The emerging new world civilisation: what role for Nigeria?
Sir: Politicians in Nigeria love to preach multiculturalism but do little to encourage its growth after elections. No state in Nigeria can be said to be one where diversity makes the state a vibrant and interesting place to live. Nigerians still love to hold on to territories, claim them, many are referred to as settlers, and some live on fringes of towns. Culture and linguistic diversity which should be a plus for co-existence is now a minus factor tearing us all apart.
Thanks to plate tectonics the world is not the same place that it was. There are over seven billion people in it now and positive differences in cultures and religions of the citizens of the world should be expected and people should not be treated as liabilities.
What that should teach us is to increase our vanishing points, to bring about growth (personal and professional) and an amplified capability to contribute to the success of the nation. While it is good to promote faith it should be done healthily. Of equal importance also is the opportunity to learn faiths and understand people, not directly related to the faith and people of our comfort zone.
If religion is to be a continuing influence in social growth, it should not allow prejudice or a sense of superiority to colour its attitudes, exclusivism and elitism divide communities in ways that can lead to conflict and breakdown of social cohesion. Societies may benefit if religious leaders were to promote a sense of tolerance and fair-mindedness among their followers and to lead by example.
Is there hope? All through history good people rose up to the occasion to stop bad people on a mission to push countries toward a very dark path. But where are the good people in our region? The bad ones in the region have stopped the very many good ones from coming out of the shadows to repair the polity.
Simon Abah, Nigeria.
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