Learning to live together: promoting tolerance and diversity in globalized societies

Mustapha Omotolani Mariam
(Age 23, Nigeria)

Life is full of puzzles! It is amazing how wonderful a family can be, with the tender-loving care experienced by all members-father, mother and children.

But we should be quick to remember that even the happiest family on earth was founded by two complete strangers, who decided to live together as one, forgetting all their differences and diversity in orientation, culture and beliefs to become husband and wife in other to raise a family.

In not too long a time, other strangers in the name of children will be added to the group of strangers, and they still call themselves family!

Why family? They have realized that living together requires a lot of tolerance and acceptance of the uniqueness of each individual; that though we might diver in opinion and origin; we can live together by accepting each other as “ours” thus, “family”.

In a country like mine-Nigeria, where over 400 ethnic groups with different social–cultural values and diversity of religious interest, live together under the canopy of a nation, it should not be difficult to understand why we need to live together in tolerance.

We have had our fair share of ethnic rivalries and violent religious clashes and political upsurges all leading to the death of hundreds of thousands. The story is same in other parts of Africa and the world at large. There are incessant terrorist attacks, wars and man-made disasters. It’s almost becoming the order of the day to see people die- both young and old. No one seems to ask the question! Why?

Perhaps somewhere and somehow we are still ignorant of our being family. We still discriminate against each other on ethnic basis we take advantage of others because they do not belong to our own little group, we pursue our selfish interests not minding its effect on our fellow citizens. No wonder the frustration of our people!

With these realities on ground, how do we then live harmoniously?

Starting from my own little family of four, as small as the number is, I used to dislike my only sister-with passion. There was no particular reason for this; we just didn’t get along well. It continued so until we visited a family friend with a set up just like ours, I saw their two girls connecting spontaneously and getting along pretty well. Indeed life is beautiful, was what the sight could tell.

I looked at my relationship with my only sister, and I desired a change. Change? It wasn’t easy! I chose to accept her person, tolerate her excesses and be responsible for my actions. Since then our relationship has been blissful. Now we are real sisters with the sense of oneness that should be seen in a family.

Having achieved this in my family, I decided to take a step further. If workable in my family, it can also work out in my community! So I decided to make an impact in my school. This propelled me to get involved with the organization of things in my faculty.

I later became the vice president of my faculty. I had to deal with people of diverse interests, culture, religion and background, but with these differences, I still had to figure out a way in which we could all work as a team.

I started with education. I organized series of lectures and seminars with the help of my dean, lecturers and other executive members. It turned out to be huge success! I began to see a change in the attitude of my fellow students.

Though it did not happen overnight, people began to forget their differences, they placed what we have in common above the differences then we started discovering the ever-increasing need for one another.

I was encouraged that if it worked in my faculty, it can work in my bigger community.

With the help of the opinion leaders, Chiefs and the paramount ruler of my community, I should be able to get the school children, artisans, youths, market women, and even the aged at different forum to address. I hope to educate them on various topics that bother on co-existence and tolerance.

I have the aim of organizing seminars and lectures on “celebrating unity in diversity” and I hope to get the same result I got in my faculty.

Since a single tree cannot make a forest, I hope to affect my community and induce a positive change to the extent that, we will cease to see the less privileged as such, but as integral members and respectable citizens of our “World” who can be helped with the collective resources at our disposal to get a meaning out of life.

I am looking forward to a day, when this scheme will gain global acceptance. When everybody will see the other person as a member of our single “world-family”; when we will all live as responsible citizens of our world irrespective of culture, religion, language barrier, nationality or race.

Then an immigrant in a foreign land will no longer be seen as an immigrant but a fellow citizen of our “World-Family”. When there will be no more discrimination and no need for explosive clashes among people as a result of feeling cheated, neglected and isolated.

This is the world I believe in. This is the ideal way the world should be! Where everybody can sing this song wholeheartedly as written by Late Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe;

My life has been a joy to me,
No matter where I go,
I have learnt to live
In harmony with kindly friends or foes.

For life must roll and men must sway
Like atoms of the air,
And live we must from day to day,
To dodge the devils air.