Tracing the history back to the emergence of Nigerian nationalism, we’d all admit that the British colonialism created Nigeria- joining diverse peoples and regions in an artificial political entity. Sometimes I wonder if the White-man did an ethnographic research. Nonetheless, common-sense should tell you that you don’t cage cat and mouse in same place.
It’s quite unfortunate that after ninety-eight years of amalgamation of the 484 ethnic groups and fifty-two years of the country’s independence- we all still live in xenophobia. And the threat of schism is tearing the coat of nationhood apart. The pervading mood of fear has therefore made this questionable; ‘one nation bound in freedom, peace and unity.’ Is Nigeria one nation? Are we bound in freedom? Is there peace and unity?
It’s rather a curious paradox that our ‘unity in diversity’ is proportional to the growing unrest pushing Nigeria to the verge of disintegration- where the synergy that is to propel a national rebirth has been hijacked by ethnic, political and maybe religious interests.
Perhaps, it is a way of curbing this megalomania, when the federal character was enshrined in the constitution to prevent tribal or regional domination of any government or its agency? But one would ask again, what then is this agitation for political dominance all about, has the constitution not given room for genuine equity? Maybe no. This boils down to the ravages of the recent terrorism.
During the reign of President Yar’adua, the government prioritized ways to solving the Niger-Delta crisis. We had the Ministry for the Niger-Delta, and then some of us asked if the new ministry wasn’t duplicating NDDC jobs? The amnesty programme followed, and unarguably kidnapping in the Niger-Delta reduced when the ‘major players’ identified with the government.
Jonathan’s present administration could be subtitled as ‘BokoHaram bombings.’ And now the attention has shifted on this Northern sect. You’d note that recently the Arewa elders called on the government on the need to bring the BH to the negotiation table. In my mussing; after such negotiations, government would create a commission that functions in same capacity as NDDC and also create the Ministry for?(Arewa/Sharia). And after this, bombings end?
Another government comes in 2015 and what has happened before automatically re-fuels MASSOB gusto for Biafra creation, and the government then would do everything to stop this. And as usual Ministry for the?(Ndigbo)…….
I’m very sure our Afenifere/OPC brothers too aren’t missing in this queue as subsequent government emerges.
Some say Niger Delta wants to control its resources and another says there is a link between Boko Haram and revenue allocation. Unarguably, terrorism has become the ‘prerogative’ of the duo.
In an attempt to rationalize all these, I’ve since craved for a National Sovereign Conference (SNC). And following the recent National Summit Group moderated by Prof. Pat Utomi- one would assume that it’s a positivist approach, albeit it’s still a platform to share diverse ideas and perhaps seek ways of harmonizing them. I’m aware of the mixed-reactions that have followed the summit and again I’m befuddled. The names of the invitees are undoubtedly those that would also make the list if the SNC were to be convened- yet a logical conclusion wasn’t reached. It was another show of tribalism at its peak; Chief Clark vs Chief Fani-Kayode!
Nevertheless, I’m not bereft of hope. And the reason for my espousal of a Sovereign National Conference is that, it would lead to the resurgence of regional governments- which I think would bridge this wide discrepancy.
On this final note, let me leave you with Chief Falae’s words on this subject at the just concluded summit.
“In 1958, as a prelude to independence, our leaders converged in London to evolve a covenant, a federal constitution. The Englishman was not a fool for agreeing to a federal constitution for the 484 ethnic groups.
Every region had its constitution, coast of arms, Agent-General in London. Thus, Nigeria had four ambassadors in London. As a student of the University of Lagos, I studied four constitutions. There was healthy competition. Awo wanted five shillings as minimum wage, free education, others were not ready. Military threw away the federal covenant. They imposed a quasi-unitary constitution which cannot take Nigeria to the future. Sovereignty belongs to the people. All these problems are symptomatic of fundamental disequilibrium.”
fEMIoWOLABI
Chief Media Strategist at Book Reign Initiative & Head Team Inspire Nigeria Group.
Twitter: @fEMIoWOLABI
Disclaimer: My views on this issue were clearly expressed on Nigeria Info 99.3 this morning. They differ from the above!
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