The concept of diversity is an intriguing phenomenon that encompasses known similarities and recognizable differences under the same subset of relationships.
The Merriam Webster[1] dictionary defines “Diversity” as the condition of having or being composed of different elements or qualities.
The Queensborough Community College[2] saw the concept of diversity as an understanding that each individual is unique, and recognizing our individual differences which can be along with race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, and several others.
There is no generally accepted definition to the concept of diversity, it is however agreed that diversity is an appreciation of the uniqueness of similarities and differences which all join together to make something altogether rare.
Nigeria is one of the most diverse countries in the world, with over 500 languages spoken, 370 ethnic groups, and different cultures. Nigeria has indeed stood out as a giant in this regard, and to a large extent, capable of appreciating all its differences in the right manner.
Patrick A[3] notes with sadness that diversity in the Nigerian context has been an attempt to forge ‘unity in diversity’, seeking to wish away socio-cultural differences and imposing uniformity in spite of complex cultural diversity.
This has resulted in tribulations ranging from insurgency, poverty, and others. The most salient of Nigeria’s problems in recent years can be said to be a lack of appreciation of the diversity of the country and the boundless opportunities that abound.
In recent days, trends on social media like “#IAmNorth”, “#OtogeLagos”, “#ArewaToTheWorld” have oscillated between the fine lines of identifying with individual ethnicities, while shaming the differences of other ethnic groups. These threads are a reflection of the national zeitgeist of our people; sadly, it is one of intolerance in all its facets.
Such trends are a severe bane to our common nationality which ought to transcend ethnicity and individualism.
The 1999 Constitution as Amended has contributed in part to the lack of diversity in the country. The elusive clause of indigeneship and the settler dichotomy has been the root cause of a lot of violent conflicts in many states in Nigeria.
This problem has the peculiar characteristics of creating a dichotomy between perceived owners and settlers. Thereby sparking the primordial conflicts that long existed between the two groups.
The concept of ‘indigeneship’ and ‘Federal Character’ in the Nigerian context does not portray or exemplify the spirit of the core national values of unity as said in the Constitution. This further marginalizes people around ethnicity instead of forging a sense of national belonging.
Section 15 of the 1999 Constitution encourages national integration, fostering feelings of belonging, and involvement among the various people of the federation, to ensure that loyalty to the nation overrides sectional loyalties has sadly been defeated. This proviso ought to have been the harbinger of diversity in Nigeria.
The National Youth Service Corps scheme was intended as an avenue for young people across boards to meet, interact and learn the tenets of diversity from each other in service to the nation; has also fallen into the quagmire of institutional corruption where favoritism is shown and the tenets of unity have been watered down by the biases of the participants who hold on tenaciously to their ethnic sentiments.
I still strongly believe in the promises of Nigeria, and I understand that the way forward for us as a people is by acknowledging our diversity and respecting ourselves.
We must all be re-orientated about what it means to be Nigerian, why Nigeria comes first before our tribes, religions, ethnicities, and other sentiments we hold.
I think that to foster national diversity, our national culture must include a proportional acceptance of diverse cultures, accepting history as a shared legacy, and see ourselves as belonging to each other.
I feel that we do not know enough about each other, a lot of our people don’t travel out of their home states, we don’t know why the other religion prays the way it does, we don’t appreciate how the other ethnic’s food tastes and why the other is enterprising in his ways.
Our unity secondary schools have been severely underfunded, and we must admit that though its institutional failings are also there, it was a common ground for children to relate with each other as equals. In order to succeed, we must teach the next generation through our unity schools the importance of being Nigerian first, the meanings of the National symbols, and what the national values are.
The National Youth Service Corps scheme must also be revitalized to live up to its original creed. The founding ideas of the scheme are well rooted in the core ideals of unity and national cohesion. The system can be made to work to achieve its mandate with sincerity.
The troubling number of the poor in Nigeria has been an impediment and a serious fault line in building national consensus in the country. It is pertinent that all strata of society are carried along in the task of managing our diversity. The poor must be able to feel the presence of the state in one way or the other before they can trust the ideas of nationality and defend the course of the nation.
Poverty has driven a lot of people to the clutches of the elites who utilize the divide of religion and ethnicity for their gains. There is a need for us to transform ethnic politics into beneficial relationships, and not prey on the sentiments of the poor and uneducated.
Finally, I strongly believe that if a large percentage of our population understands and appreciates a lot of our diversity, we would have handled more than half of our problems as Nigerians, and we would be poised to start our ascension to the next level of socio-economic growth.
Ndam Ponzing Esq.
[1][1] www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diversity accessed 12th March 2019
[2] www.qcc.cuny.edu/diversity/definition.html accessed 12th March 2019
[3] Edewor P. A, Aluko A. Y, Folarin F. S (2014) “Managing ethnic and cultural diversity for national integration in Nigeria”. International Journal of Diversity in Organizations and Nations, Vol. 4, No.6