"The Search for True Federalism in Nigeria ...", was written December, 2011 and posted on this Blog on January 2, 2012 as the flagship article. This Blog, Hamiltonatlarge.blogspot.com, was founded, because I needed to place on record my thought on the distorted Nigerian Federalism. In principle, there is nothing wrong with federalism or federal system of government. Ours became a misnomer, because the concept was abused and manipulated by subsequent administration at the national level since 1960. The abuse and the manipulation of the federal system was championed by northern political leaders and military elite groups to suit their feudal and sectional objectives, while southern academics and political leaders, with superior brain power and economic advantage to boot, watched helplessly from the sideline. Some participated actively in subordinate capacity - dancing along timidly and greedily, content with crumbs falling down from the high table, not minding the corruption of the federal system that was evolving with blatant impunity.
"The Search For True Federalism, Balancing Feudal Interest with Southern Greed and Opportunism", is a candid and unbiased account and interpretation of the Nigerian history since independence. Twice, it was posted in the past on this very Blog, and on each occasion, it had a good read by Nigerians. I am posting it again, because reading it and dissecting it will give you a clearer picture as well as in-depth understanding of why we are where we are today in our political system - how the federal system was perverted and distorted to suit the selfish interest of northern political leaders.
It began from the Sadauna era (who didn't want to touch the North or create another state out of Northern Region, because doing so would diminish his command and control of the greater part of the geographical Nigeria). But he went ahead and championed the creation of Midwestern Region, knowing full well that doing so would diminish the control of Action Group in the national politics, and invariably erode Pa Awo's national influence. This clandestine maneuvering took a different turn when his "Boys" became the dominant forces in the Military and in the national political system. These latter groups dismantled the untouchable Northern region to pieces in the form of new states and new local government councils, because doing so would channel more federal funds to the regional north. Except for the short period of Aguiyi Ironsi's government when we had a Unitary system, Nigeria, since independence, has been at the mercy of northern political and military leaders as regards the form or system of government, including the creation of states and local government councils.
It is republished as a reminder that we must not, out of partisan political posturing and disdain of President Jonathan, trivialize the true essence of the newly inaugurated body set up to design a fundamental framework for convening a Sovereign National Conference. In it, you will be able to understand the differences between Unitary System, Federal System, and Confederal option, as well as how our Federal System of Government was debased in Nigeria. I blamed it on southern academics and political leaders who stood by content with fringe benefits.
I am for one indivisible Nigeria, but I do also hold that southern political leaders should be firm of purpose and seize on this opportunity to impress it upon their northern brothers and sisters and elders that the Nigerian Federal System is what it is today, because of their unrepentant blatant pursuit of regional interest that did not benefit the greater majority of northerners - the almajiris and the talakawas.
Any way, you have always wanted to "Talk." Now is the time; don't blow it. For the moment, think less of the outcome yet unknown, but more on the process - how to manage the mechanism diligently and selflessly, with a view to making the outcome what we have always wanted of true federalism or of Nigerian Federal System. Finally, lets join hands in the process to ensure its success. The goal is to ensure an enduring unity germane or desirable for our peculiar diversity. That's my expectation as a very hopeful and optimistic Nigerian.
I have argued in the past on this Blog and else where in the Nigerian social media scene that leadership, to a great extent, defines the attitude of the citizens towards graft, bribery and corruption. In that case, if we can solve our leadership problem, we are on our way to the promise land. At this moment, I am no longer sure of that. Our leadership problem is an offshoot of our structural problem that most progressive commentators are crying over. You cannot possibly separate our leadership crisis from the structural deformity. It is the structural problem or deformity that defines the quality of our leadership; not the people/electorates. In other words, you cannot solve the leadership problem, without solving the structural problem.
Indeed the amalgamation of 1914 was a colossal historic error, but our unwillingness to work together and accept one another as equal gave life to that colossal error. Amalgamation was a huge success story for the colonial master who invented it. It didn't work for us, because of fear of southern dominance or "second colonization" - real or imagined - as expressed by Sir Ahmadu Bello.
