By
Grace Ego Omoni
Life is based on relationship and there can be no relationship outside human communication. In other words, the bane of any relationship is communication and no action takes place in a vacuum. Human beings make it to happen but the question that one needs to ask is whether the communication is of positive interest to the people involved and that of the society at large. Does the relationship bring harmony, peace, progress and development to man and society or it breeds conflict, violence and dissatisfaction?
The modern day Nigeria is replete with numerous social vices such as destruction of lives and property, banditry, terrorism, inappropriate sexual behaviour, bribery and corruption, indiscipline, lack of trust, violence, loss of integrity, dishonesty, cheating, lack of patriotism, lack of accountability by public officers, injustice, kidnapping, unemployment, lack of unity, and underdevelopment.
These social problems emanate from a lot of issues such as godfatherism and ethnicity. So much injustice has been done to the nation, organizations and to individuals as a result of these two phenomena going on in the black world especially Nigeria. These two social misdemeanors have truncated development, unity, peace, national security, trust and economic progress in this country. There is an escalation of corruption, poor leadership, political dishonesty, lopsided appointments, inconsistent award of contracts, erroneous admissions to higher institutions of learning, greed, colossal waste in the economy, conflicts and underdevelopment.
The prevalence and notoriety of ethnicity and godfatherism are issues of national concern with people giving diverse opinions on how to curb or totally wipe them out from the nation because the phenomena are cogs in the wheel of progress and development to man and society.
The two concepts shall be briefly discussed under these subheadings: meaning, factors, effects on man and national development and measures to stamp out the incidence of these menaces in our Nigerian society.
Godfatherism:
This concept or phenomenon is central in today’s Nigeria’s political leadership and administration and a serious threat to the democratization process. It is a major social and political malaise plaguing and destroying Nigeria by the day.
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The concept of godfatherism has as its origin from church history especially among Catholics and Anglicans. In these churches, the doctrine of baptism for members is paramount. At the point of being baptized, the young Christian is given a mature godfather or godmother strong in the faith to nurture and monitor him or her to maturity when he or she is able to take responsibility for his or her actions. The godfather or godmother is expected to be role models in matters of their Christian beliefs and character moulding. From time to time, the godson or goddaughter is monitored and counselled on doctrinal matters while the young Christian reciprocates by giving skeletal services to the godfather. I vividly remember that during my younger days, my godmother would call me to counsel on how to behave as a Catholic child and I in return would fetch water for her when I pay her visits. Some others would wash clothes or go to farmlands to help their godfathers or mothers.
History also has it that the idea of godfatherism started in the U.S when kingpins of the criminal world played major political roles during elections by sponsoring political candidates financially, manipulated results to get these candidates elected and in return, these kingpins were awarded contracts by their political godsons. This indeed is the practice in Nigeria today. The rich, the powerful and business tycoons sponsor politicians during elections by providing money for campaigns, to buy forms from parties, registration, provide them with goons for their security and the intimidation of their opponents, buying of votes and outright rigging during the election period.
They also ensure that those sponsored are positioned as government administrators by whatever means. In return, contracts are awarded arbitrarily to these unqualified elements and appointments are given to unworthy individuals as compensations for the role they played in sponsoring them. These godfathers are the real problems and confusions in this country. They dictate what happens in administration, the economy, the appointments, decisions at the national, state and local government levels, in the passing of bills like the controversial PIB that has just been signed into law by President Buhari and the control of the economy to the detriment of national development, security and solidarity of the people. It is counterproductive to peace, progress and unity and encourages lopsided selection rather than election. It is characterized by abuse of power and appointments are not based on the qualified but rather on the instructions and wishes of the godfathers.
These godfathers assume the positions of warlords and preside over the sharing of the national cake thus technically vandalizing the economy and treasury of the nation with reckless abandon. This is so because they see the political sponsorship during elections as investments which must yield atrocious dividends immediately their candidates assume office and who must use the godfathers’ terms in governance. Any attempt by these political officers to exercise their own will power is vehemently resisted by their godfathers who can resort to violence and threats to gain control.
