THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION TO NIGERIA’S SOCIO-POLITICAL PROBLEMS
By
Michael Tayo Adesanya
Published April 30, 2005
Before 1914, the present landscape named Nigeria by Lord Luggard’s wife had various independent peoples and governments, notable among them were the Benin Kingdom, Kanuri Empire, Oyo Empire and Fulani Empire.
For the benefit of our present youths, especially those born after 1980s who unfortunately do not know Nigerian history more than Babagida, M.K.O Abiola, Abacha and Obasanjo personified. Ask them to say all they know about Nigeria, they will talk about fuel scarcity, long queues at petrol stations and labour strikes. They also probably know the monthly Saturday symbol of uncivilised and backward style of governance tagged Environmental Sanitation Day a.k.a. WAI or KAI. To these youths I will like to inform them that Lord Luggard was one of the Governor Generals (another nomenclature for President) sent by our colonial master – Britain, to head the governments of Northern and Southern Nigeria(s), (as it was then), in fulfilment of colonialism. His wife named us Nigeria. All the independent peoples and governments were FORCED (forced because none of the nations was consulted) together by Britain in 1914 (for their selfish end) in what was called AMALGAMATION OF SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN NIGERIA.
Since the forced marriage (amalgamation), no part of the country has known PEACE, PROGRESS, and DEVELOPMENT for a continuous period of 10 years. The wrangling among the various INCOMPATIBLE UNITS (nations) lead to a bitter three years civil war and various military coups. A good number of citizens have lost their lives as a result of various power games. We have tried so many types of governments and failed woefully while the same type of government is working in other parts of the world. Parliamentary is working in Britain while Presidential is working in the United States of America. Even we failed Militarism despite the use of cohesions and brutality.
After over forty years as an independent nation we can not point at anything that the masses of Nigeria can be proud of. It should be noted that the foundations of all the BASIC developments we could point to today were laid by the regional governments of pre-independent era. Is it the first TV in Africa? Is it the internationally rated stadium? The multipurpose agric settlements are still very much around as one of the ingenuity of the pre-independent regional governments.
In our effort to keep the 1914 marriage, we have split so much blood. A president has even just said that if he is given the option of either his life or the forced unit of this country, he will choose unity. I understand his feelings. He was a major character in the play “To make Nigeria one is a Task that must be down”, written by General Gowon. Apart from the souls we sacrificed for the execution of Go On With One Nigeria, we have continually been making regular sacrifices of innocent souls to the shrine of One Nigeria. The gentle souls of Aguiyi Ironsi, Ademulegun, Adekunle Fajuyi, MKO Abiola, Ahmadu Bello, Tafawa Balewa, Yardua, Dele Giwa, Kudirat Abiola, and Alfred Rewane cannot be said to have fulfilled their missions in the world before they were cut short, perhaps for the purpose of making sure Nigeria remained one plc of the few self acclaimed investors. We may not be able to account for the number of the “unknown civilians” whose blood has been used to oil the shrine of Nigeria through politically motivated religious and tribal violent upheavals all over the country.
If we sit back and review ourselves critically (without sentiment or any other selfish stand) as a sovereign nation for the past forty years we should realise that our core problem is not the type of government we have tried or the political actors or the electoral processes. Our problem is MAINLY THE ENVIRONMENT in which we operate. Our old national anthem confirmed this environment – a situation where tongue, tribe, culture, language, thinking, orientation, exposure, religious belief etc differ.
A publication by the USA based Centre for Military and Strategic Studies titled “Worlds Apart: The Roots of Regional Conflicts. Nigeria: Hoping for Democracy” (2000) summarised our situation in one paragraph as follows:
“Since gaining independence from Great Britain in 1960, Nigeria has been torn by divisions between its hundreds of linguistic and ethnic groups. The inauguration of Pres. Olusegun Obasanjo in May - the first civilian leader in 15 years – offers some hope that Nigeria may be able to end its long history of military dictatorships, but many obstacles must be overcome. In recent years, mass violence has been ignited by public anger over the unequal distribution of wealth, environmental damage caused by the oil industry, and the brutal tactics and rampant corruption of the military – which has ruled Nigeria for 28 of the past 39 years. All of these issues have been tinged by ethnic resentment; while the nation is rich in oil, little of that wealth has found its way to the southern tribes who work the wells; instead, billions of dollars have been pocketed by the military which is dominated by the northern Hausa. Rivalries between the predominantly Muslim Hausa and have been pocketed by the military which is dominated by the northern Hausa. Rivalries between the predominantly Muslim Hausa and Yoruba, a tribe from the Christian southwest, have shaped the political landscape of Nigeria. Since independence, a succession of mostly Hausa and Yoruba generals has ruled Nigeria, leaving the nation struggling with enormous poverty and deteriorating social conditions”
Have we overcome all the obstacles mentioned in the above comment? Have we seen democracy yet? Is the country not still struggling with ENORMOUS POVERTY and DETERIORATING SOCIAL CONDITIONS after five years of Pres. Olusegun Obasanjo‘s inauguration as a civilian leader?
