Rethinking the Nigerian federation
Rotimi Akeredolu:
There is a sense in which the unsettling state of the world today describes the state of our country Nigeria. It is so pathetic, so embarrassing and so fearful that disaffection, doubts, gloom and anxiety have come to dominate discourses among global leaders at every opportunity and meet.
It is even more frightening that a sizeable proportion of internal activities of most nations of the world are on the defensive against torrential threats to existence rather than breaking new grounds of human advancement and world peace.
In Europe the arguments about British exit from EU is resonating with the current, increasingly pronounced security challenges in the UK. Whereas America, Middle East and even the smaller but economically gifted nations are dealing with economic recessions, insecurity, terrorism, racial prejudices all of which are drawing attention of statesmen to ask the questions : What happened to us? What have we got wrong? When did we take the wrong step? Will this world continue as one piece ?
In Africa, particularly in Sudan, Somalia, Kenya, South Africa, Mali and a few more nation – states, leading questions about redefining nationhood are presenting themselves for answers through the wars and social disaffection pervading the entire lands. In nation states like Syria, Libya, France, Iraq and others, the call is equally too close for comfort.
With the foregoing, I am suggesting that there is nothing happening to our country, Nigeria at present that is new or strange or out of place with happenings elsewhere in the world. The Yoruba have a proverb that captures the matter succinctly: “A kò rà irú èyà rÃ, a fi ndérù b’olórò ni”.
In other words, our vexatious experience today as a country is all a dialectical process of answers asking questions about themselves in order to confirm their state of existence. I believe Nigeria already has answers to its questions; it is just the will to ask the right questions the right way, with the right words, at the right time, with the right temperament and for the right purpose that is our task in building our own nation.
I am also suggesting that we must get beyond these problems because it is in our best interest to do so. The answers which are asking questions in Nigeria today are: We need a new nation where equity, justice, peace and progress shall be the guiding principles of coexistence. We must redefine our nationhood. We need to create a new nation and create new citizens who have a different infrastructure of mind from those of present Nigerians. We need a new Nigeria, now!
The questions which the answer is asking therefore are: when then is the newness of our now for our rebirth? Will our nationhood come by force of arms or with mutual understanding? What manner of nation do we want to have? Will it be on agreed points and issues negotiated and debated? Will it be with open arms and warmth? Will the risks be worth it? Do we have the capacity to evolve it and so forth.
Let me buttress the worrisomeness of my above assertion with quotes of the words of a few Nigerian leaders. On Tuesday the 3rd, June 2017, Jerry Gana, Professor and former Minister of Information, former secretary, Board of Trustee of the then ruling PDP made a declarative statement when asked about the fate of Nigeria in the future.” I don’t know what tomorrow holds, only God knows it but if they think when it comes to break up, we will go along with the North, then it must be a huge joke. We have already told them that if they allow this country break up, we are not going with the North. We are staying where we are. So, just take notice. If it comes to that, we will tell you that we are not Arewa, we are middle belters, 10 states for that matter.”
Even Professor Ango Abdullahi, tempestuous academic, controversial administrator and foremost Northern leader, in his comments on the 4th of June 2017, had this to say: “If people are still asking for Biafra after 50 years of Civil war, then it is necessary for us to sit down and ask ourselves how we want the nation to be.”
Another elder statesman, respected academic, constitutional lawyer and former President Ohanaeze Ndigbo Prof. Ben Nwabueze while ruminating on the current state of Nigeria, argued that Nigeria will not know peace until it restructures itself to reflect ease, consensus and justice. Hear him: “The power at the centre of the federating units is too much. It is prone to abuse and misuse. Every Nigerian has a right of equality and respect in this joint stock company called Nigeria. The Nigerian nation has the responsibility, indeed the obligation to treat every tribe or race equally.”
Similarly, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, elder statesman and former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, was forthright and resolute in his own precious summation on the current existential challenge of Nigeria. He says: “If we had six federating units, you would have more viable basis for planning economic development. Our country continues to under perform because of the 36 states we now have. We must wake up from our state of denial and face the facts about our underdevelopment “.
I am not going to encumber us with the violent words of Nnamdi Kanu of Independent People of Biafra, (IPoB), nor those of Alhaji Asari Dokubo of the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer force, (NDPVF), nor that of Mazi Nwazurike of MASSOB and their ilks.
We know their radical positions already. We also know that their words reflects the extreme position of anger, frustration and violence against the Nigerian nation as it is today.
