Oh great Nigeria, the land of the strong and erudite scholars, what has become of thee?
Our parents pool their meager resources together, just to ensure we get educated; in the hope that we would be able to better our lives over time. We claim to be graduates and educated elites yet our so called ''education'' is that of the pariah who knows it all and would not give in to other people's school of thought.
Tribalism has eaten deep into our roots that we now don't even see things from the angle of the educated but basically as an insult on our tribe.
We all learnt that Stella Oduah used "our hard-earned money" to beef up her personal security; which isn't a wrong thing on its own merit, but at what cost? We fight ourselves daily online and continue the divide known as Nigeria by claiming we are either from the North, West, East or the South.
Just today, I read that in Lagos state, people now pay tolls on wooden bridge, whose structural design can never stand the test of time with the State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, supporting the concept under the auspices of "private initiative". My questions to him is who controls the excesses of this self-made government (toll collectors) and which law confers the right on them to tax their fellow free men?
However, that is not the crux of the issue; the issue lies with us. We have let the government play hide and seek with our destinies; we can't boast of good roads, good education, social amenities; even a job after the so called "education" yet we come here to support them just because they are from our tribe.
I bet our generation would never forgive us because when we should have taken the bull by the horn, all we did was play lip service. How many of us can boast of the assurance of a better Nigeria, when all we have are corrupt leaders?
I appeal to you, the so called elite who reasons not with his/her emotions but with his/her brain to stop tribalism and fight for what is right. The Westerner shouldn't support a Yoruba man that has done wrong, likewise should the Easterner never support an Ibo person who has not shown good leadership examples. We should come together as one Nigeria to make our leaders accountable to us; irrespective of being our kinsmen so that we can have that future we crave for.
To you who chooses to still comment based on tribalistic sentiments, I have no other word for you than to tell you that your education was a waste and you will always end up a tribalist.

I'm igbo buh I must confess I get irritated wen I see dis tribal bigots bashing each other! We are all humans and no tribe have a monopoly of crime. Tho the hausas hv a 'lil' bit high tendency of commiting terror acts

I wish the tribal warlords will read and comprehend.

Msg for demdem, willy7willy, berem, dayokanu, pointB, Freeglobe, eko ile, sladie walex, and oda arch bigots who see tins only thru d myopic view of their tribes

@ ifee-gee and andresia, thanks for reading and I wish that every tribalist on Nairaland gets the message that we should stop fighting ourselves but should rather fight the bad leaders who are milking our economy dry.
@emperorchedda, I beg to disagree that Hausas have the tendency for committing terror acts; are al-qaeda or al-shabaab members Hausas or have you never met a peaceful Hausa person? I believe we all have the choice of choosing to be what we want to be. In my opinion, any Yoruba, Ibo or Hausa person that has strong tribalistic sentiments may also have the tendencies for acts of terror which is why I am begging that we stop tribalism.

Rubbish! Tribalism has come to stay both online and offline. There is nothing anybody can do.

Na today!

When i see people, i don't see a white, black, chocolate, igbo, hausa, yoruba, American, Indian, ghanian, pdp, acn, accord, e.t.c
all i see is either GOOD or BAD people! #DFC

andresia: Msg for demdem, willy7willy, berem, dayokanu, pointB, Freeglobe, eko ile, sladie walex, and oda arch bigots who see tins only thru d myopic view of their tribes

You forgot to mention their mother Desola.

@chieflowo, thank you for your candid response but have you observed that whenever we are playing football, we all accept ourselves as Nigerians? that means we are doing what I call switching whenever it pleases us. When we want to befuddle our fellow men, we play the card of tribalism so as not to get to the root of the issue; It is a choice. I choose to base my arguments and statements on fact and expectations and not on tribalism, which isn't too much to ask from the so called educated.
@gurnam, it is not today that people have been stealing money from the coffers of government but if I and you join hands together with other credible people as one Nigerian to ask how our money is being spent, Nigeria will surely be a better place to live in.

perfectgen: @chieflowo, thank you for your candid response but have you observed that whenever we are playing football, we all accept ourselves as Nigerians? that means we are doing what I call switching whenever it pleases us. When we want to befuddle our fellow men, we play the card of tribalism so as not to get to the root of the issue; It is a choice. I choose to base my arguments and statements on fact and expectations and not on tribalism, which isn't too much to ask from the so called educated.

+1

@op i like your write up keep it.I think tribalism is one the major problem of Nigeria we should stop this act let us come together in order to make peace and progress in Nigeria.

