Trust Among The Elites

By Anonymous

Take for example, between you (a Northern Muslim) and Otedola (a Southern Christian), who will Dangote hand over his company to? Don’t disturb yourself, it is Otedola.

When Herbert Wigwe died, did you listen to Emir Sanusi’s tribute to him? Among numerous encomiums he showered on Wigwe, one of it was that he entrusted his assets to him.

During Babangida’s book launch, Arthur Eze (a billionaire Igbo Christian) donated 500 million naira. While extolling the virtues of IBB (a Muslim from Niger State), he told the whole world that Babangida was the man who enriched him.

Last week, Aliko Dangote vacated his seat as the Chairman of Dangote Cement, so as to have more time for the implementation of his 5-year plans on Dangote Refinery. Guess the person he entrusted his factory to as the chairman. Emmanuel Ikazoboh (a Christian from Edo State).

What is my point? The points I am driving at is that the elites trust one another. Tribalism and religious bigotry are not in their vocabulary. They assist and empower their friends, as long as they merit it. The envy and distrust among them are not enormous.

As for the masses, heeeeeeeyyyy! Envy, hatred, bigotry, cussing, cursing, animosity, disparagement, detraction, slander, insults etc are what we do. Vile and vulgar words are what we utter at each other.

I heard one lady cursing another lady, wishing woes and death on her children on social media. What message are they passing to the youngsters? Well, many of them have inherited their elders’ bad behaviours. A crass reflection of these is on our behaviour on social media.

Among the masses, they will tell you, as a Muslim, that it’s sinful to have Christians as your friends. Christians do the same – that Muslims are devils and terrorists; don’t take them as friends. This is what we preach.

The same thing with ethnicity and tribalism. The Northern and Southern masses are always at loggerheads. We unprovokingly spite one another. It has started now. Go through people’s posts on politics. The North supporting their leaders. The South doing the same. The only reason we support them is because they’re from our region.

I don’t know where this hatred comes from. We all need to wear our thinking cap and tell ourselves the bitter truth. Bigotry and hatred lead to perdition. Love and kindness are a path to growth and success.