Racism vs.

Tribalism
by Ahmed Olayinka Sule, CFA
suleaos@gmail.com
http://www.scribd.com/Alatenumo/documents

Racism vs. Tribalism

by Ahmed Olayinka Sule, CFA
suleaos@gmail.com
http://www.scribd.com/Alatenumo/documents
racism
rsizm/
noun
The belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race,
especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.
tribalism
trblizm/
noun
Loyalty to a tribe or other social group especially when combined with strong negative feelings for
people outside the group
In the past couple of weeks, there were four headline-grabbing events, which got me thinking. In
the USA, a white police officer killed an unarmed black American by shooting him in the back. In
France, Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founder of the French National Front defended the use of the gas
chambers by the Nazis against Jews. In Nigeria, the King of Lagos issued a threat to Igbos that
they will die in the river if they refused to vote for his chosen political candidate. In South Africa, a
number of Africans were killed and thousands more displaced as they were attacked by machete
mobs who were responding to the alleged comments by Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini telling
migrants to leave the country.
These four events generated a lot of debate, as a result, Ive been asking myself a number of
questions such as: What is the difference between racism and tribalism? Are there any
similarities? Who is a tribalist? Who is a racist?
Below is my written attempt to compare and contrast the two concepts. I apologise in advance if I
have arrived at a wrong conclusion resulting from the random selection of four isolated events.
A RACIST dehumanises those of another race while a
TRIBALIST dehumanises those of another ethnicity.
A RACIST believes in the superiority of his race while a
TRIBALIST believes in the superiority of her ethnicity.
A RACIST excludes other races from her moral universe, while a
TRIBALIST excludes other ethnicities from his moral universe.
A RACIST couldnt care less for people of another race while a
TRIBALIST couldnt care less for people of another ethnicity.
A RACIST would say I am not a racist after all my best friend is black while a
TRIBALIST would say, I am not a tribalist after all my best friend is Igbo.
A RACIST landlord will refuse to rent his property to a black woman while a
TRIBALIST landlady will refuse to rent her property to a Yoruba man.

A RACIST will say the Nazi gas chamber is a detail of history while a
TRIBALIST will say starvation is a weapon of war.
A RACIST would justify colonialism against the colonised while a
TRIBALIST would justify genocide against another ethnic group.
A RACIST politician would say all foreigners should be deported while a
TRIBALIST politician would deport destitutes of another ethnic origin to their state of origin.
A RACIST would complain about foreigners taking over his country while a
TRIBALIST would complain about people of another ethnicity taking over her state.
A RACIST has no sympathy for millions of people killed as a result of slave trade while a
TRIBALIST has no sympathy for millions of people killed as a result of genocide inflicted on
another ethnic group.
A RACIST sees nothing wrong in killing a person of another race while a
TRIBALIST sees nothing wrong in killing a person of another ethnicity.
A RACIST is blind to the injustice committed against another race while a
TRIBALIST is blind to the injustice committed against another ethnic group.
A RACIST believes his racial group is meant to dominate while a
TRIBALIST believes her ethnic group is born to rule.
A RACIST accuses a person calling out racism of playing the race card while a
TRIBALIST accuses those calling out tribalism of playing the victim.
A RACIST will justify the immoral deeds of his racial leader while a
TRIBALIST will justify the immoral deeds of her tribal leader.
A RACIST is a bigot and a
TRIBALIST is a bigot.
A RACIST is narrow minded and a
TRIBALIST is narrow-minded.
A RACIST doesnt know he is a racist and a
TRIBALIST doesnt know she is a tribalist.
RACISM is not inherited, it is taught from one generation to another and
TRIBALISM is not inherited, it is taught from one generation to another.

CONCLUSION: RACISM=TRIBALISM
Tribalism is Racism without an emphasis on colour, while
Racism is Tribalism without an emphasis on ethnicity.
Selah.
Ahmed Sule 2015