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So the politicians must serve them and carry out their selfish interests, sow terror in the nation, perpetrate corruption in all its ramifications, engage in violence with all manner of impunity, loot public fund with no one to investigate their wicked activities, wield so much power in the society without anybody challenging them. In other words, these godfathers act through their surrogates, I mean the political godsons who are under pressure to obey them whether the actions are wrong or right.
Any attempt to question or resist their demands after assuming office as leaders often lead to a serious tussle to the detriment of the nation. They turn the entire environment into war zones, violence and insecurity. These political godsons become handicapped and are forced to operate against the interests and expectations of the people they are ruling.
Factors that promote godfatherism include limited party finances, lack of proper education, lack of faith in the electoral process, poverty, greed and the activities of the social media which give subjective and false presentations about incompetent candidates in the dissemination of information to the gullible society. Again the dependency and powerlessness of potential public political officers due to their commitment to their godfathers is also a factor.
The phenomenon of godfatherism is not only seen in the political sector. It is found in different organizations and institutions. Promotions and appointments in educational, health and secular institutions are part of this evil perpetrated without shame. For instance, the appointments of heads of schools, faculties, departments and units are often based on godfatherism.
Just a few months ago a potential candidate who came first in an interview to head a higher institution was denied the opportunity by giving the position to one who was third during the interview. It happens in different parastatals and this issue of godfatherism has led to lobbying, dangerous rivalry, disharmony in organizations, dissatisfaction, frustration, infighting, antagonism, sectionalism, violence, enmity, underdevelopment, and low productivity. In fact the effects of godfatherism cannot be overemphasized.
It breeds disloyalty, delinquent behaviour, lack of effective governance, inefficiency and abandonment of project. The basic welfare of the people suffers and there are delays in national development since money for projects is diverted by these godfathers without accountability.
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Ethnicity:
The concept of ethnicity is derived from the base word”ethnic” which implies tribe as it was formerly known. Ethnicity or tribalism is another phenomenon acting as a serious impediment to national development in present day Nigeria. Nigeria is a multi lingual cultural entity from time immemorial but brought together by the amalgamation of the Southern and Northern Protectorates during the colonial reign of Sir Frederick Lugard in 1914. Since then, instead of fostering unity, it has metamorphosed into myriads of hydra-headed monsters plaguing the country because each ethnic group is struggling to gain relevance and be part of the sharing of the “national cake.” Nigeria today has about 301 languages and about 1000 dialects with their distinct cultures, ideologies and challenges.
Out of these ethnic groups, three are said to be major while 298 groups are termed minor. The black man cherishes his existence and is never willing to allow his ego to be trampled upon. Ethnicity is a social phenomenon associated with interaction among members and distinguished by the communal character of their boundaries based on culture, language, values and belief system. It is behavioural in form with common objectives such as myths, beliefs, common descent, socio- political organization, religion and homeland.
Ethnicity is a belief in the superiority of one’s own cultural group and corresponding hatred or misunderstanding of other social groups according to Irukwe. Ethnicity exists in a heterogeneous society according to Nnadozie. It is a major source of societal and political conflicts in Nigeria. The inability of leaders to choose credible leaders and national outlook or acceptability is as a result of ethnicity.
Instead what we see or have are disconnected, self-centred, greedy mediocrities in governance, corrupt in all areas of life, breeding poverty and discontentment because they were planted there with this ethnicity mentality. No Nigeria will win an election without the support of his ethnic group. This is why politicians in public offices lead to give priority attention to their ethnic groups to the disadvantage of the nation’s interest.
The negative effects of ethnicity are obvious and disheartening. Oboh asserts that ethnicity practice is not so obvious in the Western World but well pronounced in Africa, Nigeria inclusive. Ethnic politics has always been the major source of tension in this country resulting in periodic outbreak of violence. It is characterized by cultural prejudices and social discrimination. The menace of Boko Haram sect and the Fulani herdsmen activities in the north and now spreading to the south is as a result of their obnoxious mentality that they have been “anointed to be rulers” of this country called Nigeria made up of diverse ethnic groups and people.
