CHARACTER NOT TRIBE

I listened to a lady declared passionately that she would never marry someone from Edo State, and would never allow any family member to do so either.

I was compelled to ask a question I usually avoid "Which state are you from?" When she told me, I laughed until tears streamed down my face because I have an in-law who deeply regrets marrying from her very tribe.

When you encounter a bad individual, deal with that individual. Do not generalize their behavior to an entire religion or tribe. Your tribe is your identity, but your character is who you become.

If we assign character by tribe, peaceful coexistence becomes impossible. Some say Yorubas are betrayers, others claim Igbos are untrustworthy, and others accuse Hausas of malice. These aren’t character judgments they’re tribal prejudices.

Most of our closest friends aren’t even from our own tribe. We bond over shared values and character, not ethnic background.

Judge yourself. Judge the character of those you engage with. If you meet a dishonest Tiv man, that’s a reflection of him not the entire Tiv people. If you encounter a disrespectful Gwari woman, that’s her failure, not her tribe’s.

Focus on the character you fell in love with. Value the character you choose in a friend. Do not use one person’s flaws to stain an entire community.

Until the moment when will shall dance in white Greater Grace.

Oyugbo JONAH Osagie 

#NoToTribalism #JudgeCharacterNotTribe #OneNigeria #UnityInDiversity #BreakTheBias #HumanityFirst #StopGeneralization #TogetherWeAreStronger #LoveBeyondTribe #ChooseCharacter #NigeriaUnited #EndStereotypes #BuildingBridges #CommunityOverDivision #RespectForAll