Need To Avoid ‘Us versus Them’ Mentality, And The Importance Of Living Together As Nigerians

BY ISAAC ASABOR

There is no denying that Nigeria, a diverse nation, has faced a persistent challenge: the “Us versus Them” mentality. This divisive mindset, which is deeply embedded in the collective consciousness, undermines social cohesion, governance, and progress.

It is not difficult to imagine how the divisive mentality became a collective burden that nearly all Nigerians are fearfully groaning under, given Nigeria’s colonial past, which has undoubtedly left indelible marks on its social fabric. During the colonial era, ethnic, religious, and regional fault lines became entrenched, resulting in a fractured identity. Given the foregoing, Nigeria is now left with the legacy of divide-and-rule policies, which have exacerbated the situation by perpetuating a “Us versus Them” narrative.

Without a doubt, the retrogressive and divisive “Us and Them” mentality has instilled fear in Nigerians, and politicians exploit these divisions for personal gain with each passing political dispensation. They win votes, maintain power imbalances, and undermine national unity by instilling tribalism. What is the end result? A fractured population, distrustful of one another.

In fact, it is not an exaggeration to claim that tribalism impedes economic progress. This is as if merit takes a back seat to tribal affiliations in employment, education, and business, compounded by the fact that talent remains untapped, particularly as inefficient resource allocation stunts growth. Furthermore, the “Us versus Them” mentality undermines trust while isolating communities, preventing cooperation. As has been demonstrated, not only does suspicion fester, but it also impedes collective efforts in infrastructure development, healthcare, and education.

Surprisingly, education, which is supposed to be our most powerful weapon against tribalism, does not appear to have had an impact on some journalists, other professionals in various fields of human endeavours, and even professors in Nigeria, as it is clear that the phenomenon of educated individuals exhibiting tribalistic or bigoted behaviour is becoming increasingly concerning.

Given the foregoing, it is prudent to urge highly regarded Nigerians who are educated to avoid exhibiting tribalistic behaviours in Nigeria because they impede development. Without a doubt, tribalism has become a syndrome, primarily perpetrated by educated people. As a result, it would be appropriate in this context to argue that we must combat tribalism. The importance of combating tribalism cannot be overstated, as it is clear that in offices, workers are fighting because they did not get a specific job position, want to stay in a job position, or that the position is only occupied by a certain tribe. This attitude causes infighting, a lack of production, and even derails our efforts to achieve our desired goals.

It is so retrogressive that if you assign two people a task to work together to achieve a specific goal, they will begin fighting about who they are individually before focussing on how to achieve the plan at hand. That is time-consuming! When we fight amongst ourselves, we scare off potential investors. Paradoxically, young people marry each other regardless of tribe, even if their parents do not tell them not to. Tribalism exists only in our offices and in politics, not in the villages.

Against this backdrop, it is prudent for politicians to rise above tribal politics, as leaders who prioritise national interest over personal gain have the potential to bridge divides, even as policies promoting inclusivity and equal opportunities are critical. Without a doubt, Nigeria’s future depends on dismantling the “Us versus Them” mentality, as it is the responsibility of every Nigerian to recognise our shared destiny, celebrate diversity, and work together to create a more harmonious, prosperous nation.

Without a doubt, given the atrocities inherent in the threat posed by “Us Versus Them,” it is imperative that Nigerians, particularly the elite, begin to be dispassionate in their utterances in order to create a habitable social and political environment in which Nigerians can thrive.

In fact, the reasons why Nigerians should embrace peace and unity are not farfetched, given that we live in a divided world, especially since Nigeria is clearly at a crossroads. Without a doubt, the toxic mentality of “Us versus Them” undermines our country’s fabric, impeding progress and sowing seeds of discord. But there is hope in a path towards unity that crosses tribal lines because it is up to us to ensure that avoiding divisive mindsets is essential and that living together as Nigerians can propel us forward.

In fact, the danger of “Us vs. Them” is undoubtedly associated with bias. As humans, we gravitate towards groups that reflect our identity, even as fear of the unknown and vanity lead us to believe we are superior to others. Looking at the issue from a different perspective, it is important to remember that history, from Hitler’s race-based ideology to Stalin’s ideological divisions, has demonstrated the destructive consequences of such thinking.

In a similar vein, our country is deeply divided across political, religious, racial, urban, and rural spheres, to the point where debates have devolved into shouting matches, and politicians, reputable journalists, and erudite professors have been labelled as tribal bigots, even as our collective mentality of “Us versus Them” unquestionably threatens our democratic institutions.

Without exaggeration, Nigeria’s tribalistic situation has literarily become a hurricane of division, and there is no denying that it has been in the making for decades, especially since it is evident that it has eroded our unity, and the trend has only worsened. As it stands, it appears to have devolved into a nightmare scenario, with hate-filled rallies, threats to public figures, and partisan animosity becoming the norm.

At this point, it is prudent to assert that Nigeria’s strength lies in unity, and that it is pragmatic to remove the “Us vs. Them” barriers and embrace a future in which living together as Nigerians is not only expedient but also necessary for progress.