Gbenro Adesina
The Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL), has condemned the Nigerian political class for continuing to fan the embers of ethnic division and divisiveness along the fault lines of ethnicity, religion, political affiliation, and gender, among other factors that segregate, stressing that the nation’s political elites have intensified efforts to place undue emphasis on the factors that divide rather than unite Nigerians.
Pointing out that the Nigerian government gaze away from identified commonalities that unite Nigerians, the Academy asserted that different ethnic groups within the Nigerian polity shared commonalities before colonialism.
According to the scholars, the consequence of the Nigerian government’s unpatriotic attitude is responsible for the fuelling of poverty, hostilities, and contestations over land and other resources in the country.
These were some of the observations made in a communique signed by its President, Professor Duro Oni, at the end of the 24th Academy’s convocation, investiture, of new fellows and induction of new members.
The event took place at the J. F. Ade. Ajayi Auditorium, University Of Lagos, between Wednesday, August 10, to Thursday, August 11, 2022.
The Convocation Lecture titled “The Republic of Dignity: The Nigerian Common Humanity in a Culturally Heterogenous Nigeria,” was delivered by Professor Simeon Olusegun Ilesanmi, of Wake Forest University, North Carolina, USA.
Also, three papers were presented during the Scientific Session by Professor Egodi Uchendu of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and Professors Emmanuel S. Dandaura and Gideon Sunday Omachonu, both of Nasarawa State University, Keffi. Professor Abayomi Akinyeye, delivered the pre-convocation dinner lecture.
The Academy lamented how the material and non-material cultures like language have been manipulated for political and economic domination to sponsor and widen dividing lines, through the polarization agenda;
It further observed, “There is an unfortunate problem in the management of the diverse human and material resources in Nigeria, which constitutes a stumbling block to building a stronger nation and consequently encourages internal conflict and insecurity. Therefore, Nigerians fail to enjoy the benefits accruable from common humanity;
“The absence of the political will to deal decisively with the internal sponsors of conflict, banditry, insurgency, terrorism, abduction, wanton killings across Nigeria, and threat to the Nigerian state for different reasons is a clear deficit in governance.
“Corruption remains a challenge to be surmounted rather than tolerated or treated feebly and unenthusiastically by this government;
“The present impunity and disregard for human dignity, the rule of law, and federal character as witnessed on the national front is tantamount to a lack of respect for humanity and national goals; and
“The humanities continue to be marginalised by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).”
The Group, therefore, recommended that the Federal Government of Nigeria, as a matter of urgency, should, “Put an end to the attachment to money politics and crass consumerism that place a low premium on values, the right to life and dignity of the person to forge a country of dignified people towards free, fair and credible elections in 2023;
“Address the challenges constituted by internal and international migration, and the menace of armed banditry, insurgency and ethnic dissonance; leverage the positive means of disseminating cultural values and promote nationhood through cultural means;
“Discourage the negative socialisation of young Nigerians in the disparaging and derogatory use of linguistic tags, stereotypes and disdain for other cultures;
“Forge national identity and ideology through policies and philosophies that highlight the shared commonality and oneness of Nigerians and refrain from laws, policies, and ideological inconsistencies that have grossly marred citizenship roles and responsibilities, as well as the gross abuse of the Federal Character Principle as enshrined in S. 14 (3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amended);
“Resolve the protracted strikes by the staff unions in all the tertiary institutions in the country. There is an urgent need to revamp the deteriorated educational resources and infrastructure at all levels;
“Deliberately reduce poverty and bridge the gap between the rich and the poor in the face of inflation and dwindling national resources with more matching capacity for production; and
“Investigate the nepotism and disregard for inclusiveness, major factors contributing to the systemic disintegration of Nigeria, resulting in weak federating units and monitor the outcomes from the appropriate treatment of the national question, federal character and values that build not just a country, but a nation where every citizen has a sense of acceptance.”
At the event, 84 professors from different Nigerian and overseas universities were in attendance. The President of the Nigerian Academy of Letters, Professor Oni, presided over the Convocation and Investiture of New Fellows and the Vice President, Professor Sola Akinrinade, presided over the Scientific Session.
Other key dignitaries in attendance included Professor Oluwatoyin T. Ogundipe, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and Research), Professor Bolanle Olufunmilayo Oboh; the Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Is-haq Oloyede, and the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abubakar Rasheed, represented by Professor Godwin Sogolo.
Other dignitaries present included Professor Umaru Pate, Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Kashere, and Professor Yakubu Ochefu, Secretary-General, Committee of Vice-Chancellors/Association of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities. Thirty-five (35) new members were inducted, while six regular Fellows, one Overseas Fellow, and two Honorary Fellows were admitted to the College of Fellows of the Academy.
