All of us who are concerned for
peace and triumph of reason and justice must be keenly aware how small an
influence reason and honest good will exert upon events in the political field.
Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right
answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own
responsibility for the future.
Tribalism? This can be defined as
“the behavior and attitudes that stem from strong loyalty to one's own tribe or
social group”. As a result, the tribalists have disdain for and often
disrespect the tribes they think are inferior to theirs. Such people,
therefore, discourage association in any form be it marriage, work or friendship
with tribes they deem to be inferior.
Tribalists think and preach that
the men and women of their tribe or ethnic group are superior to others, and
that as a result the others should serve and obey them. They try to impose the
hegemony, the predominance of their tribes. Tribalist ideas and feeling are
used most often to create a clientele who can help them to satisfy their
selfish interests and ambitions.
The reasons for tribalism and
tribal discrimination may include the following:
The first is history, as many a
tribalist traces the perceived superiority of their tribe to ethnic lineage.
They will recount how their forebears defeated the other tribes in a war or a
series of wars, or sometimes how their forebears enslaved the other tribes.
Such people take pride in their
history and no amount of persuasion can make them to see today’s reality. They
believe that since their ancestors were “better” than the other tribes, so also
are they now.
Another reason for tribalism is
geographical location in relation to national resources and power. By this we
mean that tribes which are endowed with abundant resources and opportunities
often tend to disrespect people from other tribes who come to seek work on
their land. Similarly, tribes which have the seat of power tend to think that
they are better than others, and sometimes look down on them.
The above mentioned have been
aggravated by politics. It is sad to say that most politicians either publicly
or privately try to encourage tribal sentiments for their own selfish
interests.
Among the effects of tribalism is
that it breeds nepotism. Once people feel that their tribesmen are better than
people of other tribes, they tend to surround themselves with their tribesmen
when they get into positions of trust.
Often tribalists are willing to
hire people from their own tribe who may not otherwise be the best candidates
for a given job. Such actions deprive the nation of the right people for the
right job.We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created
equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights,
such as the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
It is arguable that the negative
effects of tribalism permeate all African countries. Millions have been killed,
maimed or displaced in civil wars in sub-Sahara Africa over the past 50 years,
mostly because of tribal agitation. Most of us are living witnesses to the
carnage that occurred in Rwanda and is still going on in Somalia. These
countries have fallen into the abyss mainly because of tribalism. (The Point,
2010).
In the overall sub-Saharan
African political ethos, so long as a larger chunk of the negative vestiges of
colonialism predominate, ethnicity as a political tool in the long run may, of
course, involve several thoughts in the dimensions of social sciences like
anthropology or sociology in the academic world, but in practical politics,
especially in the contemporary African context of increasing ignorance and
backwardness, ethnicity or ethnic politics exist as a blatant, gruesome
instruments of accumulating private wealth and an easy accesses to unearned
political power. In short, ethnic politics is an excuse to the profession of
brigandage. (Yohannes Chane Metiku, 2002).
There is a LIGHT in this world. A
healing spirit more powerful than any darkness we may encounter. We sometime
lose sight of this force when there is suffering, and too much pain. Then
suddenly, the spirit will emerge through the lives of ordinary people who hear
a call and answer in extraordinary ways.
Peace comes from being able to
contribute the best that we have, and all that we are, toward creating a world
that supports everyone. But it is also securing the space for others to
contribute the best that they have and all that they are
Let's not allow politics to
separate us, let's dialogue as it is the only mean we can reach at a solution.
Politicians come and go but the citizens stay.
"People who sow seeds of
discord by preaching tribalism, racism and religious misunderstanding should
find another place to go." (Mwai Kinaki).
This is the true joy in life, the
being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being a
force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and
grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you
happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community, and as
long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be
thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice
in life for its own sake. Life is no “brief candle” for me. It is a sort of
splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it
burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.
I wish to see all Gambians
continuing living as a family, where the joking relationship buried the menace
of tribalism, for The Gambia our homeland one people, one hearth, one Tribe,
one family, and one Gambia!!
May thunder and lightning split
on all tribalists, may evil spirit take away all tribalist to Jupiter, Ameen!!
By: Saidina Alieu Jarjou
Activist/Blogger/Watchdog.
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