 Nationalism beyond tribal sentiments. Just on Monday, some group of traditionalists stormed the premises of the grids of Bafemi Awolowu University to register their disapproval of the newly appointed vice chancellor. They claimed that an indigene of a lay fair should have been appointed. The big question is, what relevance is the tribal application of a vice chancellor to his ability to discharge his duty effectively? Why raising the academic standard? I wish those traditionalists could channel their energy and agitation towards ensuring adequate funding and support for the university or by extension funding educational institutions. Now, this same issue is evident in the political and electioneering scene. In the wake of the forthcoming 2023 general elections, political parties, stakeholders and the general masses somewhat seem to be very sensitive about tribal or ethnicity of the major players. It is true that inclusiveness is key in ensuring that every ethnic group is represented in the leadership, but beyond the satisfaction of several ethnic groups, it is the importance of choosing the right persons for the greater good of the nation. Candidate selection should be judged based on value added and not on mere tribal or religious sentiments. In Africa largely, sentimental reasons have often been the basis for selecting representatives for leadership as opposed to a fit candidate who can deliver through leadership as sometimes. This results in ethno-religious conflicts. Tribal religious and other sentimental driven reasons have led many to choose unfit persons in places of power. Political participation from the masses should start with a level of understanding that candidate selection is beyond sentimental biases. It should be solely dependent on evaluating candidates' agenda, past records and also ability to communicate effectively with the people. Anything short of the aforementioned are governed by sentiments which could plunge the nation to perpetual doom. Tribe and ethnicity is beautiful and should be a strength in our common identities as Nigerians. So let us think less of ethnicity or tribe and more of our common Nigerian nationality. Can I shake your hand please? If we know our history, this will not be a problem. Why did I say that? In history, back in the days, about 50 to 100 years ago, the mayor of Enegu was an Al-Samar. Now, yes, we don't know where we are coming from. The people in charge, political party leaders for them to be relevant. Once they lose power, once they are not relevant in that party, they go back to the villages and start throwing ethnicity or religious confusion for them to be relevant in being local champions. You're right. When people ask me, they say, where are you from? I say, I'm in Nigeria. We need to go back to that and focus on being Nigerian first and tribes and religious second. Thank you for this. Thank you very much. It is a very important issue we discussed this because everybody is consigned and agitated. It is going to be the presence of Nigeria. Imagine what will happen. How can people go to university and say we want... Is it that we will only fail edige and perform the magic? Anybody can be vice chancellor. Anybody should be vice chancellor in as much as you qualify for it. So I think it's not about tribe. It's about who accesses resources. So they're using the tribalism to make sure who they want to be there can access those resources. We look at the universities, they're dilapidated, but they're being funded. There are funds and those funds are going. So it's about who can access and siphon these funds into people's personal pockets and people's personal communities. So they're not interested in actually putting someone viable there because it doesn't serve their purpose. It doesn't serve the purpose that they want. If people truly want the situation with universities, the government and general life to get better, we would be putting people in charge who are capable, who have the rights to be there, that they're properly experienced, certified, qualified and have shown that they're invested in our nation. But that isn't why people go into politics. That isn't why people go into being chancellors of universities. That's just not how it happens. So I think we're honestly fooling ourselves today to think it's very nice what you said. It's lovely, but it's not enough. So let's look at what's going on. We'll make it happen. You're right. What do you say about putting square pegs in square holes? Put round pegs in round holes. Forget about tribal. So we need a good person to lead us or good leaders. It respects it for the work. So what do you think? I'm not going to say that they're not taking this situation. I'm going to say two very big people at one. Still waters running. Two, tribalism, the pain of my country. It's not something we can just set aside, do you see? We have to be very careful in saying that oh, let us put nationalism above tribalism. You guys have all made very stale points. Toyota has brought up the issue of resource management and how that is springboard to the decision that is being made and the light has said that what about the intellectual capacity of the individual being discussed. Abdullah said we need to continue to discuss all of these matters. I completely agree. However, we have to conceptualize it. In Nigeria as it is, there are several issues with people saying oh, I've been marginalized. I've not been given the right attention. My people do not sit at the center. We've not had access to the control. We don't have access to the power. We don't have access to control resources. So when people begin to advocate and agitate about tribalism and positions and appointments in Nigeria, we have to be very careful before we just throw out and say oh, nationalism above all else. So on that matter, I'm going to ask two questions. Is there an indigenous person that can also be into this position? And the answer is yes. Why wasn't he considered? All right. Now we have brought somebody from, say for another community and another part of Nigeria. Why can't we work with that person? I'm going to be very careful and say, don't just say oh, nationalism. Because I'm from Lagos state and I hold him in pride. If you want to come and govern in Lagos state, the question I'm going to ask you first, before we bring an awesome man, have you considered the locals? We put diversity on an international level. We put inclusion on a national level. We must also recognize that there are minority ethnic groups and minority tribes that are not giving the same access to the center. And so the state here who comes to equity must come with clean hands. And that's what the rest of my call. But what do you, when you say look how, good to ask you a question. Somebody, let me give you an example. You get back to your child in Lagos. Even though the parents are not Eurobars. Let's say the parents are. Perhaps let me use e-boos for example. And you get back to your child in Lagos. They decide to name your child Chukwe Bukka Lawan. Kind of. That child has the right to claim Lagos as, it's an indigenous Lagos. It should grow up. Even if you relocate to any part of the country, if you stay more than 10 years there, you should be able to run for political office. But I think we need to be educated as Nigerians. We should have a balance between tribalism and nationalism. And we respect our tribe with the nationalism. I mean that's the problem. That's the problem, maybe we have to remove that. They have to remove state of origin. They need to move to the opposite of residence. If they do that, that will go a long way. I think we have to rethink Nigerian. But as Tonya said, listen, the biggest problem we have, కార్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల్ల theIt runs on the míth of a Armstrong go to plustvafrika.com forward slash the advocate ng don't forget to subscribe to our youtube channel plus tv afrika and plus tv afrika lifestyle join us next week same time on this station let's keep advocating for a better society see you next time