Due to the kind of tension that was generated during the campaigns leading to the just concluded 2023 general elections, it was not unexpected that there would be some ugly consequences.
Unfortunately, one of the unpleasant events is the ongoing commentary regarding alleged misgivings between host communities where you find a lot of persons from South eastern Nigeria. Tempers flared owning to toxic political rhetoric, which folks at the grassroots didn’t really have much control over.
In fact, some of the issues pertaining to the elections were matters that came up beyond the boundaries of Lagos State.
Sadly, in this Republic, especially the last two election cycles, these ethnic and sometimes religious faultlines have found their ways into our political discourse.
In the 2023, elections, the needless suspicion almost boiled over, leading to unsavoury commentaries, assault, slurs, and sometimes tension that were not supposed to be there in the first place.
The candidacy of Labour Party’s Peter Obi helped to expand these faultlines, probably unknowingly. For the many Igbo in Lagos who supported him, it was an opportunity to see a “viable” candidate of their extraction running a determined race for Nigeria’s presidency. Rightly so, giving that the zone is yet to have such opportunity at going for the No 1 seat since the Second Republic, on a big party platform.
Also, the so-called but infuriating slogan, “no man’s land” expressed by certain individuals took a life of its own during this election cycle. By the way, Lagos is not a “no man’s land”. In fact, the mere uttering of such cliche undermines the spirit of the city. It evokes a determined response from whoever the words were said to. It was a dangerous signpost.
On the other hand, there was this narrative by one of the candidates for governor who exhumed his native name – showing off part of his heritage.
This appeared to be an affront against certain demographics in the city. And they didn’t take kindly to it.
The Igbo, being over 90 percent Christians or identified as such, took the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) personally. Or at least, it became a talking point they could use in explaining their apathy towards the APC.
While there’s no evidence whatsoever to show that the president-elect Bola Tinubu harbours any atom of discrimination, his decision to pick a Muslim running mate aroused serious suspicion among the Igbo communities. Recall, since APC’s formation, the party has always been tagged as one with an oriental religious agenda. Although nothing could be farther from the truth based on evidence.
This was not helped by the media, especially most television and radio stations in Lagos. Hyperbole was employed knowingly or otherwise to promote these faultlines and engender fear in the polity. Call-in programmes were centres for spreading bigotry.
Apart from the media, some religious leaders promoted bigotry in a manner that I propose repentance after all is said and done.
It was all of the above that prepared the ground for the statement made by Musiliu Akinsanya (MC Oluomo) who was seen in a clip making discrimatory comments. Although he recanted, but the deed was already done.
What’s more, the win by Obi in Lagos energised the opposing APC supporters, who felt ashamed that anyone can stroll into Lagos and defeat the mentor-in-chief of Lagos politics.
It was a bitter pill to swallow, because the governorship election that followed brought out a serious campaign – albeit raising the tension further.
Multi-party democracy by its nature is competitive. It’s also a winner-takes-all contest. This has made contestants and their supporters dig deep to use every opportunity to sway support and votes.
During these campaigns, religious, ethnic, class demarcations, among others, were hoisted to exert influence and control.
But cleaning up some of the mean things said during campaigns sometimes takes years. Before you know it, another election cycle is born.
For me, while the tension was palpable, the whole argument was more of much ado about nothing.
Democratic campaigns would always elicit emotional stress, but politicians should continue to find ways to win over the hearts and minds of their constituents, especially in a state with diverse ethnicities.
As we mature in our political culture, Nigerians should stop seeing politics or elections as the end; rather these are processes that lead to governance. And it comes every four years. If you don’t win in 2023, 2027 is around the corner. So better start preparing. Also start detoxifying the hearts you messed up with overdose of bigotry. In an election, it’s votes that count, not how many minds have been directed towards ethnic or religious superiority.
It must be said that in all of this, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his team remained firm in condemning acts of violence or discriminatory tones. He won the election fair and square. His work over the past four years could not have been in vain. Like the Deputy Governor Dr Obafemi Hamzat highlighted, 84 acts of violence took place in Lagos during the election. We have over 13,000 polling units. It’s clear who won and why.
Sanwo-Olu is the kind of leader Lagos needs. Going forward, engaging every community will bring everyone together – that’s what the governor is known for by the way. The Igbo community should also be ready to engage. Everyone needs peace and brotherhood to succeed. That’s what Lagos has always provided. Ethnic baiting should be consigned to the dustbin of history.
