BY RAYYANU BALA
From whatever perspective we elect to look at it, Nasarawa state holds
lots of prospects and great fortunes for us. If we look at economic,
political and even social status of the Nasarawa among the comity of
states in the federation, you will certainly come to the conclusion
that Nasarawa state is gradually becoming a potent force to be
reckoned with in the scheme of things in Nigeria. Besides abundant
human and material resources, there is no human vocation you will not
find Nasarawa indigenes making an incursion into. The state is
blessed with well talented and great people such that today our people
in some sectors have become influential people to look up to for
guidance and directions. Undeniably, Nasarawa state has of late become
a cynosure owing to proposed Dangote’s multi-billion naira sugar
investment and ongoing prospecting of oil by the NNPC in some parts of
the state.
In the political arena, the position of the state in the ongoing
political permutations around the APC and the Buhari’s silhouette can
not be ignored. This is in addition to the status of the state as
Buhari’s political laboratory. All these things put together are
enough reasons to conclude that Nasarawa state is assuming the status
of economic and political hub of the north- central region and by
extension a major political hub of the nation. What about the
closeness of Nasarawa state to the federal capital, Abuja? This has
also added another plus to us, as Nasarawa state now represents what
Maryland is to Washington DC.
While it is true that we in Nasarawa state are blessed with great
talents, great opportunities and abundant material resources, one
hard fact which we can’t run away from or rather must accept and make
everything possible to amend, is our covetous tendencies generally.
Yes in Nasarawa state we have this envious attitude in us. Consider
for example, you come from the same town or even same family with
someone but when something good comes to you, your very same town’s
man or your very own brother rather than rejoice with you will go
green in envy simply because that thing that is giving you some
happiness came your way instead of coming to him; he will rather
prefer that such a good thing goes to someone else with whom he has no
affinity. In most of the cases, your very own brother can even go the
extra mile to work against you. To him, if this good thing is not
coming to him directly then it should go to someone else far away from
his milieu. The above scenario is happening every now and then in our
midst. Yes we acknowledge that envy is part is a human nature but
since I came from Nasarawa state, I can only talk of my state.
However, with our envious attitude as narrated above, for God sake,
how can we reap the benefits of our potentials or reap the benefits of
our abundant material resources with this type of attitude? It is high
time we do away with this bad tendency, or else we would, before our
own eyes, see people far off us benefiting from our potentials or see
people far away from us benefitting from our abundant material
resources and there is nothing we could do about it.
In my previous piece, which appeared in some mainstream newspapers and
in some online and social media platforms titled: “Of backbiting,
gossiping and our dear Nasarawa state”, I highlighted the danger of
our passion in Nasarawa state for backbiting and gossiping and
cautioned us against its consequences. However, of equal danger to
backbiting and gossiping is our penchant for envy. Our envious
tendency is what is crippling both our social and family cohesion. As
observed by many philosophers, envy is at the root of every societal
and family dislocation. Hence a fundamental source of a nation’s woes.
All political, economic and social tension engulfing the world today
and the threats of wars are all direct consequences of envy among
leaders. Even though one may be quick to point at Western
conspiracies, the West can only infiltrate you when you are not
united. The Hausa man would say, “Sai bango ya tsege kafin Katangare
ya shiga”
Yes, enviousness is forbidden by all the religions. Islam for example
enjoins us to love one another and to be compassionate in our dealings
with one another. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, “I swear by the one in
whose hands is my soul, none of you will believe until he loves for
his brother what he loves for himself (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
However, it is to be noted that envy is the first sin that was
committed when Allah (SWT) said to the angels to bow down to Adam.
Satan refused to bow because he was jealous of the honour that Allah
gave to Adam. Jealousy is indeed, a dangerous characteristic, so much
so that Allah revealed verses of the Quran to be recited as protection
from jealousy. Quran sura Al-falaq 113: “Say I seek refuge with the
Lord of the down from the evil of envious when he envies”
Equally the Bible also frowns at envy and jealousy. Peter 2:1 “So put
away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander”
also Galatians 5:26 “Let us not become conceited, provoking one
another, and envying one another”
Indeed, from the foregoing we can deduce that both Islam and
Christianity forbid envy and jealousy in all its ramifications.
Studies have found out that envy is often caused by various acts like,
hatred, ambition, superiority complex and arrogance, astonishment and
craving for power and prestige.
Envy has indeed become like our pastime in Nasarawa state. Just as
said earlier on, if we do not amend and start to chart a fresh path
away from envy and jealousy, both our potentials as a people and our
abundant material resources will go forlorn.
We must learn to love for our brothers what we love for ourselves. We
must eschew all acts associated with envy. Unless and until we discard
envious tendencies, our quest for peace and progress in Nasarawa state
will remain a mirage.