By Ben Ngwakwe, Gombe
The Bishop of Gombe, Anglican Communion, Rt.Rev. Cletus Ajigben Tambari, says identity crisis can lead to inability to fulfill destiny, urging people to work on their identities in order to become fulfilled in life.
Tambari made the disclosure at the just concluded synod in Gombe.
The clergy said, “it must be tied to understanding the identity of the believer and is the foundation upon which a person thrives which has to be based on their membership in various groups like family, ethnicity and occupation.”
Tambari in the first Session of the 9th Synod held at St.Stephen’s Anglican Church Wange Tula,in Gombe, spoke on the theme ” identity crises: A challenge to destiny fulfillment”, which was taken from Genesis 27:1-45.
The bishop who quoted the definition of identity from Oxford dictionary defined it ,”as the fact of being who or what a person or thing is “, stressing further that, ” it is the unique set of characteristics that can used to identify a person as themselves and no one else.”
According to him, “identity formation is complex as it is not only in name but mostly importantly, in the meaning gained from one’s experiences and interactions.”
“This is simply saying that identity is not only about name given to a person but it involves the meaning that the person attaches to the experiences and interactions that helps shape his/ her personality,” he said.
Speaking further the clergy noted that it indicates the identity of a person is developed overtime and it is shaped backgrounds, beliefs, experiences and interests, “for these,it is important that one identifies his/ her true identity in the midst of the challenges that comes his/ her way; ability to identify true identity bestows on one the value of uniqueness from others and a sense of affliction based on their membership in various groups like family, ethnicity and occupation,” the clergy said.
Enumerating the levels of identity, Tambari said, ” this shows that there are multiple levels of identity like religious identity, cultural identity, gender identity, ethnic identity, professional identity, national identity,etc, identity answers to the question of who we are,” and ” it is our identity that makes us to go after certain interests or avoid them.”
Therefore, crises are inevitable to the lives here on earth because they offer both opportunities for growth and at the same time dangerous to one’s fulfillment in life, Tambari maintained saying “It is how crisis is managed that will determine one’s adaptability”, adding,” crisis could be developmental or accidental in nature with the sole purpose of hindering personal satisfaction. People experience identity crisis as a result of many factors like; reproductive malfunctioning for example, those who are born as hermaphrodites; behavioural factors like self- concept which is the set of beliefs and ideas an individual has brought himself.”
Tambari harped on social factors such as a socialisation, parental upbringing, friendship,peer pressure , cultural, internet,etc while economic factors come as a result of seeking to make ends meet and religious factors are spiritual in nature among others.
Since there are multiple types of identity, the clergy pointed out,it could result to identity crisis and inability to resolve the crisis, consequences for the person.
“Therefore identity crisis is a period in one’s life characterised by uncertainty, insecurity, instability and confusion which normally occurs when there is a change in a person’s life.
“Some of the symptoms are low self-esteem, questioning one’s value or worth, feeling lost or aimless, not feeling a sense of purpose or understanding one’s values, emotionally scattered, increased feelings of insecurity increased feelings of anxiety or depression,” he said.