They therefore claim to own the land and can operate anywhere, anyhow with their cattle without any challenge. Someone is yet to convince me and many others when and where they sat to agree or constitute that law of ownership. Of course, the silence of those in government who are mainly breeds of the same ethnic groups is a way of asserting their claim of that supposedly superiority. Other ethnic groups are also asserting their superiority by agitating against this exclusive treatment to people who are violently encroaching on their fundamental human rights.
The recent signing into law of the Petroleum Industrial Bill by President Buhari despite the masses condemnation of some of the contents is another serious negative exercise that is not to the benefit of some ethnic groups especially those in the oil producing areas whose lands are being polluted by oil exploitation and exploration. In fact, ethnicity bias and favoritism has violated the principle of impersonality in governance. Instead it has caused resentment among the marginalized groups.
There is evidence of dissatisfaction in the award of contracts to unqualified bidders, selective payments to contractors who have completed their projects, selective appointments to public offices to favour a few ethnic groups, establishment of government projects to selected ethnic groups, treatment of citizens unequally as if they do not have qualified people to assume the positions. Again accountability is compromised in order not to indict a fellow ethnic member who has not shown competency in his area of jurisdiction.
This issue of selective ethnic appointment is condemned by Prof Joseph Richard. He coined the term “Prebendalism” a phenomenon in the political system in Nigeria which is the act of disbursing public offices and state resources to ethnic clients. It is an unconstitutional established pattern of political behavior that justifies the use of political offices for personal benefits of the office holders and their clients.
In like manner, Kessleman talks of “clienteleism, a prebendal political structure where public office holders compromise specific set of elites and ethnic clients to divert public funds for selfish private purposes. The effects are poverty, disharmony, dissatisfaction, unhealthy rivalry, selfish competition, violent conflicts, ethnic hatred, election rigging, faulty economy, social instability and insecurity,, civil, strife and total national undevelopment.
Counselling Implications.
1) The different ethnic groups need intensive educational orientation. A literate society will bring the issues of ethnic infighting to the barest minimum;
2) Sensitization and seminars should be periodically organized for people holding public offices to know that they are for all and not for any selected group;
3) The curriculum content in schools should include issues of ethnicity , god- fatherism and conflict resolutions;
4) Appointments and promotions should be evenly distributed to all ethnic groups whether from the major or minority groups and based on the qualified. In other words, in prebendalism or clientelism should be totally abhorred ;
5)Passing of bills in the National Assembly after public hearing should be based on the opinion of the people and not on political party sentiment or ethnic mentality;
6)Priority should be given to national development that is beneficial to all. Awarding contracts to unqualified persons who are godfathers or ethnic brothers to compensate for help given should be stopped.
7) Courts should be established on human rights issues with a broad but well defined mandate that includes the effective protection of the marginalized ethnic groups! ;
8) Culprits who practise godfatherism and ethnicity syndrome to the detriment of the nation should be sanctioned and removed from public offices;
9) The dissemination of information by the media should be done in sincerity of purpose. Singing the praises of incompetent unqualified candidates during elections should be stopped. Integrity is far better done illgotten riches.
Conclusion.
Ethnicity and god fatherism are two social problems that have similar characteristics and negative effects on man and society. They are cogs in the wheel of national development and are the main causes of violence, poverty, discontentment, deceits. dissatisfaction, agitations, corruption, evil activities, mindless killings, conflicts, sectionalism, lopsided appointments, unhealthy rivalries, destruction of other peoples’ and government property, failed governance, poverty level of the citizens, poor economy and national underdevelopment. Therefore, individuals, organizations, institutions, local, state and the federal governments should as a matter of urgency begin to imbibe the culture of national consciousness, patriotism, honesty and embrace fairness in handling matters of national interest.
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