Nigerians
fail to understand that no one chose his or her parent’s and own place of birth.
We fail to understand that where you are, what you are, when you were born, how
you are, can cause why you worship what God or Allah. Both Mohammed and Jesus
Christ were of different geographical regions but both of them preached peace.
We should understand that in the seven principal religions in the world, that
they all worship the same God, but through various diverse means, prophets,
apostles and messiah. We also fail to understand that all the religions preach peace,
love, understanding and forgiveness.
Why
then do we allow some people to fight others using ethnic and religious
violence? Why do we kill our brothers, more so, when we know that God has a
reason for brining all the ethnicities to form a geopolitical umbrella called
Nigeria? Why do we turn blind eyes when our brothers in other ethnic or
religious enclaves die in agony? Why do we even look suspiciously at our
brothers in the face of the fact that most of these religions are usually misinterpreted
by some people for selfish reasons? A cursory look at these questions, call for
caution. We understand that it’s not bad to have neighbours. We all worship one
God. Issah or Jesus is both a matter of language. It is not late for Nigerians
to embrace each other in peace, love and understanding to provide the finesse
required in sustaining our fragile democracy and national development.
Moods
are like a social virus. Emotional exchange constitutes an invisible
interpersonal economy, part of every human interaction, but it is usually too subtle
to notice. Goleman (1999) writes that emotions are contagious and that we
influence each others’ emotions and moods. Our emotions tell us what to focus
on and when to be ready to act. We transfer moods among us with such ease
because they can be vital signs for survival. Emotions are attention grabbers,
operating as warning invitations, alarms and the likes. “Emotions are a hyper
efficient mode of communications and are powerful messages, conveying crucial
information without necessarily putting that data into words (Goleman,
1999:195). Our religious and ethnic leaders should know that their moods and
emotions as at any time they interact with us leaves a big impact as to revenge
or to forgive, become senile or violent, obedient or disobedient and or
humanely or wickedly. As well, the youths should know that emotions are like
winds and can come and go. Reactions from the youths to the emotions of the
religious leaders who politicize religious tenets would determine whether such
leaders will go on to deceive the public, or he will repent.