Great write up op. tribalism has eaten deep into our core as a people. the day this issue is put forward and tackled, nigeria will move forward.

Even in your write up, there is a sting of tribalism..... What as lagos wooden bridge got to do with the tribal issue you posted.
You people get yourselves warm up on south western issues as though na your land and when the e-warriors come to finish you off, you cry foul..... You all have a pathetic low self esteem..

Foolish OP.
There is nothing bad about being Tribalistic
Tribalism is a strong feeling of identity with and loyalty to one's tribe or group.
Again OP you are foolish and du.mb

seanet01: Foolish OP.
There is nothing bad about being Tribalistic
Tribalism is a strong feeling of identity with and loyalty to one's tribe or group.
Again OP you are foolish and du.mb

A very 'informed' opinion.

A proud tribalist marking the roll call.

Present sir!

azeezhy: Even in your write up, there is a sting of tribalism..... What as lagos wooden bridge got to do with the tribal issue you posted.
You people get yourselves warm up on south western issues as though na your land and when the e-warriors come to finish you off, you cry foul..... You all have a pathetic low self esteem..

You are an intelligent person,but it fails me why you read this piece and still did not understand .

andresia: Msg for demdem, willy7willy, berem dayokanu, pointB, Freeglobe, eko ile, sladie walex, and oda arch bigots who see tins only thru d myopic view of their tribes

@seanet01, you actually made me laugh because it is evident you have a myopic view about issues that can better your life. The person who would make Nigeria better doesn't have to come from your tribe and if the person who is not letting us make headway in Nigeria happens to come from my tribe, I will never pledge my loyalty to him/her because I want the best for my generation.
@azeezhy, when I said we should comment based on facts and expectations, I know what I meant. For your information, I am a Lagosian from the same Alimosho LGA and I am surprised that my mention of the govt. not providing a good bridge for the inhabitants of that community and being justified by our state minister for works and infrastructure is being treated by you as a tribal issue. Is it the place of common people to start levying one another tolls for a wooden bridge that the govt. should have provided or are you telling me that because you are not affected, you don't feel the plight of those people? If it were in the North or East, would it be justifiable for criticism? That is what I am driving at; the government has failed us and I don't care where it is happening (North, South, East or West), I will never treat it as a tribal issue and I thought with the level of your education, you should likewise strive for accountability rather than foolhardy criticism of tribes.

perfectgen: @seanet01, you actually made me laugh because it is evident you have a myopic view about issues that can better your life. The person who would make Nigeria better doesn't have to come from your tribe and if the person who is not letting us make headway in Nigeria happens to come from my tribe, I will never pledge my loyalty to him/her because I want the best for my generation.
@azeezhy, when I said we should comment based on facts and expectations, I know what I meant. For your information, I am a Lagosian from the same Alimosho LGA and I am surprised that my mention of the govt. not providing a good bridge for the inhabitants of that community and being justified by our state minister for works and infrastructure is being treated by you as a tribal issue. Is it the place of common people to start levying one another tolls for a wooden bridge that the govt. should have provided or are you telling me that because you are not affected, you don't feel the plight of those people? If it were in the North or East, would it be justifiable for criticism? That is what I am driving at; the government has failed us and I don't care where it is happening (North, South, East or West), I will never treat it as a tribal issue and I thought with the level of your education, you should likewise strive for accountability rather than foolhardy criticism of tribes.

You are not making any sense.
There is nothing bad about being tribalistic

Op the people you described are the evil men of nairaland, they know themselves

seanet01: Foolish OP.
There is nothing bad about being Tribalistic
Tribalism is a strong feeling of identity with and loyalty to one's tribe or group.
Again OP you are foolish and du.mb

"Tribalism is the state of being organized in,[1] or advocating for, a tribe or tribes. In terms of conformity, tribalism may also refer to a way of thinking or behaving in which people are more loyal to their tribe than to their friends, their country, or any other social group"

I guess u couldn't extend the so called definition of tribalism you posted above, to having a tribalistic view of things in Nigeria.

So let me ask you this, oh wise one. By your definition of tribalism as "loyalty to ones tribe", then in a country like Nigeria with multiple tribes, can't you see that having a tribalistic view means loyalty to ones tribe b4 country?

Just as the OP said, you get education, but you don't use it, don't be wasteful dude!

Btw, I'm harsh because you called the OP foolish, how did attacking the OP add anything of benefit to this thread?

perfectgen: @seanet01, you actually made me laugh because it is evident you have a myopic view about issues that can better your life. The person who would make Nigeria better doesn't have to come from your tribe and if the person who is not letting us make headway in Nigeria happens to come from my tribe, I will never pledge my loyalty to him/her because I want the best for my generation.
@azeezhy, when I said we should comment based on facts and expectations, I know what I meant. For your information, I am a Lagosian from the same Alimosho LGA and I am surprised that my mention of the govt. not providing a good bridge for the inhabitants of that community and being justified by our state minister for works and infrastructure is being treated by you as a tribal issue. Is it the place of common people to start levying one another tolls for a wooden bridge that the govt. should have provided or are you telling me that because you are not affected, you don't feel the plight of those people? If it were in the North or East, would it be justifiable for criticism? That is what I am driving at; the government has failed us and I don't care where it is happening (North, South, East or West), I will never treat it as a tribal issue and I thought with the level of your education, you should likewise strive for accountability rather than foolhardy criticism of tribes.

Alimosho? Isn't that an Igbo area? Are igbos now naturalising to Yoruba?

Well, good development all around.

Welcome into the fold. Oodua a gbe wa o.

Loyal to my tribe before country because I was made to be part of a country I never wished to be a part of.

You can't force love o.

@kofoshi, I would only reply you because I need to make some things straight; Alimosho LGA is the most populated LGA in Lagos state and has always had the Aworis as the first settlers which makes it a Yoruba community. For your loyalty to your tribe before country, that is your choice to make but I will ask you only one question: Can your tribesmen in government guarantee you the future you crave for and the kind of direction that is emulative of leadership? If not, then, you are one of those who are not helping the situation of Nigeria by supporting mediocrity.

perfectgen: @kofoshi, I would only reply you because I need to make some things straight; Alimosho LGA is the most populated LGA in Lagos state and has always had the Aworis as the first settlers which makes it a Yoruba community. For your loyalty to your tribe before country, that is your choice to make but I will ask you only one question: Can your tribesmen in government guarantee you the future you crave for and the kind of direction that is emulative of leadership? If not, then, you are one of those who are not helping the situation of Nigeria by supporting mediocrity.

Putting this current dispensation into focus, I would say that my tribesmen have done stellar jobs and have outperformed all other leaders from other region although I cannot say that they are without flaws or there are no areas still beckoning their attention.

So, to answer your question directly, I would say if the leverage was between my tribesmen and others in the country, then yes, they can guarantee the future I crave in exemplary leadership..

Tribalism is good for nigeria we the yorubas love tribalism.

seanet01:
You are not making any sense.
There is nothing bad about being tribalistic

pls tell them,tribalism is good and healthy for we yorubas.The yorubas do not sleep with our eyes close we have too many enemies that want us down which we will defeat them hands down.

This only excites tribal buffoons, i recall one of such tolls bridges in Oshodi resulted in the death of an igbo fella when he paid N1k expecting his change and the toll collector denied receiving anything.. planting flowers on a pavement so pedestrians will need to take transportation rather than walk.. MEGACITY littered with thousands of agberos leeching of the tax-paying non-lagosians day in day out

@kofoshi, I am glad to hear that your tribesmen are doing well for your community in terms of leadership and I wish them well, continue encouraging them but if I may appeal to you, never judge any other person's leader because of their tribe but principally based on their deeds. That way, you can jointly help in seeing a better Nigeria; which by the way is all you have. No tribe is all-in-all, we depend on one another for our livelihood.
@oil_suop, I admit that we love tribalism in Nigeria and as you mentioned "Yorubas love tribalism" but if I may deem it fit to say, you are wrong. We as individuals choose what we believe and how we act; it is the individual and not the Yoruba that loves tribalism. Anybody who chooses to be tribalistic does so based on personal inclination and not because his tribe is known for that. Is there any tribe in Nigeria that is not known for hardwork? People chose to be hard working just as others chose to be tribalistic. Tribalism card has been played by our leaders all along with us being the ones to suffer for it; I advise we become wiser and face the issue on ground; it isn't a tribe that is robing us of the joys of good governance but individuals

seanet01: Foolish OP.
There is nothing bad about being Tribalistic
Tribalism is a strong feeling of identity with and loyalty to one's tribe or group.
Again OP you are foolish and du.mb

Wow!! It is high time seanet01 proved he/she has few organized social order in his/her skull.