The Northern Region under the leadership of Ahmadu Bello, rejected self-government, not necessarily because he thought colonialism was a legitimate development, but because he did not see Nigeria as one one country - he did not want the dominance of Southern Region after independence. And that is the one and only reason the motion for self-rule by Chief Anthony Enahoro in 1953 did not receive the support of The Sadauna of Sokoto - the north is not ready. It was irrelevant whether Awo or Zik, or East or West was ready.
Worse still, when independence was eventually granted in 1960, the respected Saduana, did not consider it worthwhile to come to Lagos to form a government. Rather, he remained in Kaduna and sent his subordinate, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa to Lagos to take control of the "conquered territory." So there is Nigeria, but there is Northern Nigeria, first. A Northern Nigeria whose territory and people will never be under the leadership of a Southerner. That belief persists till this very moment. Don't fool yourself about the Presidency of Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan. Think first of the circumstances surrounding their emergence as leaders.
Yes, you cannot separate the leadership crisis from the structural deformity. If Nigeria is one country, or, if Nigeria is to remain as one country, the brouhaha about "it is my turn or the turn of my region to produce the next President" must stop right now. If that is all what we have to discuss at the Sovereign National Conference, let it be. I support the Conference.
Ours is the only country where an Awo, Gambari, Aguda, Kontagora, Idiagbon, Eme Awa, Aboyade, Adedeji, Kalu Idika Kalu and Ayagi cannot become President. For instance, for an Idiagbon Military coup to be legitimate, a Buhari had to be brought in from retirement to satisfy the interest of the so-called Sokoto-Kano Caliphate. Where it not for that historic blonder, there would not have been an IBB Government or an Abacha fiasco. In similar vein, no one has come forward to tell Nigerians how the decision to annul the 1993 Presidential election won by Moshood Abiola was taken, and who were present at the deliberation. Also, IBB and his friends and fellow mafias, imposed Obasanjo on us. Not to be left out, Obasanjo, knowingly and unilaterally imposed a visibly sick man on us, and at the same time, successfully decimated his Vice President politically. Therefore, since we cannot have leadership that we can trust through a credible electoral process, then it is expected that the conference come up with a full-proof model for managing leadership selection at the national level, instead of leaving it to powerful interest groups headed by Obasanjo, IBB and Northern Elders.
Now you know how the structural deformity defines the poor quality of our leadership, and by extension, the state of our federalism. And it is that anomaly - trust deficit in the leadership cadre - that defines the state of corruption and squandering of riches in Nigeria.
"It is my turn or the turn of my region" must stop for Nigeria to evolve and develop as a true and indivisible one nation-state. Let it be about you the candidate. What makes you different, what are you bringing to the table - ideologically and philosophically? That is the question. If we are not ready to eliminate the abuse and emphases on "state of origin" in our scheme of things, then we should be willing to embrace "true federalism" or a "certain degree of autonomy" for the component or federating states. It is called decentralization of the federal system. See the three posts preceding this as my contribution to the evolving Sovereign National Conference.
In the mean time, I have nothing more to write about Nigeria until further notice.
"The Search For True Federalism, Balancing Feudal Interest with Southern Greed and Opportunism", is a candid and unbiased account and interpretation of the Nigerian history since independence. Twice, it was posted in the past on this very Blog, and on each occasion, it had a good read by Nigerians. I am posting it again, because reading it and dissecting it will give you a clearer picture as well as in-depth understanding of why we are where we are today in our political system - how the federal system was perverted and distorted to suit the selfish interest of northern political leaders.
