sister, we cannot afford to be divided in this fashion. That’s why I am here to let you know that we are stronger together than we are alone.
Brothers and sister, the truth is that what unites us as Nigerians is so much greater than the divisions implied by doomsayers and agents of destruction bent on igniting ethno-religious violence in Nigeria. Even though we have lived side by side for ages, we still have a lot to learn about each other.
Fellow Nigerians, we all have limited resources and can't use them battling each other. No matter how hurt our feelings are, how offended we might feel that other Nigerians are not ideologically in line with us or culturally sensitive enough, that's nothing compared to what is on the horizon when the Armageddon we are courting arrives.
That goes for everybody. Tiv bodies, Jukun bodies, Igbo bodies, Yoruba bodies, Ijaw bodies, Gwari bodies, Hausa bodies, Kanuri bodies, Christian bodies, Muslim bodies, etc. For a peaceful and sustainable Nigeria, we should all work together to create prosperity for all. The fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results is working together. Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.
Brothers and sisters, now is not the time for sectional division or dogmatic idealism. We are not at our best when we are ‘against’ something, but rather, we at our best when we are ‘for’ something. Let us as
Nigerians, together, preserve our resources for the big battles for good governance at all levels of government. There is strength in working together as Nigerians. When we take time to help one another up the mountain, we will scale the mountain ourselves. We are stronger, together.
Brothers and sisters, the more narrowly we define ourselves, the worse off we are. If we can act collectively as a broad coalition of people who do not want to live in a corrupt system, that's a LOT of people. A lot of people are harder to control than a few people. Let's open the tent for all Nigerians. Better still, let's ditch the tent and build a partnership of Nigerians across all ethnicities to rescue our nation. We are stronger, together.
Brothers and sisters, let us remember that the more willing we are to trash each other, or other ethnic group or religion, the less likely we are to succeed. We have what it takes to stop the rapid decline of our cohesion and brotherhood, as imperfect as it may be, if we act strategically, together. There are many battles to be won to save the soul of Nigeria, but we should battle them together.
Brothers and sisters, let us put a stop to this new-found love in the promotion of hate and violence. With love, we can overcome our fears. With love, we can confront them, together. That’s the only way we can defeat the oppressors in Lagos, Kano, Abia, and Adamawa. We are stronger, together.
As Nigerians being oppressed by the corrupt political class that has no religious or ethnic predisposition; as Nigerians living together without access to clean water and electricity; as Nigerians without access to health care; as Nigerians sickening and then dying together, we must overcome our differences for us to rise, together, as a nation.
Brothers and sisters, I’m fully aware that not everyone shares in my sense of love and concern for Nigeria but quantum physics and spiritual texts tell us that we are all one. Let us, therefore, come together and let our voice be heard by the oppressors in our government houses, state and national assemblies. We are stronger, together.
Brothers and sisters, even with our differences, we still share common hopes for our children and grandchildren even if not for the nation. I, therefore, invite everyone to work together. There is a way forward. It is not the path of tribal or religious politics. Nor can it be the path of constantly wishing for evil to befall Nigeria. Rather, it is the straight path which begins with the biblical precept of love as a good touchstone to judge our actions.
Christianity, Islam, and even Judaism, the new religion of brother Nnamdi Kanu, all share the notion that we stem from common ancestors: Adam and Eve. We are, thus, one great family of Nigerian citizens, no matter what religion, what God we worship, or how we worship. If we could but do for our neighbours as we wish for ourselves, guarantee equity and justice, we will be stronger, together.
Fellow Nigerians, one foot isn’t enough to walk with. Let us join hands and walk together. We need to constantly remind ourselves that family names are like flowers; they blossom in clusters. If we see ourselves as one big Nigerian family, we will blossom.
Finally, fellow Nigerians, though tribe and tongue may differ, We Are Stronger, Together. Still.
Together, we can
You can email Churchill at Churchill.okonkwo@gmail.comor follow him on Twitter @churchillnnobi
Opinion AddThis : Original Author : Churchill Okonkwo
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