The situation is so challenging, yet frustrating, so embarrassing and yet so marveling. Nigeria today appears to have defeated researchers, commentators, observers and analysts as its issues have been over flogged almost to a saturation point. Today realities have overstated themselves, Truth has moved almost beyond constancy to stagnancy while appearance and realities are now at conflict with themselves. In the circumstance where leaders and men of power inexplicably appear clueless and lethargic about how to respond to these challenges, fear comes in and seems to rule our world without bounds. The facts of our existence as a nation called Nigeria today fill one with horror. This indeed is the worst of times.
Nigerian elites, and by this reference I mean those who lay claims to some appreciable level of education in the country, not partakers of the current unprofitable parody of the essence, the certification process which ensures the ubiquity of graduates who lack confidence and understanding, continue to romanticise with the idea of a suitable political system. While some have issues with the current presidential system and advocate for a return to the parliamentary system practised in the First Republic, others agitate for devolution of powers from the centre to the so called federating units. Some still feel uncomfortable with that arrangement. They settle for confederacy.
Restructuring is the new slogan in the political lexicon of the country. Political pundits, jobbers, erstwhile policy makers, former political office holders, civil society organisations, human rights entrepreneurs, upgraded street urchins, among others, are relentless in their agitation for a new political order. Very few have been able to articulate their positions as justification for this call beyond the facile, sometimes annoying, references to some unfortunate incidents involving ethnic groups. Some want more states not minding the fact that the existing ones are on the brink of insolvency.
Others want more local governments for increased revenue allocation from the centre. For some still, it is “resource control”. There seems to be this pervasive belief that once these divergent political aspirations are actualised, the country slips into a blissful moment without much exaction. Nothing can be more illusory than these hopes hinged on slippery and shifting ground.
Those who want this country to disintegrate ignore many facts, the most prominent of which is the artificiality of the state structure in determining origin. The most outspoken of the proponents of restructuring have been unable to articulate their position beyond the incoherent statements made on devolution of powers. Some funny persons are even insisting on the implementation of the recommendations of an appointive committee known as the National Conference, 2014.
They do not consider it as arrogance to have a handful of selected persons, not elected by the people, recommend on matters which require constitutional amendments, and insist on the implementation of same as the “irreducible minimum” for peace in the country.
Until Nigerians begin to see themselves first as brothers and sisters with shared destiny beyond the artificial amalgamation of the colonialists, there will be no end to the agitation for self-determination. The Federal Government must, as a matter of urgency, take steps to discourage the activities of certain elements who harbour extraneous reasons other than the expressed. On no account must anyone be allowed to use our air space to disseminate hate speech.
There is a sense in which the unsettling state of the world today describes the state of our country Nigeria. It is so pathetic, so embarrassing and so fearful that disaffection, doubts, gloom and anxiety have come to dominate discourses among global leaders at every opportunity and meet.
It is even more frightening that a sizeable proportion of internal activities of most nations of the world are on the defensive against torrential threats to existence rather than breaking new grounds of human advancement and world peace.
In Europe the arguments about British exit from EU is resonating with the current, increasingly pronounced security challenges in the UK. Whereas America, Middle East and even the smaller but economically gifted nations are dealing with economic recessions, insecurity, terrorism, racial prejudices all of which are drawing attention of statesmen to ask the questions : What happened to us? What have we got wrong? When did we take the wrong step? Will this world continue as one piece ?
In Africa, particularly in Sudan, Somalia, Kenya, South Africa, Mali and a few more nation – states, leading questions about redefining nationhood are presenting themselves for answers through the wars and social disaffection pervading the entire lands. In nation states like Syria, Libya, France, Iraq and others, the call is equally too close for comfort.
With the foregoing, I am suggesting that there is nothing happening to our country, Nigeria at present that is new or strange or out of place with happenings elsewhere in the world. The Yoruba have a proverb that captures the matter succinctly: “A kò rà irú èyà rÃ, a fi ndérù b’olórò ni”.
In other words, our vexatious experience today as a country is all a dialectical process of answers asking questions about themselves in order to confirm their state of existence. I believe Nigeria already has answers to its questions; it is just the will to ask the right questions the right way, with the right words, at the right time, with the right temperament and for the right purpose that is our task in building our own nation.
I am also suggesting that we must get beyond these problems because it is in our best interest to do so. The answers which are asking questions in Nigeria today are: We need a new nation where equity, justice, peace and progress shall be the guiding principles of coexistence. We must redefine our nationhood. We need to create a new nation and create new citizens who have a different infrastructure of mind from those of present Nigerians. We need a new Nigeria, now!
The questions which the answer is asking therefore are: when then is the newness of our now for our rebirth? Will our nationhood come by force of arms or with mutual understanding? What manner of nation do we want to have? Will it be on agreed points and issues negotiated and debated? Will it be with open arms and warmth? Will the risks be worth it? Do we have the capacity to evolve it and so forth.
