There are two major fallacies Nigerians grow up with about their country; one, that it is composed of many ‘tribes’ rendering national cohesion difficult, if not impossible. Two, that it has hundreds, perhaps 500+ of ‘languages’, making the adoption of English as the country’s lingua franca not only inevitable, but also a fait accompli. Although these sweeping statements have been debunked in a few scholarly writings, we, nonetheless, need to explode, and double explode the myths in public fora, again, and again, if possible; till the cows come home. They are patently false, as they are the lingering relics of Nigeria’s colonial education.

This write-up was actually prompted by an interesting encounter I had with a bunch of highly enthusiastic, highly intelligent, teenage university undergraduates recently. I asked them an open question: is Nigeria a country of tribes or nations? It was instantly met with a howl of; tribes, yeah, yes, tribes! Really? I interjected, looking most incredulous. They yelled out the same line over and over again, pretty confidently. Then, I decided to challenge their assertion, since they sounded so settled in it. I asked them to list the characteristics of a tribe alongside that of a nation. Just hold your breath…

“For a tribe, we have shared language, history, cultural affinity, territory, extended family, food, custom, aesthetics, etc”. Fair enough, I said. When they started listing the characteristics of a nation, however, they found themselves almost repeating the same indices as for a tribe. They now became argumentative, dumbfounded, and befuddled. I had made my point. They instinctively knew what a ‘tribe’ stands for, because, they have been conditioned to live in a world of ‘tribes’. But, there was no such consensus on what a nation is, because, they have no consciousness of living in one. Tribal identity in Africa was a social construct passed on through colonial education that later formed the basis upon which African nations reference one other to this day.

In Nigeria, ‘tribe’ was even weaved into the old national anthem as a parting gift by the British in 1960; “…thou tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand…”, before the Nigerian political leaders suddenly got wise and erased it from the new anthem in 1978. Digging a little deeper into history, the British ‘explorers’ and other European powers believed they were encountering “savages” and “primitive” civilisation when they embarked upon their mission to colonise the African continent from the 1800s. To them, any thought of the “primitives” and “savages” having well-established nations and thousands of years’ civilisation potentially rivalling their own was simply unimaginable. It was a denial of the humanity of the Africans. They needed to advance a theory of racial superiority in order to bolster their notion of Africans as inferior beings. Seeing African territories as fully developed nations (though not yet states) would have elevated those nations unto a position of parity with those of their own, and negated their civilianising mission. Much better for the ‘Masters’ to proclaim Africans as semi-formed, disjointed little ‘tribes’ instead.

Consequently, centuries-old Kingdoms such as the Kush (Egypt), Aksum (Tunisia), The Mali Empire, Songhai Empire, The Great Zimbabwe, etc, all in the processes of developing into modern states were rudely and brutally interrupted by the forces of imperialism, which turned them into conquered enclaves and latter-day ‘tribes’. It was an assault on the collective psyche of Africans.

When it comes to the small European enclaves, then, those were fully formed nations; not “savages”. Even the tiniest European country of Liechtenstein, today, with a population of about 40,000 inhabitants (a typical street in Lagos) is recognised as a nation with representation in world bodies. Wales, a constituent part of the United Kingdom, with a population of three million, is a nation with its own flag and representations in major international competitions. Now, what makes these two nations, nations, and the Igbo, the Hausa, the Yoruba in Nigeria, with 3,000 years of civilisation, and a combined population of over 100 million, not qualify as nations, but ‘tribes’? The answer is nothing of substance, aside from the labels.
therefore, that the old colonial design of minimising African sense of nationhood is in sync with the Nigerian ruling elite’s insatiable appetite for divide and rule?

