COVID-19 LOCKDOWN:
What Parents/Guardians Should Do
Winifred Adzande
Benue State was created in 1976 and since then, the state has faltered to deceive in terms of development. In his magnum opus, How Europe Underdeveloped Africa, Walter Rodney told of how the need for development; which is defined as a positive movement from one point to another, is inherent and inate in the nature of individuals and societies. From this simple understanding, one can say that in its 44 years as a state, Benue State have no doubts experienced some form of development (and growth) but in the general analysis of the history of the state, especially when one knows that the state is blessed with abundant quantity and rich quality of human and material resources, it would not be misleading to say that the state has failed to develop as it should.
So many factors (corruption, poor governance, poor planning, absence of creativity, unnecessary dependence on federal allocation, etc) is often been pointed out as the bane of the crawling pace of the development of Benue State but to this writer, the most significant curse hindering the development of the state is the absence of unity and tolerance between the different ethnic groups in the state – but particularly between the Tiv and the idoma; the two biggest ethnic groups. After Benue State gained ‘independence’ from the ‘confederate’ union with Plateau and Kogi states, the state now have nine (9) known indigenous ethnic groups: Tiv, Idoma, Igede, Etulo, Akwaya, Nyifon, Akpa, Ufia and Jukun. But as mentioned earlier, the biggest rivalry between the ethnic groups in Benue State is the one between the Tiv and the Idoma while the other smaller ethnic groups are forced and/or cajoled into choosing which of the two ‘warring’ parties they aligns with – because in Benue State, one cannot afford to be nonaligned. Thus, in this rat race between the ethnic groups, it is not surpringing that the Tiv; regarded as the 4th biggest ethnic group in Nigeria after the Big Three of Hausa/Fulani, Yoruba and Igbo always wins. This is why since the creation of Benue State, no person from the other eight (8) ethnic groups have produced a demcratic governor of the state other than the Tiv. Indeed, and since 1999 when democracy was returned to Nigeria on May 29th, the Tiv have controlled the state’s three arms of government; Governor, Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly and Chief Justice of the state, until recently when a soon-to-be-retired Justice Onum was appointed as the state’s Chief Judge by current Governor; Samuel Ortom. With Benue State, the democratic creed of the majority having their way and the minority having their say is strictly adhered to – because as at tody, all three arms of the government are headed by the Tiv and this should not be so especially when we know that democracy preaches checks and balances and in a state like Benue, having heads of the three arms of government come from the same ethnic group would make this difficult to achieve.
It was Aristotle who counselled us about politics being the master science because it controls and coordinates everything – and so we very well know that at the center of the disunity and intolerance between the different ethnic groups in Benue State is the politics of who gets what, when and how – and the accompanying contestations, disagreements and agitations. Suffice it to say that while contestations, disagreements and agitations are typical and permanent with politics, they do not have to be such that the parties would be disunitied and intolerant of each other. Unfortunately, and for Benue State, the matter goes beyond disunity and intolerance to hatred and distain between and among the ethnic groups – but particularly between the Tiv and the Idoma. Truth be told, and since politics controls and coordinates everything, it is commonplace to see this disunity, intolerance, hatred and distain for each other overlap into places such as schools, churches, social gatherings and the playgrounds. This anomaly is now farreaching because today’s generation of Benue sons and daughters have been baptized by their parents into this behavior such that it is now commonplace for a Tiv boy to say he cannot marry an Idoma girl and for an Idoma boy to say he cannot marry a Tiv girl, since their parents (and community) have made it known to them, from when they were little children, that marrying from the ‘other’ ethnic group is a ‘haram’ – a thing that is forbitten and must be avoided at all cost – so love doesnt count.
