Diversity, Tolerance and Inclusion

Diversity speaks to a plethora of positive “differences” including ethnic, tribal or national origins; religious beliefs and practices; gender; sexual orientation; cultural practices; political views; social and economic class. Tolerance means that people accommodate and peacefully coexist with others who are “different”. Inclusion is the idea and practice of respecting each other, bringing people together to solve problems, and letting them participate in, and contribute to the collective life of the society. Diversity, tolerance and inclusion enrich the social, political and economic life of a society and should be celebrated. Talented and gifted people, inventors, innovators or entrepreneurs in technology, medicine, engineering and science, in the art, and music and sports, enrich the social and economic life of the society and yet they come from diverse backgrounds. Diversity, tolerance and inclusion continue to provide great value to advanced democracies like the United States and the Western European countries. Nigeria and Africa as a whole stand to benefit from this as well.

Nigeria is rich in cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity. Rather than allow this to be a source of conflict and discrimination as often is the case, it should be a source of strength. An educated and informed electorate should be a bulwark against politicians who divisively exploit our “differences” for their narrow political gain. Women and people of sexual orientation different from the mainstream should not be considered inferior, shamed or sidelined as citizens. Their human dignity should be respected and they should be allowed to fully participate in the political, social and economic life of the society like everyone else. While this is a culturally sensitive issue, still every culture is evolving and the hope is that the Nigerian and African cultures as a whole should evolve to respect the human dignity of all people regardless of gender or sexual orientation.

Influences from western societies in promotion of human rights should be embraced. Educating the young people and engaging traditional and cultural leaders who have western education will help minimize cultural resistance to respect for human rights. Discussing and campaigning for the human rights of all people, in particular of the vulnerable population, is a key value of the democratic process.