The same contortion applies to linguistics. It is said, so flippantly, that there are hundreds of ‘languages’ all over the place, in Nigeria. Not true! Let us look at the three main languages. First, Hausa has so many variations as in Sokoto, the classical Hausa, the Arewa northern dialect, the Zazzaganci in Zazzau of the southern origin, Dauranchi, Kananci etc. Second, Igbo, and its variants located in Anambra, Onitsha, Aba, Delta, Rivers. There are over 30 known variants of Igbo spoken across the South-East, South-South terrain, and beyond. Third, the Yoruba have even more variants; Egba, Ibadan, Yewa, Lagos, Igbomina, Ijesha, Ife, Ekiti, Yegba, Owe, Ijumu, Oworo, Itsekiri, extending to Benin Republic, Togo, and modern-day Brazil. If you then multiply these variants further down, they amount to hundreds, for sure. However, these variants are not to be confused for ‘languages’. Very thin differences in lexical and phonology should not be exaggerated and accorded the status of ‘language’. This is also playing straight into the narrative of disparate, diverse and disjointed primitive peoples with no real linguistic claim equal to standard European languages. What the Europeans see as “regional accents” in their own yard, we see as ‘languages’ in our own, thereby emphasising and dwelling on our ‘vast’ differences. For those who have lived in the United Kingdom, for instance, people in the north of England speak in a way that many in the south would not even understand. Conversely, people from the east-end of London with their “cockney” accent would make any visitor feel like they are listening to a foreign language.

America too, is famous and enriched by the diversity in its linguistic tones. A New-Yorker, Mid-Westerner, and a Texan all speak in localised dialects and intonations that do not amount to having several languages in the country. Yes, there are hundred ways of speaking Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo. That does not equate hundreds of ‘languages’ spoken in Nigeria. Otherwise, the UK, America, Australia, Canada, and so on, would also qualify as having hundreds of languages by that same logic. Colonial education once taught us that it was Mungo Park (a British explorer) who ‘”discovered” River Niger, when in fact he was led to the source of the river by a group of obliging local fishermen. The fishermen had no capacity for ‘discovery’, of course. They were not even really humans in the eyes of the European authors who wrote our history, geography and economics books. See, the essence of a good education is the freedom it gives one to be discerning, but also the foresight to unlearn a distorted narrative from wherever it emanates. Liberating and cleansing our minds of neo-colonial precepts is a pre-requisite for any hope of societal advancement.

https://punchng.com/nigeria-tribalism-and-the-nationality-question/

So Punch editors are in Nairaland.
They need to pay me for clearing this fallacy here.

Which one is that cọck and bull story they made up in the write up?
Just, give me and Nairaland our credit instead of wasting your energy.

It's just a matter of time

The centre cannot hold anymore

What divides Nigeria is much more stronger than what holds it together

Remove greed of insatiable wealth from Nigeria politicians and by tomorrow, NASS will be discussing a nationwide Referendum

I don't know why I don't feel anything about Nigeria, I feel very bad when addressed as a Nigerian, for God sake I don't want to hear the name Nigeria, they should just divide this country

Thank you for this academic exercise, for all I care, I belong to the Edo nation or broadly a Bendelite, and I'm fervently praying and eagerly awaiting to spend my remaining days in a post-Nigeri era where my destiny, to make or mar would be in my hands.

God bless igbo people,they saw this long time ago,but the Europeans fight them to the finish.

Even the writer is not wise,tribe or nation is simply semantics,it doesn't mean much

Terorislam:
I don't know why I don't feel anything about Nigeria, I feel very bad when addressed as a Nigerian, for God sake I don't want to hear the name Nigeria, they should just divide this country

Blame your parents, I guess you are angry that they conceived you in Nigeria? Charity they say begins @ home.

The thread will soon be degenerated into igbo this, yoruba that, hausa there.. We have been brainwashed and lost all sense of humanity to look down on ourselves as mere savages that the whites see us as.. Nigeria will never grow because there is too many nations in it with different outlook to life and until these are recognized we can't continue fighting and throwing tantrums wasting life and all..

sapientia:
It's just a matter of time

The centre cannot hold anymore

What divides Nigeria is much more stronger than what holds it together

Remove greed of insatiable wealth from Nigeria politicians and by tomorrow, NASS will be discussing a nationwide Referendum

Children like you don’t know anything, & aren’t aware that when you get tired of the freedom of democracy, the Military can easily take over & keep everyone in line?

