Rethinking Disintegration - By Ehi Aidaghese, January 02, 2012

Introduction

Yes, things have fallen apart and the centre is not holding on strong. A few months ago, one Leonard Shilgba, a regular writer on Sahara Reporters, argued in a lengthy article for the creation of independent nations based on ethnic configurations (tribes) out of present Nigeria. The same week, another regular writer, Mr. Rudolf Okonkwo, introduced a new slang into the separation debate. He compared Nigeria to a house without a solid foundation and argued metaphorically that since the house is incapable of self-supporting, it should be demolished for smaller and stronger units to emerge. In his words: “In place of the temple, a series of family homes in the form of estates should be built around the spot where the temple is.” Sahara Reporters: “Destroy This Temple” By Rudolf Okonkwo: September 8, 2011

A fine piece, no doubt, but Mr Okonkwo, like thousands of other separation enthusiasts, did not propose or develop a modicum of thought on how to manage the monstrous rules and regulations associated with customs and immigration that would mushroom due to disintegration. 

The truth is that some of our friends in social media, and in fact, the majority of them, have become so creative in their disintegration narrative that you would start to wonder if the Leonards and Rudolfs of our world have ever travelled to Lagos or Abuja or Benin City to glean the level of our social and economic integration. 

I would rather we focus on problems and solutions -  specifically, on how to decongest the monstrous federal government; eradicate the entrenched greed in the system; and correct the leadership deficit that transcends race, tribe, and geography. We must stem the tide of corruption, especially the feeling of hopelessness in the political system that catalyzes the disillusionment, which, in turn, motivates the Leonards and the Rudolfs to seek disintegration as a better alternative. I want to reiterate: We are so economically, culturally, and socially integrated that disintegration along tribal lines, not only would be nearly impossible to execute but would make the outcome regrettable. 

A Realistic Review and Some Overlooked Posers.

For a start, how would you guarantee the safety of Hausa merchants at Ikpoba Hill in Benin City, and at Obalende and Okokomaiko in Lagos? What would you do with the Ndigbo at Idumota and Alaba Market in Lagos and in every nook and cranny of Nigeria? And what would you do with the Yorubas, Hausas, and Fulanis in Port Harcourt? Would you expect a wholesale distributor of yams and fresh tomatoes at New Benin Market in Downtown Benin City, to obtain a visa or a special pass before travelling to Makurdi in the new Middle Belt Region for her supplies?

By the way, do you know the people who own Abuja? Would the Federal Capital Territory become another Jerusalem (a troubled land) a holy and sovereign land like the Vatican, or a new Mecca? What would you do with our biggest headache - NNPC - the Nigerian oil behemoth?

Where does Kwara belong? How about the people of Kogi State and the inhabitants of Jos and the Tivs and the Igbiras of Benue?  Are they part of the Arewa Republic, the Oduduwa Republic, or the Middle Belt Republic? Why, for instance, is Kogi State - a state that is substantially located below the Niger and the Benue river - a northern state? Seriously; why is Kogi State, a northern state? 

To those canvassing a two-state solution, I suggest you do the math - where does the northern region begin, and where does the southern region end? Whatever we do or write, we should not discountenance the feelings and aspirations of the people in and around the middle-belt region of Nigeria, Southern Kaduna, as well as the thousands of Ndigbo electronics merchants of New Benin and Clothing Store owners of Forestry Street in Benin City whose kids intermarried with the Esans and Edos. It is the same story all over Nigeria. 

To those of you canvassing for the Regional Police Force, how would you overcome the harassment from the Oduduwa Police Force, Midwest Police Force, and Biafra Police Force while travelling by road from Lagos in the new Oduduwa Republic to Calabar in the new South-South Republic? 

Again, would you recommend the creation of a separate and independent republic out of Arewa Republic for the people of southern Kaduna whose last names sound as if they are from River State? How many of you even know about these people, their tribal learning, affiliation, language, and culture? For your information, there is no longer a true north or a monolithic north as we know it in the old days.

Besides, the Federal Character and Quota System mechanisms that people from Kwara, Plateau, Kogi, and Benue have enjoyed over the years based on being part of the so-called disadvantaged and protected northern region, pale into insignificance juxtaposed with the large-scale killings by Herdsmen and the colonized status they endured over the years for been part of the privileged Hausa/Fulani Northern zone. So, suffer no more illusions; there is no longer a monolithic northern Nigeria as of old. What is going on right now is a struggle for survival - any means necessary by the Northern Elders and the ACF to consolidate their Business Empire. There is nothing on record to support their love for the Talakawas and the Almajiris. 

Analysis

Ladies and Gentlemen, let’s be realistic and objective in our analysis of the potential benefits of disintegration: The British knew too well that creating multiple independent nations from that geographical expression – apology to Pa Awo – based on tribal affiliations would be a herculean task to execute or govern, because of the magnitude of the diverse ethnic groups within the geographical expression.  It is a known fact that neither the northern region nor the southern region enjoys a monolithic status or one tribal identity that would make for a coherent, independent and viable two countries, which explains the urgency of amalgamation of the entire landmass or ‘geographical expression’ in 1914.

That reasoning subsists till today. We survived the treasonable felony trial and we survived the civil war. Let’s find strength in unity and direct our anger at a common enemy. Take oil out of the picture, the attraction for Abuja or Aso Rock would dissipate drastically.  Alternatively, give us a credible, purposeful, intelligent, fearless, or revolutionary President, and I can assure you, that the call for SNC and disintegration would dissipate drastically.

