“We are good people” | Stories of Kindness by Pelu Awofeso

Pelu Awofeso is a winner of the CNN/Multichoice African Journalist Award in the Tourism Reporting category. He began his career as a freelance columnist for the state-owned Standard newspaper in Jos (Plateau State), after which he worked with Africa Today as Arts and Travel Correspondent, Network Africa as Editor, and National Daily as Travel Editor.

He has travelled widely across Nigeria—32 states at the last count—documenting numerous indigenous festivals and carnivals. His travel interests include museums, monuments, nature, crafts, and the everyday pursuits of Nigerians. Pelu has also travelled extensively across Africa, promoting communal appreciation and coexistence. He is the author of Backpacking Stories Across Nigeria.

In your opinion and personal experience, what are the key factors that unite us as Nigerians? Can you share a moment where you experienced this unity firsthand?

First off, we are united by our shared national history (from the amalgamation of 1914). As a consequence of that, a fraction of the population is also united by inter-faith and inter-ethnic marriages, which have happened over the decades since Nigeria’s independence. On a personal level, I have had many encounters with people in different cities around Nigeria that strengthen my belief in the unity of Nigeria and the in-born good nature of everyday Nigerians. We are good people, indeed. In Sokoto, I recall an elderly man leaving everything he was doing that evening and offering to show me around some important historical landmarks I was interested in; he did so gladly and without asking for anything in return. One morning, I arrived in Calabar hungry; not sure what the canteens were selling, one middle-aged woman looked in my direction with a welcoming smile: “Come in my son. You’re a stranger, let me feed you,” she said.  In the early 2000s when I lived in Jos, a manager (now of blessed memory) in the guest house I stayed at the time allowed me to stay in one of the rooms for many weeks, letting me pay in arrears. He didn’t know me, but he understood my plight as a young writer-researcher and showed me kindness I will always remember. I could go on and on.   

There have been growing political, religious, and geographical tensions that continue to threaten our unity. How do you think travel and our shared national history can help bridge these divides?

I often say that if Nigerians travelled as much as I have over the years, we would experience little of these never-ending frictions amongst us. There are way too many regional assets that should forge a firmer bond amongst us. As a Nigerian, if you have witnessed the festivals in the different cities — like the Durbar, Ofala and Osun-Osogbo, to mention just three — you’ll appreciate our cultural diversities better; if you sat down somewhere in Port Harcourt to eat Bole-and-fish, or masa and kunu in Kaduna, or Abacha and palmwine in Enugu, you would appreciate the country’s diverse cuisine better; if you went on a road trip and explored the gorgeous landscapes of Ondo, Obudu, Jos and Mambilla, you would appreciate the physical beauty of the country better.  All of these (and several more) are experiences that I have had, and they make me see our ethnic or religious differences as a plus, not a negative.   

What are your personal thoughts on peace and conflict in Nigeria today?

The conflicts are highly unnecessary, and they should never have been a weight we carry as a people all these years. It’s hard to even understand why every government since independence has failed to stuff it out. There have been many attempts at resolving these skirmishes, no doubt, but they have been clearly lackluster. Take a trip to our next-door neighbor, Benin Republic, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how peacefully the major religions (Christianity, Islam and Vodun spirituality) co-exist: across the country, you’ll find churches built few feet from mosques, and vodun temples can be found across the road from a cathedral; the people are so at peace with this religious reality that they proudly tell you that their differing beliefs is one of the things they are proud of as a people. Nigerians should learn from that mindset.

Do you have faith in the ability of young Nigerians to resolve conflict in their communities and redirect the trajectory of the country’s current security challenges?

Oh, yes! Centuries ago, our forebears administered kingdoms and empires, some of them so vast that they required dozens of officials to maintain law and order — without external input or foreign influence. A good number of them would qualify as youths using today’s yardstick. Indigenous communities at the time also had organized systems in place for hearing and resolving conflicts, much similar to today’s established judiciary setup. And you’ll find countless archival records that prove this point. Today, youths hold leadership positions in communities, very much like their ancestors did. That role comes with responsibilities; so if they’ve been vetted and found to be responsible and qualified for that position, then they should have the wisdom and tact required to manage crises whenever they arise.    

What are your hopes for Nigerians who have been affected by conflict in different parts of the country?

It is a terrible and demeaning situation to find oneself in. Several thousands of them have fled their ancestral lands and been forced by circumstances to settle down in IDP camps that lack the most basic facilities. Living and surviving day to day in this environment is not just tough, it is traumatizing. I can only pray that they find succor.