Public affairs analyst Mahdi Shehu has called for stronger national unity in Nigeria, warning that tribalism and division are largely caused by failures in leadership.
He made the remarks on Sunday while speaking as keynote speaker at the Arewa Twitter Connect event held in Kano, themed “Beyond the Timelines.”
In his address, Shehu said many of the challenges facing the country are linked to selfish leadership and a lack of accountability, which he believes have shaped the behaviour of citizens over time.
He explained that people in society can generally be grouped into different categories based on their mindset and actions, noting that some focus only on themselves while others think about the wider society.
“According to Greek philosophy on nation-building, every society is made up of four categories of people. The first are fools, who think only about themselves, plan only for themselves, and care only about themselves, where if they have food, they don’t care if others starve.
“The second are tribalists, who think only about their tribe, protect only their tribe, and ignore others as long as their own group is not affected.
“The third are citizens, who think beyond themselves, feel the pain of others as their own, and are willing to sacrifice comfort so others can live better. And the fourth are idiots, who repeatedly choose to remain victims, today a victim, tomorrow a victim, always a victim without learning or changing their situation,” he stated.
According to him, leaders play a major role in shaping these attitudes: “Who creates fools? It is leaders. Leaders contribute substantially to creating selfish people when they show greed, arrogance, and a lack of concern for the masses.”
He warned that when leaders enrich themselves and ignore the people, it encourages selfish behaviour among citizens.
“If a leader comes into office poor and suddenly becomes extremely wealthy, building mansions and living large while the people suffer, others begin to think that selfishness is normal,” he said.
Shehu also linked rising tribal sentiments to bad leadership, saying those in authority often deepen divisions through their actions and decisions.
He said tribalism grows when leaders fail to act fairly and break public trust.
“The same leaders who break laws, fail to keep promises, and steal resources are the ones creating tribalists and divided citizens,” he said.
The analyst also criticised the protection of corrupt individuals in society, warning that it weakens national unity.
“As long as Nigeria continues to give shelter to criminals, thieves, and corrupt people, the country will remain divided along ethnic and religious lines,” he added.
Shehu further called on religious and traditional leaders to play a stronger role in promoting integrity and accountability, rather than enabling corruption.
He illustrated his points with examples of how traditional and religious leaders sometimes shield criminals from facing justice by protecting them and describing them as their “sons.”
He also gave examples of honesty and patriotism from other countries, noting how trust and discipline help societies function better elsewhere.
He urged Nigerians to embrace a stronger sense of citizenship, where people care for one another regardless of background.
“Citizens are those who feel the pain of others as their own pain,” he said.
He stressed the need for empathy and national responsibility.
Shehu ended his speech with a call for reflection and unity, urging Nigerians to choose nation-building over division and self-interest.