This writer is of the Idoma ethnic group but he was born and raised in northern Nigeria; specifically in Kaduna, Plateau and Sokoto states – and while growing up in these states, he saw every Tiv man and woman as his brother and sister. In fact during his secondary school days at the Christ Ambassadors College in Kaduna metropolis, his best friend was one Titus Tersoo Igbanah, a Tiv boy – and they became friends the first day they resumed only because they found out they are both from Benue State. However, when this writter gained admission into the state university and came to Benue State for the first time, he was to rudely discover that the Idoma and the Tiv do not often see eye to eye. Although Benue people are very good at pretending about this reality in public (and they have done this for since 1976), the Tiv and the Idoma do not like each other. Hence, the main objective of this writeup is to hit the nail on its ugly head so that henceforth, Benue State would realise its foolishness and begin to make amends by reconciling her ethnic nationalities that they may begin to show true love and tolerance for each other which is key if we truly want to make Benue State a developed state.
From the above narrative, the uninitiated reader who is not at home with the local issues and affairs in Benue State may hurriedly conclude that only interethnic rivalry exists in the state – but no, intraethnic rivalry is as rampant as it is pervasive. Among the Tiv ethnic group, there are many subgroups who do not also see eye to eye. For example: some time ago, this writer met a young Tiv girl who is Ushongo local government area who swore to him that she would never marry any man who is from Konshisha local government area or from Gwer local government area and she went ahead to state her reasons, which would not be recounted here. But to see a young girl of 24 years deep into intraethnic profiling and stereotyping was both surprising and disturbing. Also, there are usually fierce tussles between the different Tiv ancestral blocs over political offices and appointments in the state. Conversely, the Idomas are not left out in this intraethnic rivalry and fierce contestations because in a typical Idoma community (although this practice is not common today as it was in the recent past) indigenes are classified into royals and nonroyals – and this ‘segregation’ most often than not influences the nature and character of the politics of the Idoma people. The Agila people of Ado local government area are a ready example. Although this writer is not certain but he is likely to be correct if he says that this same type of intraethnic rivalry common to the Tiv and the Idoma is also typical with the peoples of Igede, Etulo, Ufia, Akpa, Akwaya, Nyifon and Jukun. As the quest for the development of Benue State intensifies, the time is yesterday for the state to change this narrative, become a united group of people who are honestly tolerant of each other’s ethnic diversity and thence joining hands to help the state develop and take its rightful place among the committee of vibrant states in Nigeria. At this juncture, it is important to note that while interethnic and intraethnic disunity and intolerance is common to most states in Nigeria but that of Benue State is pervasive and farreaching.
What is to be done? Begining at the individual level, each Benue person must realize that God, through man, did not make a mistake when He brought us together but most importantly, none of us was consulted before becoming a Benue son or daughter or before becoming Nyifon, Akwaya, Ufia, Idoma, Etulo, Tiv, Akpa and Jukun. This means that there is no need for you to be overly attached and boastful about being from a particular ethnic group since you did not choose it but you are from there because of your father. This understanding would create in us a spirit of tolerance, respect and love for other people because like them, we now know we belong to our ‘privileged’ ethnic group by chance and not by our ‘sabi-ness’ (intelligence). When the mass of Benue population; individuals, sociocultural organizations and the government, get to this level of consciousness and awareness, we would begin to judge, measure and evaluate one another based on individual strength of character, experience, capacity and ability and not on primitive ethnic profiling, stereotypes and generalizations, which are often skewed, faulty, misleading and anti-development, in the long run.
On the part of the Benue State government, it must begin to practice what it often preaches – because without mincing words, the state government has its fair share of the blame for the disunity, bitterness and intolerance between the ethnic groups in the state. How so? There are many instances where the state government and its officials have overtly and covertly favored one ethnic group over others in terms of appointments, employments, opportunities and admission placements. Granted the Tiv are unarguably the biggest ethnic group in Benue State and so it should, all things being equal, take the highest share in most cases, other ethnic groups ought to be carried along, by the state government. This becomes important when we know that when ethnic profiling and stereotype are enthroned far above individual competence, skill and experience, particularly with state government appointments and jobs, round pegs would be placed in square holes and predictably the deliverables and outcome is often mediocre and this hinders the development of the state, since garbage in means garbage out. Benue State, a stitch in time saves nine.
