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Please, Stop This Neo Ethnic Hatred

Awo Zik SardaunaIt is a matter of concern that over 40 years after the end of civil war, Nigeria is gradually relapsing into the circumstances that led to that war.
One of such circumstances that led to the war, to be sure, was the ethnic hatred that permeated the length and breadth of this country. As a matter of fact, the major cause of such ethnic hatred and mistrust hinged on the over ambition of only one man, which was made to look as if the whole people had been subdued for which they must extricate themselves.
While the people then were easily hoodwinked into taking arms against their brothers and sisters across the Niger, based on ignorance then, it looks like the same scenario is playing out now, but based on “too know” of the people, via, mainly social media.
The Fulani herdsmen’s attack of some communities in Enugu state and other parts of the South have so far been given undue emphasis so much that no one has the courage or wisdom to think clearly as to whether it is possible for even a lunatic to attack the next door neighbour who has not done him anything.
People have failed to apply the popular dictum which says that it takes two to tango. In other words, it doesn’t seem to make sense that herdsmen would just wake up one day and began to kill their hosts with whom they had lived and interacted for years without problem.
It is on record that a few days before the herdsmen launched the attacks on Enugu state communities, some Fulani people were said to have been killed and buried in mass grave, but the social media played that issue down as if the lives of those herdsmen meant nothing. And when, obviously the herdsmen regrouped and launched counter-attacks, killing some of their hosts, the whole world began to shake. Indeed, there have been reports coming to us, as news managers, about how the hosts of Fulani herdsmen in many parts of the country have been molesting them at best and killing them at worse for no just cause.
While we in Greenbarge Reporters do not support the attacks by Fulani, which led to the death of many in Enugu, and even elsewhere like Agatu in Benue state, we wish to appeal to all Nigerians to continue to respect one another and be their brothers’ keepers. After all, as purely prayerful people, our religions give emphasis to good neighbourliness and the quantum benefits of living in peace with neighbours.
Most importantly, we appeal to those in social media, many of who operate from the confines of their rooms, even far away from Nigeria’s shores, to stop their destructive writing and posting. We should always think and act positively about how Nigeria can enhance the unity it has been enjoying since after the end of the civil war in 1970.
We have come a long way together from that period and cannot afford to let ethnic hatred to creep into us now, to the extent of returning to that sad part of our history.
We want to emphasize that since God has put us together, for the reason (s) best known to Him, hating one another because of our differences would not do any of us any good. We, by allowing hate to rule us, would only continue to complicate our growth and make life more difficult for us all. This is saying that the promoters of hatred, those who practice hatred and those at the receiving ends of the hatred cannot run away from the negative effect of such action when the bubble burst.
At whatever level we operate, we should individually recall the word of the war time Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon who said immediately after the civil war that there is no victor and no vanquished.
It is important to remind us that in fomenting trouble and relishing in it, the bottom line always is that ‘a child that denies his mother sleep himself cannot sleep.’
The earlier we accept that we have to live together and love ourselves the way we are, the better it would be for the beginning of our collective march to happiness, progress and peace of mind. [myad]

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