Reno And The Scourge Of Ethnic Profiling, By Yahaya Kana Ismaila
Reno Omokri’s recent sweeping stereotypical lumping of Northerners has again reignited conversations about ethnic (group) profiling. I have been a victim of Southern condensation simply because my name sounds Northern! The first impression many Southerners—especially those who have never lived across the Niger—have of Northerners is that we are daft.
So, whenever they get the chance to cross the Niger River into Arewa, they come with an air of intellectual superiority and a false sense of security.
Depending on the kind of people they first encounter, some hold on to that belief longer than others. You meet many who struggle daily to convince themselves that their assumption is correct, even when they’ve gathered enough evidence to the contrary.
That’s when you start hearing things like, “Man, you’re not like any Hausa I’ve met.” Or, “How come you speak such impeccable English?” It’s all part of their reconstruction phase—the moment they start shedding their cloak of supremacy.
I understand that their first impression of the North is often shaped by the English-speaking abilities of shoe shiners, beggars, and other Arewa business people they encounter in the South. But these groups make up an inconsequential sample size. And this is precisely why social scientists warn against making sweeping generalisations based on small sample sizes.
Stereotyping is a lazy mental shortcut, but it is also a deeply ingrained human habit. We generalise to make sense of the world quickly, often at the cost of accuracy. The moment someone assumes intelligence, mannerisms, or behaviour based on geography, ethnicity, or religion, they are dumping a whole people into one remote stereotypical island of their creation.
And yet, it is something we all do—Northerners, Southerners, Easterners, and Westerners alike. It is a silent baggage we carry, shaped by personal encounters, media narratives, and long-standing cultural prejudices. While it may be convenient, it is also a dangerous way to interact with a society as diverse as ours.
Truth is, for every Southerner who assumes that Northerners are dull, there is a Northerner who believes all Southerners are cunning. For every person who thinks the average Hausa man is unexposed, there is a counterpart who sees the average Igbo trader as money-driven or the Yoruba person as overly diplomatic and devious. These blanket assumptions are often inaccurate and, more importantly, they rob individuals of the right to be judged by their own character, contributions or failings.
Reno Omokri is a regular customer when it comes to stereotyping whole races and that’s why I’m not overly critical of his recent diarrhea of the mouth. This won’t be his first rodeo, and it certainly won’t be the last. He’s not alone. People like Reno represent a mindset that thrives on group profiling. Reno has, on multiple occasions, engaged in divisive rhetoric that pits one region against another. His recent comments on Northerners—painting us with the same brush—are a reflection of a mindset that struggles to break free from old prejudices.
But Reno’s brand of profiling is particularly dangerous because it is deliberate. Unlike those who inherit their biases from limited exposure, Reno is well-travelled, well-read, and experienced. He cannot plead ignorance. His stereotyping is not born out of naivety; it is a calculated tool he wields for political relevance; a device of convenience deployed to cozy up to power brokers. But as dangerous as Reno’s action may seem, they are useless if we pay them no heed!
It would be hypocritical to pretend that only Southerners hold prejudices. We Northerners also look at Southerners condescendingly in other aspects too, and I won’t tell you what. Bottom line, it’s a mutual thing.
Yet, what is most disappointing is when the so-called educated class perpetuates theses biases. When a village market woman assumes that everyone from another tribe is dishonest or lazy, one can attribute it to ignorance. But when a university graduate, a social commentator, or a former presidential aide like Reno Omokri deliberately fuels division, it is a different ball game.
Education should refine perspectives, not reinforce prejudices. Exposure should break stereotypes, not harden them. Yet, in Nigeria, we have many educated bigots—people who use their knowledge and access to amplify divisive narratives instead of bridging gaps.
It is one thing to acknowledge that stereotypes exist; it is another to allow them to define our interactions. The only way forward is to judge individuals based on personal experiences, not inherited biases. Yeah, I know, it’s easier said than done. I believe it comes down to individual testimonies to help expose the futility of ethnic profiling.
For instance, my personal friendships and collaborations with Southerners have shown me that many do not buy into the North-versus-South dichotomy. I have wonderful friends from across the Niger who never once assumed that I must fit the image of the Mai Suya they knew first—simply because I’m from the North. That is the level of interaction Nigeria desperately needs.
Reno Omokri and his likes will always be there—politicians, media personalities, and public figures who profit from division. But the rest of us, ordinary Nigerians who interact daily, have a choice. We can either feed these stereotypes or reject them in our words, our friendships, and our business dealings.
Nigeria’s future does not lie in regional supremacy battles. It lies in an intelligent, united populace that refuses to be boxed by outdated prejudices. Reno may enjoy stirring the pot, but it is up to the rest of us to refuse the poison.
Yahaya writes from Kana in Nassarawa LGA of Nasarawa state and can be reached on: kanaismail@yahoo.com
