A university student in Nairobi, Kenya, was stopped for a traffic violation the other day. The policeman took out his ticket book and asked,' What tribe are you?.' In Lusaka, Zambia, a young man applying for a job was told to see the manager. He leaned over the receptionist's desk and asked,' What tribe is he? 'When the receptionist told him that the manager was a Mashona, the applicant replied,' Then I'll never get the job.' This phenomenon is called tribalism. There are more than 2, 000 tribes in black Africa. Each has its own language, customs, names, and physical characteristics that make its members almost immediately recognizable to a person from another tribe. To the Westerner, tribalism is one of the most difficult of African customs to understand. It makes many people think of savagery, warfare, or old fashioned customs. However, to most Africans ,tribalism simply means very strong loyalty to one's ethnic group. It is a force that can be both good and bad. By definition, tribalism means sharing among members of the extended family. It makes sure that a person is taken care of by his own group. To give a job to a fellow tribesman is not wrong it is an obligation. Similarly, for a politician or military leader, it is considered a good common sense to choose his closest advisers from people of his own tribe. This ensures security, continuity, and authority. Tribal loyalty may mean a quick promotion —from sergeant to captain, from clerk to manager—within a very short time. Modern African politicians publicly speak out against tribal divisions. Yet it remains perhaps the most powerful force in day-to-day African life. As evidence of tribalism, in 1977 in Kenya, President Jomo Kenyatta's Kikuyu tribe controlled business and politics. Eight of the 21 cabinet posts, including the most important four, were filled by Kikuyus. In Uganda in tile same year, the President's small Kakwa tribe filled almost all the highest government and military positions. In Angola, Ethiopia, and Nigeria, the fighting in the past ten years can be partly explained by disagreements among tribes. One country that has largely avoided tribal problems is Tanzania. Some observers say this is partly because Tanzania has so many tribes( about 120).that none has been able to become a major force. Wily did the applicant reply' Then I'll never get the job'?