When will tribalism, ethnicity and religious attitude stop? These were the questions I asked my self when I heard a woman complain in a shop.
That is how I went out to get airtime for my mum, when I saw an old woman walk into the shop, she had come to ask the owner of the shop for a favour- the shop owner happens to be a muslim, on her hijab and all. The mama wanted her to give her a big pot and cooler; in short all cooking materials except plate. "Hmmm, my second son is getting married to your people, I no no wetin I dey find for una side self", those were the words of the mama, looking at her face she was not happy at all, but the guy had decided. She further told the Alhaja that her first son also got married to a Yoruba girl, now her second. "Hhhhheeeee! una don marry our sisters finish", alhaja lamented.
I didn't stand to keep listening, she was actually given all the cooking utensils. I was so in awe how in times like this, things like that still happend. I know that if mama had her way she would like to marry for her son as they say.
Meanwhile, alhaja's thought is that a Muslim sis is now going to be a Christian, because there is no way the man will allow her to continue her religion. It then brings me to this question, do we marry who we love or love whom ever we marry?,is marriage a bed of rose or a rose forgotten?
These are questions people fail to answer. It is time we no longer border our selves when, yoruba marry Igbo or ibibio marry house, because it no longer matter. The only fear should be - will she or he be able to cope with each other's culture. Of course this fear has a solution which is be humble and learn. When you know that you can actually learn any language and learn any culture, that is the only time tribalism will stop.
It is not about the talk syndrome, it is about the doing. And it is high time for many in love to tell this to their parents, that is convince them that you will learn and live happily with your partner.
Tribalism has eaten deep and may not stop until we start working now. It has even covered the Labour world and it corrupts decisions. We will win with the same mind of, "yes tribalism can stop".
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