The Danger Of Ethnic Politics

Democracy means liberality. It is a concept
which when practiced does not recognize ethnicity. Democracy all over is known as a government of representation and accountability. Simply put, democracy is popularly defined as “government of the people for the people and by the people”. It is a system that ensures effective governance and results. The concept of ethnicity in politics is antagonistic to democratic governance because ethnicity deals with race and the culture of people.
Research shows that most politicians are politicking on the basis of ethnicity and sentimentalism. This narrow-minded way of politicking results in socio-economic and political crisis all over. Now, I would want us to consider how a scholar describes ethnicity. Professor Read Walker Allen in The New International Webster’s Comprehensive Dictionary of English Language (Ecyclopedic Edition), defines ethnography as the branch of anthropology that considers man geographically and descriptively, treating of the subdivision of races and peoples, the causes of migration etc.
Based on the above definition of ethnicity, I dare say that many political practitioners in Nigeria are politicking in ignorance with acute sentiments. This has retarded progress and development at various levels of the society because the tenets and onions of democracy have been misconstrued.
The misconception and lack of adequate understanding of what democracy is all about has resulted in wrong application of politics. This is evident in the politics of hate demonstrated in both the print and electronic media. Politics is a game of testing one’s popularity at the polls without rancor or prejudice. Thus politics of ethnicity, narrow-mindedness and self-centredness should be discarded forthwith to give room for the emergence of free and credible election that will put the right people in the various positions of governance.
Those of us in the Niger Delta region have never benefitted from democracy. God has blessed the region with so much resources, but bad governance over the years has kept the place undeveloped. Those in the helm of affairs have forgotten that they are put there by divine providence and not by merit for the purpose of being useful and be a blessing to the people they represent.
So many oil producing communities are languishing in abject poverty and negligence in the midst of plenty due to ethnic practices and selfish concentration of unscrupulous and shylock administrators at the corridor of leadership. Decades ago, there was the introduction of special percentage of funds earmarked for oil producing communities which has gone into oblivion in the political and democratic domain. It is common knowledge that the 13 per cent derivation funds are being mismanaged and embezzled by greedy state governors at the detriment of those who own the oil.
It is unfortunate that our leaders and politicians cannot learn from past experiences of the ancient leaders/administrators and how God treated them when they erred. Amongst them were the Children of Israel, King Nebuchadnezzar of Bablylon, King Pharoah of Egypt, Governor Haman of the Chaldeans, Sergeant Doe of Liberia, General Sani Abacha of Nigeria, Prophet Moses who could not enter into the Promised Land (Canaan) due to little disobedience to God’s directive.
Indeed our leaders have erred and have failed to provide good leadership to their subject. Rather they have resorted to ethnicity in their campaigns in order to get the sympathy of their people.
Our leaders should be aware that a day of reckoning is fast approaching. Remember that the wicked shall reap what they have sowed – Galatians 6 v 7. They will give account of their leadership.
Oninyanwa is a social affairs analyst.

Goddey Ominyanwa