The political class knows too well that Nigerians are a bunch of gullible, docile, and ethnic chauvinists, afflicted with a chronic short-term memory disorder. We celebrate big names in and out of government, in total disregard for their abysmal performance while in office, especially if such big names are members of our own tribe or community. It is symptomatic of hapless minds, of beat-up people searching for heroes and handouts from the wrong places.

I am not in denial. Something is fundamentally wrong with the structure and geopolitics of Nigeria. The lopsidedness of the last local government and state creation, favouring the northern region disproportionately, should be revisited and amended as appropriate to correct the imbalance. 

Adding to that, the northern power/political elite, over the years, treated the southern region, its people, and resources, as a conquered territory. 

The Sadauna of Sokoto did not consider it germane to create a Middle Belt State or Region out of the much larger Northern Region but championed, and with success, the creation of the Midwest Region out of the smaller Western Region. His government headed by Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa took that decision, not necessarily for the love of the people of the Midwestern region, but because, doing so would drastically dissipate Pa Awo and Action Group regional power and influence in the national political arena. Thus, making the giant northern region more powerful and domineering. 

On the other hand, when it came time for the sharing of oil wealth, "Sadauna's Military Boys" now in leadership positions, did the impossible: They dismantled the one untouchable Northern Region into smaller pieces than the West, Middle-West, and East put together, thereby giving it more States and Local Governments in the process. The reason for that is not far-fetched. The more States and Local Governments a region commands, the more resources it commands from the Federation Account in terms of allocation of funds. 

In a similar vein, till this very moment, no one has stepped out within the IBB Military elite group to tell Nigerians how the decision to annul the 1993 Presidential election that was won by Chief Moshood Abiola, was taken. 

Yes, our independence from Great Britain was delayed because the North was not ready. Federal Character, designed to protect the minority tribes is now a vehicle for power-sharing by the three dominant tribes. Today, even though we profess to be governed under a secular system, our government, both at the state and national levels is completely entangled in religious activities. Our federal government is having difficulties prosecuting those involved in the squandering of our riches, and there is no sign that it will. Therefore, a radical reformation is very necessary at this juncture to free our resources and institutions from the stranglehold of that elite few and the over-bloated federal government.

Be that as it may, what we perceived as the policy of the north, what we are worrying about as northern dominance, is not exactly so. They are the handiwork of that negligible few, intent on monopolizing wealth and power, with the active support of gullible, predominantly uneducated followers, psychologically and mentally enslaved by misinformation tactics perfected by daily handouts made possible by stolen wealth. Besides, that dominance happened because, at every point in time, there was always an opportunistic power clique from the south collaborating with the northern power elite to execute their ethnic-influenced policy. 

Also, the pains and sufferings of the Talakawas and their counterpart in the south are identical and bear similar patterns. Corruptions and squandering of riches are as rampant in the South as they are in the North. We cannot and should not hold one region, one group, or one race solely responsible for our pains and misfortunes. To do so would render meaningless the massive records of embezzlement of public funds by elected officials of both Northern and Southern extraction that news media have consistently made available to Nigerians at home and abroad over the years. The people and politicians who control our oil wealth know themselves. It is a clique, and they are all over the country.

Moving Forward

Take, for instance, the issue of Sovereign National Conference - a noble objective, no doubt, but none of the advocates has written more than a sentence or a paragraph on SNC since the emergence of social media. They beat up random issues in about ten paragraphs, inject a paragraph on SNC at the end of the piece, and that's it. How do you expect to make an impact in the social consciousness of the larger society about your demands, if you cannot articulate and make a forceful case for it? It won't happen.

Make no mistake, political leaders who benefit largely from the dysfunctional political system will not subscribe to your demand for disintegration or your demand for SNC. Instead, change your tactics. The narrative shouldn't always be about bribery and corruption, but an objective review and analysis of why Nigeria is in a sorry state - mention names. Mention tribes. Mention regions. Mention political parties. Tell your readers what they did and what they are doing wrong presently. Tell them how their deeds and misdeeds perpetuate a failing state. We must shift gear from the generalized narrative (corruption in high places and embezzlement of public funds by our political leaders)  to concise and definitive research work on individuals, groups of individuals, what they did and how they did it.

Today the cost of education in Lagos State has never been that high. If Awo were to be in the position of Tinubu, the present political leader, free education at all levels would have been non-negotiable, not only in Lagos State but in the entire old western region of Nigeria. 

It is the leadership, and it is the same story all over Nigeria; except, of course, the abysmal illiteracy rate in the northern region that the Boko Haram sect has taken advantage of to advance their crusade - that they have done successfully to exacerbate our differences.

We might not have a Bill Clinton or another Awo, but if we could gather enough wisdom, enough foresight to look beyond our present anger and resolve to jettison ethnic and religious considerations when making leadership choices if we could stand and remain objective in our assessment of our potential leaders, I am optimistic that we will find greatness again very soon. Don't be afraid to challenge the system. Tell Magazine did just that, and IBB set aside. 

Oil is still flowing, we are not at war, but the cost of education is at an alarming rate nationwide. And possession of private jets is trending as never before. It is the leadership and deficit of ideas exacerbated by greed and opportunism.

Therefore, we must be bold, resolute, and willing to ruffle heads when the need arises and learn to identify and say no to feudalism, greed, and opportunism. Decentralize the federal system, to achieve true federalism. Above all, be willing to take a stand, a firm stand on what you believe in, and make enemies if the need arises, to achieve the desired changes that we talk about presently. It begins and ends with leadership change and not the political system or the state of origin of the President.

Mr. Alex (Ehimhantie'Aiyo) Aidaghese - January 02, 2012.