Thread by @toluogunlesi

You know what I find really ironic & sobering about the wave of anti-Fulani bigotry sweeping the country? It’s not new. Only that when it happened, 50–60 years ago, the targets were not the Fulani,but instead the Igbo, suspected/ unfairly accused of an Igbonisation Agenda
#Thread

This is Nigeria for you. Those who are ignorant or forgetful or disdainful of history rush to make pronouncements where even angels fear to tread. Those who respect history open themselves up to its sobering truth, the sense of measure and nuance that it leaves behind.

Maybe it feels comforting right now, to hold an entire ethnic group responsible for Nigeria’s security challenges. But to successfully do that you have to willfully blind yourself to the simple & obvious truth that no ethnic group in Nig. has ever held a monopoly on criminality.

It pays a certain class of opportunistic Nigerian elite (primarily political and religious leaders) to manufacture / whip up baseless ethnic sentiments as a means of gaining political advantage. It’s an industry that has been thriving since 1999. In fact since Nigeria has existed

So, every season, an ethnic group gets accused of trying to dominate Nigeria by hook or crook

The truth is: The way Nigeria is & works, no ethnic group (or religion) can dominate this country. Not possible. Even during military rule it was not possible, not to talk of democracy

Great wisdom from @mazinwonwu, on this matter (on Facebook).

“Hate is the only thing that wins.”

https://twitter.com/toluogunlesi/status/1151217405403774976?s=21

“The Catholic bishop of Sokoto, Matthew Kukah, has warned against blanket demonisation of herdsmen, especially of the Fulani stock, warning that such actions could be preamble to a breakout of violent confrontation against the Fulani.” premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/…

“”He likened the uproar and profiling of the Fulani to what happened to the Igbo leading up to the Nigerian civil war between 1967 and 1970.
“If it is Fulani today, yesterday it was the Igbos,” he said.” premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/…

Finally the rational, sensible Nigerians are speaking. Bishop Kukah on the falsehood that recently circulated regarding the new Nigerian passport.

The adults urgently need to take charge of the conversation from the bigotry of the FFKs, Odumakins, Renos
premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/…