It began from the Sadauna era (who didn't want to touch the North or create another state out of Northern Region, because doing so would diminish his command and control of the greater part of the geographical Nigeria). But he went ahead and championed the creation of Midwestern Region, knowing full well that doing so would diminish the control of Action Group in the national politics, and invariably erode Pa Awo's national influence. This clandestine maneuvering took a different turn when his "Boys" became the dominant forces in the Military and in the national political system. These latter groups dismantled the untouchable Northern region to pieces in the form of new states and new local government councils, because doing so would channel more federal funds to the regional north. Except for the short period of Aguiyi Ironsi's government when we had a Unitary system, Nigeria, since independence, has been at the mercy of northern political and military leaders as regards the form or system of government, including the creation of states and local government councils.
It is republished as a reminder that we must not, out of partisan political posturing and disdain of President Jonathan, trivialize the true essence of the newly inaugurated body set up to design a fundamental framework for convening a Sovereign National Conference. In it, you will be able to understand the differences between Unitary System, Federal System, and Confederal option, as well as how our Federal System of Government was debased in Nigeria. I blamed it on southern academics and political leaders who stood by content with fringe benefits.
I am for one indivisible Nigeria, but I do also hold that southern political leaders should be firm of purpose and seize on this opportunity to impress it upon their northern brothers and sisters and elders that the Nigerian Federal System is what it is today, because of their unrepentant blatant pursuit of regional interest that did not benefit the greater majority of northerners - the almajiris and the talakawas.
Any way, you have always wanted to "Talk." Now is the time; don't blow it. For the moment, think less of the outcome yet unknown, but more on the process - how to manage the mechanism diligently and selflessly, with a view to making the outcome what we have always wanted of true federalism or of Nigerian Federal System. Finally, lets join hands in the process to ensure its success. The goal is to ensure an enduring unity germane or desirable for our peculiar diversity. That's my expectation as a very hopeful and optimistic Nigerian.
I have argued in the past on this Blog and else where in the Nigerian social media scene that leadership, to a great extent, defines the attitude of the citizens towards graft, bribery and corruption. In that case, if we can solve our leadership problem, we are on our way to the promise land. At this moment, I am no longer sure of that. Our leadership problem is an offshoot of our structural problem that most progressive commentators are crying over. You cannot possibly separate our leadership crisis from the structural deformity. It is the structural problem or deformity that defines the quality of our leadership; not the people/electorates. In other words, you cannot solve the leadership problem, without solving the structural problem.
Indeed the amalgamation of 1914 was a colossal historic error, but our unwillingness to work together and accept one another as equal gave life to that colossal error. Amalgamation was a huge success story for the colonial master who invented it. It didn't work for us, because of fear of southern dominance or "second colonization" - real or imagined - as expressed by Sir Ahmadu Bello.
The Northern Region under the leadership of Ahmadu Bello, rejected self-government, not necessarily because he thought colonialism was a legitimate development, but because he did not see Nigeria as one one country - he did not want the dominance of Southern Region after independence. And that is the one and only reason the motion for self-rule by Chief Anthony Enahoro in 1953 did not receive the support of The Sadauna of Sokoto - the north is not ready. It was irrelevant whether Awo or Zik, or East or West was ready.
Worse still, when independence was eventually granted in 1960, the respected Saduana, did not consider it worthwhile to come to Lagos to form a government. Rather, he remained in Kaduna and sent his subordinate, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa to Lagos to take control of the "conquered territory." So there is Nigeria, but there is Northern Nigeria, first. A Northern Nigeria whose territory and people will never be under the leadership of a Southerner. That belief persists till this very moment. Don't fool yourself about the Presidency of Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan. Think first of the circumstances surrounding their emergence as leaders.
Yes, you cannot separate the leadership crisis from the structural deformity. If Nigeria is one country, or, if Nigeria is to remain as one country, the brouhaha about "it is my turn or the turn of my region to produce the next President" must stop right now. If that is all what we have to discuss at the Sovereign National Conference, let it be. I support the Conference.
Ours is the only country where an Awo, Gambari, Aguda, Kontagora, Idiagbon, Eme Awa, Aboyade, Adedeji, