It was a surprise to some Nigerians when CNN reported that most Nigerians and Kenyans have confidence in President Trump according to the Pew research in January 2020. If this story were reported by Fox News many Africans living in Africa and in the diaspora would have concluded that Trump’s Vox populi was at it again. Surprisingly, it was from CNN and the reputable Pew research. Many Nigerians were not surprised by this report because of the huge role ethnicity and sentiments play in our decision-making process. Most nations that have the type of ethnic division in Kenya and Nigeria will also be able to relate to the Pew research results. How a candidate is perceived in these nations, have little or nothing to do with the competence of the individual in question. Rather it has all to do with the perceived benefits these ethnic nationalities can get from their romanticized candidate.

Many Yorubas in Nigeria voted for Muhammadu Buhari because he ran on a political platform created by their most influential politician presently – Bola Ahmed Tinubu. And the fact that his vice president is Yoruba. Another reason for voting for him was the possibility of a Yoruba man succeeding the president if anything happens. The Igbos on the other hand see Buhari as a tribalist who blatantly wears his ethnocentric toga with favours to only ethnic groups that voted for him. They also see him as a representation of all that has made Nigeria backward. From his promotion of everything Fulani to his gross incompetence that has retrogressed the Nigerian currency and economy which has probably affected the Igbos more than any other ethnic group. Many Igbos love Trump and even affectionately call him Odogwu – a title given to a brave and influential man. In their fantasy, Trump is a Christian warrior-king who would defend human rights and support the Biafran self-determination. They do not care if Trump is a certified liar from his days as a presidential candidate where he continually projected the fake news of Obama’s birthplace. The Yorubas also do not care if Buhari’s presidency has been the greatest political scam in Nigeria’s 60 years of existence. They just want their kinsman to succeed Buhari.

So, it is not surprising that many Igbos love Trump and many Yorubas still like Buhari after 5 years of failing to deliver his campaign promises. If you dig deep into the reasons why these two tribes love these two candidates, you will find selfishness, nepotism, and short-sightedness. Many Yorubas do not care if Nigeria becomes slavishly indebted as it is becoming now, with the Buhari administration borrowing as if Nigeria is coming to an end soon. And Igbos do not care if Trump has displayed unmistakable signs of a dictator who does not care about the rule of law or press freedom. And can even be accused of racism. This subjective mindset has been one of the major reasons for Africa’s underdevelopment. Tribalism has destroyed the pursuit of excellence and accountability. Tribal rivalry continues to destroy the common good and the hope for an African renaissance. Consequently, the Niger Delta region that supplies the crude whose oil blocks are mostly owned by northern elites is always at the receiving end. Hence, I call on the technocrats, youths, the masses, and the traditional rulers of the Niger Delta, from the Oba of Benin to the Obong of Calabar to open a discourse on the way forward because this debt accumulating Nigeria is not sustainable.

Ata Ukuta, Editor – www.towncryyers.com