You were probably a kid playing around with your Superman pant & rolling tires as your vehicle the last time the Military was in power? So you have no clue, and extremely naive to your ignorant imaginations of separate Nigeria?

beejaay:
The thread will soon be degenerated into igbo this, yoruba that, hausa there.. We have been brainwashed and lost all sense of humanity to look down on ourselves as mere savages that the whites see us as.. Nigeria will never grow because there is too many nations in it with different outlook to life and until these are recognized we can't continue fighting and throwing tantrums wasting life and all..

United States & Canada are both a 100 times more diverse than Nigeria, let’s just say as usual the black man is unable to solve his problems so he comes up with excuses.

Ordinary electricity they cannot provide for themselves.

Rexwalters1:
Children like you don’t know anything, & aren’t aware that when you get tired of the freedom of democracy, the Military can easily take over & keep everyone in line?

You were probably a kid playing around with your Superman pant & rolling tires as your vehicle the last time the Military was in power? So you are naive to your ignorant imaginations of separate Nigeria?

Calling you a kid will be an insult to kids

You need mental check up

Then a refresher course on respecting your elders

Quicky followed by an admission into the nearest primary school

sapientia:


Calling you a kid will be an insult to kids

You need mental check up

Then a refresher course on respecting your elders

Quicky followed by an admission into the nearest primary school

So a primary school kid is telling an elder like you that only a Mumurist imagines the partition of Nigeria?

Even states in Eastern Nigeria, Rivers & Imo State, Ebonyi & Cross Rivers just to mention a couple, & the many parts of the middle belt still have border disputes.

Yet some jokers are talking of dividing the country, ordinary state you people cannot partition, it is a whole country you illusionists want to decimate?

United Nations

Rexwalters1:
I know you haven’t travelled out of The Country before? I didn’t know Nigeria was a great Nation of people until I went to live in the United States, wow I was so so shocked.

Uncle Ajala Travel, tell us more of your US experience.

Send me your address, let me hook you up in March, 2022. Will be in Texas then.

omowolewa:
United Nations

I know you haven’t travelled out of The Country before? I didn’t know Nigeria was a great Nation of people until I went to live in the United States, wow I was so so shocked.

babasolution:
Even the writer is not wise,tribe or nation is simply semantics,it doesn't mean much

what's simply semantic.
Ogbeni no dey use English confuse ursef there's a big difference between Tribe and a Nation

Arda1000:
what's simply semantic.
Ogbeni no dey use English confuse ursef there's a big difference between Tribe and a Nation

What is the difference?

As nouns the difference between nation and tribe is that nation is an historically constituted, stable community of people, formed on the basis of a common language, territory, economic life, ethnicity and/or psychological make-up manifested in a common culture or nation can be damnation (Nigeria).

Whilst a tribe is a socially, ethnically, and politically cohesive group of people (Nigeria), spot the difference?

Arda1000:
what's simply semantic.
Ogbeni no dey use English confuse ursef there's a big difference between Tribe and a Nation

By definition there is truly a different, but most Nigerians use tribe to denote nation going by the way Nigerians speak,most don't even know the actual definition of tribe or nation

Rexwalters1:
What is the difference?

As nouns the difference between nation and tribe is that nation is an historically constituted, stable community of people, formed on the basis of a common language, territory, economic life, ethnicity and/or psychological make-up manifested in a common culture or nation can be damnation (Nigeria).

Whilst a tribe is a socially, ethnically, and politically cohesive group of people (Nigeria), spot the difference?

wtf did you get this definition of tribe, Tribes got to do with people who share common ancestry and are related culturally and are of same Ethnicity.

Nation on the other hand you are correct.
If Nigeria defines a tribe then where is the Ethnicity then?
Because you get an Ethnic group before getting to know the various tribes,Just like Jews for example

babasolution:


By definition there is truly a different, but most Nigerians use tribe to denote nation going by the way Nigerians speak,most don't even know the actual definition of tribe or nation

Nigerians are failing for the same tactics the British used,I feel embarrassed when someone call Igbo tribe wtf.
Am Igbo by Ethnicity and Isu by tribe

Wonderful piece!