The globe in 2020 is thrown into desperation, confusion, pain, penury and death. Like the famous William Butler Yeat’s poem, “things fall apart, the centre can nolonger hold.” This is where the world is today. Never in the immediate history has the world faced the kind of fear that is experienced today. No one is spared as the old, the young, the poor and the rich are lamenting this pandemic.
World leaders have continued to advance palliatives and other measures to put the situation to rest for the good of their residents and the world. President Buhari of Nigeria has repeatedly said “Coronavirus is not a joke.” What started as a health emergency has become a socio-economic and political concern to the world.
The common word in this unfortunate era is “lockdown.” Of course, every aspect of life has been officially lockdown to control Covid-19. To be more specific, our churches, mosques, schools and other places of social gathering have been suspended. This has kept our kids at home impromptu; with parents and guardians fashioning out ways to contend their kids and wards. In the voice of German Chancellor Angelou Merkel, “the end of the Covid-19 crisis is not in sight.” It therefore means that parents and guardians will have to fashion out ways to make the education of their children continue.
The first thing is that parents/guardians should double up their responsibilities; the responsibilities of the teachers have been taken away by the exigencies of Covid-19. It therefore means that the parents/guardians will have to do more in minding these children and wards. This is a tough task, because for all along, the time of these kids have been spent mostly in schools and other extra-curricular destinations. These include their up keep and lesson (if possible).
While the pandemic lasts, it is not out of place for mothers, fathers, uncles, aunts, big brother and sisters to become emergency teachers. The young learners cannot be left for long without a formal education in a world that is fast changing. In some urban centres, these kids are already undergoing some radio and television or internet lessons. But only a microscopic few can access these platforms.
Some parents/ guardians have employed lesson teachers to help these kids “catch up” in this emergency break. Caution must be taken here because the law of social distancing makes everyone a suspect until tested negative. How can you ascertain if the aunt, uncle you employ as a lesson teacher is free of the virus? Is it not possible that he or she is teaching in more than one house, therefore where does the lockdown rule apply?
Secondly and very importantly too, it is an opportunity for you to under study/know your kids. Present realties have hindered many a parent from knowing the “true colours” of their kids/wards. Most time, parents depend on second-hand (adulterated) information from teachers and care givers who are closer to these kids because of their official or business engagements. This has exposed many kids to social vices like cultism, prostitution, thuggery, drugs and substance abuse. The lockdown has provided an opportunity for everyone to know their own. This is a rare opportunity for career workers in traffic crisis towns like Lagos. Those who go to work as early as 3/4 am and come back late at night, when the children must have slept.
Thirdly, watch out for the activities of your kids on the computer. Internet fraud popularly called yahoo business is likely to rise in this period due to over-engagement on the computer and access to internet. It is either they are culprits or victims. Either way, parents/guardians should guide/protect the young learners.
Fourthly, it is wrong training when parents say my child cannot cook/ sweep/wash/clean or carry out house chores. Statistics shows that children who are not taught house chores find it difficult to live a clean and modeled family life in their adult age. The kids irrespective of gender MUST use these “less busy” days to learn house chores. It is important, most especially for the girl-child who eventually becomes a mother/wife in an African setup; where society expects so much from a woman to keep the home front. It is a mistake where people restrict their kids to formal education. As parents and care givers, the cultural aspects of life should also be inculcated in the young learners.
Lastly, education both formal and informal must shape or reshape the life of a learner for the good of society. Where this fails, the parents/caregivers are blamed/glorified for raising “ill mannered kids.” So in this time of lockdown, parents must fill in the gaps where they have failed in the past in blending and working for the social growth of their kids. For once, every parent should have time with their kids; take responsibility. For those children who loss their parents or that are under your care for socio-economic or political reasons, please do well by helping to build their lives.
Note however that the primary, secondary and tertiary institutions have locked down indefinitely in Nigeria. It means that except for some miracle, the end of the pandemic crisis is not in sight. It therefore means that the kids will stay at home as long as possible. Think right; use the opportunity to fashion or refashion the young learners. This in itself is a major parental achievement. Education must go on, but everyone must strive to stay safe and better.
