I join Professor Falola to urge caution. I have followed the debates with keen interest and I want to say that the issues at stake are too important for us not to treat with caution. Let us try to understand where people are coming from and seek ways of resolving the tension. The country Nigeria belongs to all of us and we must all endeavor to give all her citizens a sense of equal belonging, even as we urge the government to protect its sovereignty. Many of us, not all, need to rise above deeply rooted ethnic rivalry and antagonism to search for a better model of coexistence of all groups and a robust framework of social justice in the country. In such a time as this, we cannot afford to let down our beloved country. Thanks.
Nimi Wariboko
Walter G. Muelder Professor of Social Ethics
Boston University
On 12/7/15, 7:09 PM, "Toyin Falola" <toyinfalola@austin.utexas.edu> wrote:
The debate on Biafra may by sliding out of control, yet it is a debate worth having at this historic juncture. As I have said before, any debate that leads to the loss of innocent lives is irresponsible. I cannot close an open debate that moves a nation forward, but at the same time, I don’t want to be insensitive to the consequences on the lives of people. Our country is very fragile and I want all parties to carefully weigh their words and utterances, even as we all commit ourselves to justice for all citizens, living in peace and harmony with one another, and also to protect the country we inherited from our fathers and mothers. Exercise caution. You and I must seek ways to diffuse the growing tension and not exacerbate it. When mobs arise, there is nothing you can do in your locations, and you will go to work and eat your food, while others carry corpses.
Toyin Falola
Department of History
The University of Texas at Austin
104 Inner Campus Drive
Austin, TX 78712-0220
USA
512 475 7224
512 475 7222 (fax)
http://sites.utexas.edu/yoruba-studies-review/
http://www.toyinfalola.com <http://www.toyinfalola.com>
http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa <http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa>
http://groups.google.com/group/yorubaaffairs <http://groups.google.com/group/yorubaaffairs>
http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue <http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue>
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