Day of Living Together in Peace?
Today is the United Nations' International Day of Living Together in Peace. Today, I remember an old essay I wrote on unity in diversity in Nigeria.
Ten years ago, it won the Heinrich Boll Foundation's 'Unity in Diversity' essay competition in Nigeria. Its message remains apt today, in Nigeria, in Isreal, in Pakistan, in Palestine, and across the world.
Today, as the world writhes in pain from fighting itself, I share an excerpt from that essay, on how religion divides accompanied by pictures by Femi Amogunla. I share this part because religion usually sits at the foundation of many conflicts.
Who is God?
This question is answered in diverse ways God himself would be surprised if he peeps at the creations humans have made of him. Different people hold on to strong opinions of their God. It does not matter if the religion was transported across miles of sand or ocean. Nigeria is a complex society where world religions like Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism exist with Traditional African Religion. We are also quick to create sects and denominations. This is diversity, in a way; yet we have taken to guns to defend our gods. Aren’t our gods powerful, why do we fight for their honour? Religion unites yet we divide ourselves with it.
Nigeria is a secular country, according to the country’s constitution. The Constitution guarantees individuals the freedom to profess and practice their religion. Many of the religions believe in unity and peace yet it makes me wonder why we draw the sword at the slightest provocation? Many religions preach selflessness, yet why is the ‘self’ always at the centre of our daily interactions? Why do we refuse to see everyone as parts of one body?
I remember that in my childish mind, I thought that the Bible was the Quran written in English; the Quran on the other hand was the Bible written in Arabic. There were so many similarities between both books: Isa and Isaac; Mohammed and Jesus; Miriam and Mariam; I thought the difference was just the language. Our religions have one thing in common: they preach love and peace. So, what separates us so? I forget: that something exists in theory, does not mean that it exists in practice.
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I am no longer disturbed by witching spirits. Different questions haunt me now; they keep me awake at night: why would one human kill another in the name of religion? Why would people hack, burn and destroy in the name of a God of love and peace? Why is the political zoning such a big deal anyway if we are one? Why are there lower marks for students from catchment areas? Why would we be more content with focusing on the things that separate us rather than those that unite us? Why all these, if we are one nation?
Chizobam taught me an Igbo proverb: Egbe belu, ugo beu nke si ibe ya ebela, nku kwaya which translates: let the kite perch, let the eagle perch. The one that says the other should not perch, let its feather break! The tree is our nation, our world. We are the birds, unique in our differences. Let our uniqueness glorify our existence as one, not destroy it!
May we learn to see each other, even as we understand our differences.
May we learn to embrace one other, even as we celebrate our uniqueness.
Happy International Day of Living Together in Peace, in a world keen on shredding itself.
Today, this week, make peace...even if it is out of the pieces handed to you.
Make peace, out of pieces...
Make ??? out of a ??, be magical.
Stay magical.