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A Response To Waziri?s Thought On Nigeria and Africa

Started by Danmu'azu, September 04, 2004, 12:40:04 PM

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Danmu'azu

Nigeria, Africa And The Value Factor: A Response To Ibraheem Waziri?s Nigeria: The Unhappy Marriage Of A Quadruple

By

Tukur Dan-Mu?azu


The Maxian conception that places economy as the base among other modes of existance has long been discredited. Close examination of past and current historical realities tends scholars toward a conclusive affirmation of culture/value system as the most inportant motive force in the historical process in societies. This latest, widespread realisatioin, largely, triggered the writing of such books of far reaching global inpact as The Clash Of Civilisation?, The End Of History?, The Tower Of Babel etc  by  huntington,fukayama, the elder and younger  mazruis, in respective order.

Amongst other inpacts of the resurgance  of cultural values and the recognition of their supremacy in the scheme of things is the questioning of the validity of hitherto  accepted given notions such as the state, nation ? state, developmenmt, infact even some presumably well grounded scientific laws are increasingly suspected as being culture specific and non universal. The latter case might, perhaps, raise a question as to how an objective scientific law can be culturally subjective. To cite an example, we shall refer to C.V. seshadri who after close scrutiny declares the second law of thermodynamics (physics) as ethnocentric (eurocentric).A simplified version of this matter is contained in one of the collected essays ? i.e Science ? in the book, The Development Dictionary: A Guide To Knowledge As Power.

Additionally, the fast spreading restlessness within political carve ? outs called nation - states have, even before other issues,, been squarely attributed to cultural resurgence. Infact, this issue forms the focal point around which discourse on the future of many a so called nation ? states,  Nigeria inclusive,  revolves. It polarises the debaters into proamalgation and advocates of cultural survival.

This piece of writing will be a short response to some subtance   contained in one of the advocates of culture?s paper, Nigeria: The Unhappy Marriage Of A Quadruple.The writer, Ibrahim waziri, a young man of remarkable insight, has put forward quite a good number of observations on the subject of culture and values and their implications on individual conciousness, group identity and the contentious nationall question.

However, waziri?s paper seems to have missed certain basic points in generating some premises which led to some easily assailable conclusions.For instance, to suppose that it was only in the 18th centuary that the issue of race became one of the major factors in the identification of ?human kind? and ?what individuals get? is to misread the variety of permutations and evolution of historical trends in human societies.

It may not be true that ?race? as a principal factor in the identify question may have been transplanted to Africa and other parts of the world from Europe.But, certainly, race as a factor has been a European phenomenum prior to their weening off the cradle of barbarism.It is one of the accidents of nature that there is an almost perfect overlap of the factors of goegraphy, race, ideology and historical experiences in Europe. It is therefore natural to have their concept of self and world view drawn equally from each of these factors. Through out their phases of history, an ideal european must pass the test of these factors including race.Hence, it must be understood that the racial factors is inseparable with other factors for europeans. To them the most valid world view and ideolology belong to the best race originating in a holy land called Europe. So it has been since the day they joined the adventure of concious history making.

But Europe is not unique in this conception of self identify. We might be astonished to find that Africa back in the antiquity had been a home of parfectly similar identity projection. During the earliest dynasties of Egyptian civilasation before the full flowering of its glory the race factor was of much siginificance in determining identity. There are written reccords, paintings and engravings discovered portraying the major racial groups of the world in heirarchical order of nobility and true humaness. The black egyptians in  the recond are portrayed in all glorry at the highest position while the Tamhous, as the white people were called then, are placed on the lowest rung in abject portrayture.Early ancient Egypt was a negro-centric world.

I may assert that europeans did not teach us racism or ethnicity; rather they stired up our latent  atavistic tendency. Now  the issue is racism, tribalism if you like, as a strong condiment in peoples currrent historical broth is indicative of certain level of cultural attainment. The Sronger the racial or ethnic flavour, the lower the cultural attainment in terms of values, thought and practices capable of developing the divers human talent latent in the human person.

As could be observed all the known civilised people,the Egyptians ,Greaks ,Hindus and  others have at the early stage racism or ethnicity as the dominant factor in their culture.It is later as they develop and approach the said ?golden age? that the other factors of ideology/value, geography,shared experience become stronger. To cite an example, Black racism was the foundation of Egypt, but its golden age was characterised by racial hetrogenity.

The implication of this explanation is, failure to disect the issue in this manner gives room for reactionary pseudo- scholars to falsify the validity of the world wide call for cultural independent of many people with conprehensive system of life. An apt example is the case of the amalgam, Nigeria .While scholars of substance like Samuel Huntington, Ali Mazrui, Chinua Achabe and ofcourse the up and coming ones like I.Waziri have all proclaimed the artificiality of the Nigerian amalgam and recognised the existance of our different cultural blocks, capable of independent existance.

To the reactionary, pro-amalgamation scholars it is a falacy to talk of Odua as sovereign state, Biafra as sovereign state and Arewa as sovereign state becouse they are made up of many tribes.However, in their selves same confused mind, they think of England as sovereign state or Italy as sovereign state without a second thought ,despite their tribal foundatioins.

Desertations like waziri?s should plug up all loop-holes against reactions by delineating clearly the process that brought about the existence of large cultural blocks. They should let the reactionaries know that each of the soveriegn state, like Nigeria, have some higher cultural values binding the many tribes within them. Such higher values are binding forces deeply rooted in the lives of the people. Politics, economy,education e.t.c are heavely infused with these values. Further more, these higher cultural values find their full expression at the  state level, and full expression implies true and lasting development. Therefore unity which inevitably leads to uniformity between or among these higher values is basically inposible. And attempt to force such unity will be an unwholesome execise. This amalgam,Nigeria,where problems defies all possible solutions ,serves as example to the heedful.

It has been one of the favorite lines of argument of pro-amlgamation to point at Europe and shout : Europe has united and amalgamated; why not us? But has Europe amalgamted? far be it.  We are yet to hear of uniform educational system, one official langauge or even single national sporting activity or national dress in Europe. Such an unnatural uniformity can never be. What Europe has achieved was greater cooperation especially in the area of economy. They got what africa had before the colonial strangulation.

Therefore, when Arewa, Biafra and Odua are mentioned, it is a call for that legitimate and justifyable, highest cutural expression singinifying true and independent development. We can do better  through  voluntary cooperation rather than forceful conformity and uniformity.

 Finnaly, let it be known  that the agitation for soveriegn states based on higher cultural values is now a popular matter. Assuch people like Waziri should be more forthright in profession of their conviction. At least the pro ? amnalgamation reactionaries, who are infact negeligible minority, are not ashame of betraying their anti ? people biases.
   
Post- amalgamation is an on?coming reality. What the peoples in the emerging states need for a speedy, safe landing is contact among themselves to negotiate things up. Are not the Arewas the Biafrans and the Oduans the ? WE,THE PEOPLE ? falsely invoked by the reactionaries in concocted documents to gain semblance of legitinacy?

_Waziri_

Mallam Tukur, I think I already made my points in the said article. Though abstract as your reply is, I think I can understand you did not disagree with me much. I pray we will continue to be happy people as we continue to tell people the real truth about their people.