Let me buttress the worrisomeness of my above assertion with quotes of the words of a few Nigerian leaders. On Tuesday the 3rd, June 2017, Jerry Gana, Professor and former Minister of Information, former secretary, Board of Trustee of the then ruling PDP made a declarative statement when asked about the fate of Nigeria in the future.” I don’t know what tomorrow holds, only God knows it but if they think when it comes to break up, we will go along with the North, then it must be a huge joke. We have already told them that if they allow this country break up, we are not going with the North. We are staying where we are. So, just take notice. If it comes to that, we will tell you that we are not Arewa, we are middle belters, 10 states for that matter.”
Even Professor Ango Abdullahi, tempestuous academic, controversial administrator and foremost Northern leader, in his comments on the 4th of June 2017, had this to say: “If people are still asking for Biafra after 50 years of Civil war, then it is necessary for us to sit down and ask ourselves how we want the nation to be.”
Another elder statesman, respected academic, constitutional lawyer and former President Ohanaeze Ndigbo Prof. Ben Nwabueze while ruminating on the current state of Nigeria, argued that Nigeria will not know peace until it restructures itself to reflect ease, consensus and justice. Hear him: “The power at the centre of the federating units is too much. It is prone to abuse and misuse. Every Nigerian has a right of equality and respect in this joint stock company called Nigeria. The Nigerian nation has the responsibility, indeed the obligation to treat every tribe or race equally.”
Similarly, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, elder statesman and former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, was forthright and resolute in his own precious summation on the current existential challenge of Nigeria. He says: “If we had six federating units, you would have more viable basis for planning economic development. Our country continues to under perform because of the 36 states we now have. We must wake up from our state of denial and face the facts about our underdevelopment “.
I am not going to encumber us with the violent words of Nnamdi Kanu of Independent People of Biafra, (IPoB), nor those of Alhaji Asari Dokubo of the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer force, (NDPVF), nor that of Mazi Nwazurike of MASSOB and their ilks.
We know their radical positions already. We also know that their words reflects the extreme position of anger, frustration and violence against the Nigerian nation as it is today.
The situation is so challenging, yet frustrating, so embarrassing and yet so marveling. Nigeria today appears to have defeated researchers, commentators, observers and analysts as its issues have been over flogged almost to a saturation point. Today realities have overstated themselves, Truth has moved almost beyond constancy to stagnancy while appearance and realities are now at conflict with themselves. In the circumstance where leaders and men of power inexplicably appear clueless and lethargic about how to respond to these challenges, fear comes in and seems to rule our world without bounds. The facts of our existence as a nation called Nigeria today fill one with horror. This indeed is the worst of times.
Nigerian elites, and by this reference I mean those who lay claims to some appreciable level of education in the country, not partakers of the current unprofitable parody of the essence, the certification process which ensures the ubiquity of graduates who lack confidence and understanding, continue to romanticise with the idea of a suitable political system. While some have issues with the current presidential system and advocate for a return to the parliamentary system practised in the First Republic, others agitate for devolution of powers from the centre to the so called federating units. Some still feel uncomfortable with that arrangement. They settle for confederacy.
Restructuring is the new slogan in the political lexicon of the country. Political pundits, jobbers, erstwhile policy makers, former political office holders, civil society organisations, human rights entrepreneurs, upgraded street urchins, among others, are relentless in their agitation for a new political order. Very few have been able to articulate their positions as justification for this call beyond the facile, sometimes annoying, references to some unfortunate incidents involving ethnic groups. Some want more states not minding the fact that the existing ones are on the brink of insolvency.
Others want more local governments for increased revenue allocation from the centre. For some still, it is “resource control”. There seems to be this pervasive belief that once these divergent political aspirations are actualised, the country slips into a blissful moment without much exaction. Nothing can be more illusory than these hopes hinged on slippery and shifting ground.
Those who want this country to disintegrate ignore many facts, the most prominent of which is the artificiality of the state structure in determining origin. The most outspoken of the proponents of restructuring have been unable to articulate their position beyond the incoherent statements made on devolution of powers. Some funny persons are even insisting on the implementation of the recommendations of an appointive committee known as the National Conference, 2014.
They do not consider it as arrogance to have a handful of selected persons, not elected by the people, recommend on matters which require constitutional amendments, and insist on the implementation of same as the “irreducible minimum” for peace in the country.
Until Nigerians begin to see themselves first as brothers and sisters with shared destiny beyond the artificial amalgamation of the colonialists, there will be no end to the agitation for self-determination. The Federal Government must, as a matter of urgency, take steps to discourage the activities of certain elements who harbour extraneous reasons other than the expressed. On no account must anyone be allowed to use our air space to disseminate hate speech.
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