Little wonder history was banned from being taught in our schools.
So we can keep wallowing in ignorance ... completely enslaved mentally.

Arda1000:
wtf did you get this definition of tribe, Tribes got to do with people who share common ancestry and are related culturally and are of same Ethnicity.

Nation on the other hand you are correct.
If Nigeria defines a tribe then where is the Ethnicity then?
Because you get an Ethnic group before getting to know the various tribes,Just like Jews for example

Stop living in the early 20th century Mr Man, black is black, only the Mumu blacks in Africa play tribalism instead of nationhood.

Terorislam:
I don't know why I don't feel anything about Nigeria, I feel very bad when addressed as a Nigerian, for God sake I don't want to hear the name Nigeria, they should just divide this country

Nigeria has to go through a total and complete rehabilitation. The name Nigeria should be changed, our flag should be updated, our constitution amended. A break or divide is something that’s almost impossible without war and bloodshed. We’ve seen that movie before, are you sure you want to be a participant in the sequel?

kingawothefirst:


Nigeria has to go through a total and complete rehabilitation. The name Nigeria should be changed, our flag should be updated, our constitution amended. A break or divide is something that’s almost impossible without war and bloodshed. We’ve seen that movie before, are you sure you want to be a participant in the sequel?

The name Nigeria should be changed, our flag should be updated, our constitution amended, and the inhabitants should be driven to other regions of Africa? Or you still want to remain where you are after the rehabilitation?

Rexwalters1:
The name Nigeria should be changed, our flag should be updated, our constitution amended, and the inhabitants should be driven to other regions of Africa? Or you still want to remain where you are after the rehabilitation?

I’m Nigerian, I carry a Nigerian passport. I will continue to do my part to make Nigeria a better country at home and abroad. I will influence governance not with noise and wailing but with my vote, from local government level, to the state assembly and national assembly.

I will not turn my back against my country or soil it’s reputation publicly, that would make me an enemy of my state and a traitor. I am neither of those things.

This is what I mean by complete and total rehabilitation, the Nigerian people who have been delusional need to understand that they are only making things worse, especially for themselves. Nigeria is all we got.

[quote author=Rexwalters1 post=108249119] Stop living in the early 20th century Mr Man, black is black, only the Mumu blacks in Africa play tribalism instead of nationhood. [/quotes] nawa ooo.
So you think pitching people together because they are blacks is a good ideal,over 70 years of your stupid Nationhood what has happened,how can you build Nationhood without drawing your boundaries?
Truly black man is stupid

OP you misspelled ZOOGERIA. Try again.

kingawothefirst:


I’m Nigerian, I carry a Nigerian passport. I will continue to do my part to make Nigeria a better country at home and abroad. I will influence governance not with noise and wailing but with my vote, from local government level, to the state assembly and national assembly.

I will not turn my back against my country or soil it’s reputation publicly, that would make me an enemy of my state and a traitor. I am neither of those things.

This is what I mean by complete and total rehabilitation, the Nigerian people who have been delusional need to understand that they are only making things worse, especially for themselves. Nigeria is all we got.

-Ok. Good luck, because you and your kids will need it.

PDJT:


-Ok. Good luck, because you and your kids will need it.

Me and my kids are doing very well, we don’t need luck but we are extremely lucky if you know what I mean.

Nigeria is our country and our country is Nigeria. This is an undeniable fact, we hold the Nigerian passport, we are not delusional at all, we face reality as it stands on ground.

AntiBMC:
Wonderful piece!

Little wonder history was banned from being taught in our schools.
So we can keep wallowing in ignorance ... completely enslaved mentally.

You are deliberately enslaving yourself by helping spread a false narrative created by mainly pro biafra agitators . HISTORY WAS NEVER BANNED IN SCHOOLS