The reason for the collective madness for endless fasting and praying for Nigeria’s unity is because Nigeria is not one country. It cannot not be unified. Nigerians know this fact. But in their denials, they continue to reject the reality and stubbornly cling to fantasy.
Ever heard of French, Americans, Brits, Canadians, Germans, Polish, to name but a few, fasting and praying for unity of their respective nations? But Nigerians are known for endless prayers for unity. Nigerians are saturated with comic pandering for fasting, praying for unity of a country with no unifying base.
The reason for the collective madness for endless fasting and praying for Nigeria’s unity is because Nigeria is not one country. It cannot not be unified. Nigerians know this fact. But in their denials, they continue to reject the reality and stubbornly cling to fantasy.
Nigerians, the most prayerful people in the world, consistently fast and pray for unity. They pretend not to know that Nigeria is made up of different nationalities with different languages, cultures, customs, traditions, religions. Nigeria is a divided, hostile, and unequal country. A failed state that has physically, spiritually, and geographically fallen apart. The campaign season is here when the jesters vying for Aso Rock. They will bore you with nonsensical arguments for unity and oneness for a country that was never unified. A country with tribal tin gods. A country that was never at peace with herself.
What’s wrong with us as a people? Are we real human beings with critical faculties to think and the foresight to see what’s ahead? Do we have the capacity as humans to differentiate between fantasy and fiend? between phantom and faux? The call for the three major ethnic groups - Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa/Fulani - to live together in “unity” is like asking Polish to live with Danish as one people and one country. It’s like asking Australians to live with Prussians in one nation. It’s like having amalgam of Hungarians and Swedish to form one united nation. Hell NO! Impossible!
European nations realized that smaller is better and bigger is not always better. They realized very early in their history that they are different people. Finns don’t speak the same language with Danes. French and Germans don’t speak same language. And so on and so forth. They don’t have the same culture, traditions, etc., hence they are better off to remain small and separate nations.
But in the case of Nigeria, some people still believe bigger is better. They believe “one Nigeria” is the way to go. They are blind to the incontrovertible fact that Yorubas, Hausa-Fulanis, and Igbos are not the same people with the same language, culture, customs, traditions, etc. No wonder, the various ethnic groups can’t live peacefully with one another.
Ethnic rivalry and acrimonious rancor, religious bigotry, nepotism, and other associated evils that have been the sad commentary on our history, have proven the advocates of one Nigeria wrong. False hope for fraudulent unity and forged oneness, are responsible for the warring ethnic groups in a country of full of mirage and myth that serve no one any good. Which is why Nigeria is what it is today - a collapsed country. Reason why we have been fighting dumb fights over elusive peace for 62 years. It explains why Nigeria has been shackled and stranded going nowhere.
For 62 years, Nigerians have been fasting and praying for unity. But the more they fast and pray, the more elusive the unity. The more prayers, the more the unity of the country remains a mirage. Unity of Nigeria is impossible! Dissolution of Nigeria cannot be feigned, ignored, or dismissed. Let’s fast and pray for dissolution of Nigeria. The unfolding implosion of Nigeria is a sign that our prayers are being answered.