I travelled out of the country sometimes ago and spent about three years abroad, on arriving at the Muritala Mohammed International Airport the picture I saw on the faces I met was POVERTY personified. Immediately outside the parking lot of the airport, the glaring signs of third world country were too conspicuous. How long are we going to continue this way? Have we moved forward at all? Majority of Nigerians will say it is four steps forward and forty steps backward. Nigerians are surviving on the platform of HOPE everyday. Thanks to the high surge of religious activities. They have been adequately counselled to never rely on human beings but God; so whatever any political leader is doing, it is always God’s time is the best. Take a look at the various developments on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Everyday we all condemn corruption but every hour we create environment for it. Unfortunately also, we celebrate corruption either directly or indirectly. How? Did you say how? Ok. Imagine a level 12 civil service officer – a level a civil servant could only attain after a minimum of about six years after university graduation – whose monthly salary is less than thirty thousand naira, but owns a car, pays school fees of his children, feeds his family and of course has a GSM set he spends a minimum of three thousand naira on monthly. He invited everybody to the house warming ceremony of his four flats building and the place was jammed parked. No one asked him how he got his wealth. Celebration of corruption indeed. Listen to another testimony. A young graduate has been searching for a job for the past two years after NYSC but recently mother luck shined on him; he was “elected” a councillor. After just two years in office, he became a proud owner of a fleet of shops he rightly christened Fools-Money Shopping Complex, a mansion of six flats and a small cottage bungalow in his village. He has just been honoured with a chieftaincy title of Ataiyese of Iganmuland (The Redeemer of Fools land). What a celebration of corruption.
The environments to steal government’s (people) money continue to be encouraged by everybody (with a silent hope that their own time will soon come). For example, when as a civil servant one knows that his pension is not likely to be paid on time, if it is paid at all, the tendency is to make sure enough is stolen and saved for pension age. Have you heard a situation whereby civil servants struggle seriously not to be promoted for fear of being moved from his present posting because of the various shady deals he is enjoying? Corruption incorporated.
All these problems are created by the differences in the political, social, and historical orientations of the various nations that make up the landscape called Nigeria. Why must government be in charge of EVERYTHING? What is government’s business in football administration (NFA)? Why must government be in charge of providing Electricity (NEPA)? Must government have shares in Telecommunication business (NITEL)? Why is government still holding fast to our ports (AIR & SEA) administration?
The only answer to these questions is that government will continue to hold fast to EVERYTHING, despite the glaring inefficiency and ineffectiveness of all public utilities, to be able to share peoples’ money among the political hang-ons.
The frustration is not only limited to 20s, (who are either wandering about looking for higher institution admission or at home due to lecturers’ strike) 30s, (who are tired of searching for employment opportunities that are not available) 40 – 50s, (who are trying to make ends meet after been retrenched by his last employer) but also with the over 60s who are matured enough to have experienced Nigeria’s utilities high efficiency under the DOs (colonial masters District Officers). Eight out of ten of them will wish, unfortunately, the DOs are called back! Yes they want our colonial masters back, if only to have efficiency and a life worth living again in Nigeria. It is as bad as that.
The landscape, called Nigeria by Mrs Luggard, can never move forward under the present geo-political set up. The landscape consists of nations with diversified NEEDS, CULTURE, ORIENTATION, BELIEFS, ASPIRATION, AMBITION, and LEVEL OF WESTERN EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENTAL LEVELS. These differences have continued to hamper any meaningful progress for the landscape. Do you know why we got our independence from Britain in 1960 instead of 1957? Do you know why our educational policy has been in the state of coma? Are you aware that not all parts of Nigeria appreciate the establishment and continued existence of JAMB? Do you know why there is no even distribution of industrial setup in the country?
The simple truth is that the landscape called Nigeria is made up of SIX DIFFERENT COUNTRIES as follows:
1. REPUBLIC OF BENUE Present Northcentral of Nigeria Capital at ABUJA
2. PEOPLES’ REPUBLIC OF BIAFRA Present Southeast of Nigeria Capital at ENUGU
3. FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF DELTA Present Southsouth of Nigeria Capital at PORTHARCOURT
4. REPUBLIC OF KANURI Present Northeast of Nigeria Capital at MAIDUGURI
5. UNITED KINGDOMS OF YORUBA Present Southwest of Nigeria Capital at LAGOS
6. ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF HAUSA-FULANI Present Northwest of Nigeria Capital at KADUNA
Various individuals and groups have advocated for this structural change at one time or the other, using different terms and methods. Some called it Sovereign Conference. War has failed. Violence will not do any better.
THE ONLY WAY OUT IS MUTUAL AGREEMENT THROUGH DIALOGUE BY ALL NATIONS (GEO-POLITICAL UNITS) INVOLVED.
In my considered opinion, the landscape presently called Nigeria has NOTHING to loose by giving birth to six countries. At least, we have continued to create more local councils out of the existing ones and many states out of the original empires and kingdoms; all due to peoples’ request for more developments in their communities.
Definitely after the coming up of the new countries from the landscape of Nigeria, the following benefits are sure to follow:
Birth of six independent and free countries for over 120 million peoples of the present Nigeria will lead to more representations (six instead of one) at various world bodies.
Better and maximum utilisation of all the gifts of nature (both human and natural resources) in all the new countries.
Each of the six new countries shall have the golden opportunities of building a better public image in the committee of nations doing away with the popular negative image of Mr. Nigeria.
More jobs shall be created for the over 120 million people due to the new political and civil service opportunities.
Another opportunity for the six new countries is the opportunity to choose a type of government relevant and suitable to the people of that new country. For example, Islamic Republic for the Muslim dominated country or Parliamentary or Presidential or even socialism depending on the preference of the country concerned. Real democracies will suffice.
More Aids or Assistance for the over 120 million people; six rations of aid/assistance instead of the present one from world bodies.
Better concentration on the development of various gifts of nature in all the nooks and corners of the new countries.
Nigeria is NOT going to be the first country to dissolve in the world. Of recent, five countries dissolved successfully with more progress and developments in the new countries. Out of the five, three (Czechoslovakia – dissolved into two, USSR – dissolved into fifteen, and South Africa – into two), dissolved almost peacefully while two (Yugoslavia - into five and Ethiopia - into two) had their own dissolution violently. I AM SURE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE OF THE PRESENT NIGERIA WILL WISH WE ADOPT THE PEACEFUL PATH. WHAT IS THE PEACEFUL PATH.?
Unfortunately, the present Nigeria leadership has vowed not to allow for any National Sovereign Conference. This leadership will not remain in power for ever. So we can start now to organise ourselves towards achieving the popular goal.
I strongly suggest the following peaceful procedures:
1. Let each geo-political area (country in the making) as mentioned above START TODAY to organise themselves to enable them have a conscientious of purpose.
2. Let each prospective country (as listed above) start a movement towards this goal. Do not forget that a movement is not always in a hurry. A movement must be peaceful and patient.
3. Let each country’s movement (as in 2 above) send a minimum of six representatives to form a bigger movement {I suggest the bigger movement is named MOVEMENT FOR THE PEACEFUL DISSOLUTION OF NIGERIA ( MPDN) }.
4. Let each new country’s movement have a very strong Publicity /Enlightenment Committee to go all out and educate the citizens of their countries.
5. Let all the new countries’ movements have offices in all the towns within their country and the proposed capital (as recommended above).
6. Let the MPDN coordinate the activities of all the new countries’ movements and work on the international community for their understanding.
7. I shall give all other peaceful strategies to the MPDN at the appropriate time, God willing.
I will like to end this introductory write up with a quotation from a document titled “A LOOK AT THE INDEPENDENCE PROCESS AND DISSOLUTION OF YUGOSLAVIA” credited to Mr. Milan Kucan, the former president of the Presidency of the Republic of Yugoslavia and later the President of one of the new countries that came up after its dissolution – Slovenia.
“Slovenians were looking for a way out of Yugoslavia’s fundamental conflict; which was a conflict between a totalitarian and democratic concept of the future. Since we were aware of the fact that the process of disintegration of Yugoslavia could veer onto the path of great violence and war, Slovenians proposed various formulae for peaceful solutions. First, a reform of the federal structure of the state, then a confederate system as a possible transitional period, and finally a proposal for the dissolution of Yugoslavia by peaceful means. All Slovenians proposals were arrogantly rejected and this led to an independent Slovenia, justified by the will of the people expressed at the plebiscite. This act, this act of our nation, materialised our right to self-determination and it did not infringe on that same right of any other nation. Our proposal, laid down already in the Charter of Good Intent at the time of the plebiscite and later in the decisions of the Assembly of 25 June 1991 on the dissolution of the common state, attempted also to protect other nations and other constituent republics, so as to disassociate by peaceful means and through negotiations.”
A word is enough for the wise. A proverb from the Southwest of Nigeria, (sorry, United Kingdoms of Yoruba) says “you can always be wiser with another person’s experience”.
SGD.
CHIEFMICHAEL TAYO ADESANYA
P.O.BOX 1233
SAGAMU, OGUN STATE.