Mainlanders and Islanders

Flood on the Island

I was thinking this morning...... about our proclivity as Nigerians to seek out for things that divide us rather than what unites us. If you have been following the news this past week, you surely would have heard of or seen heart breaking videos and photos of how many Nigerians living in Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lekki areas of Lagos were devastated by floods from torrential rains the week before. While some people in other areas of Lagos were genuinely concerned, it seems a good number living on the mainland areas of Lagos had some satanic joy at the fate of those on the Island. Never at a time has the terms 'Mainlanders' and 'Islanders' been so popular than now. Social media and even the traditional print media were buzzing with news about the floods on the Island. I gave it no thought until I read an article in the Independent News titled 'My Lekki Neighbour, How is the Weather?' One other article was titled 'The Rich also Cry.'

The Headlines got me thinking, are there no rich people on the mainland or are they saying there are no poor people living on the Island? Na wao! These headlines would give nothing away until you read the details to discover how the writers are gloating about their choice to live on the mainland as against the seemingly rich colleagues that chose the Island. I was thinking, if the decision to live on the Island is a personal rather than financial one, why should anyone celebrate the loss of another person.

Consider this, before now we were all Lagosians, now because of flood, some have separated themselves and have become 'Mainlanders.' This mindset is a snippet of the larger picture. We are Nigerians but yet divided by regions, states, tribe, religion etc. Haba!!! Why are we like this? I never knew Cameroon is one of the most diversified country in the world until recently, yet their differences are not in the face of the world like Nigerians have made theirs. Cameroon, with about 24 million people, has 289 ethnic groups and 2 official languages and cultures, French and English. Compared with Nigeria of 180 million people that has about 300 ethnic groups and one official language. 

My worry is that the way we are going, it will only take another heavy downpour before we hear of 'Ajahites' sending sympathy texts to the 'Lekkites' or we hear of the 'Ikotans' deriding the 'Awoyayans' because their area is flooded. What is surprising to me is that instead of the disaster bringing us together, it is tearing us apart. In response to some 'mainlanders' mocking those on the island after the flood, Beat FM On-Air-Personality (OAP), Gbemi Olateru-Olagbegi had fired back that it was the inferiority complex of those in the mainland that is motivating them.Hmm!!!

As we brace up for what is left of the rainy season, I leave everyone in Lagos, especially those on the mainland with the words of 1st Peter 3:8 that says, 'Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind,' because like the saying goes, 'what goes around comes around.'

Happy Sunday.

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey.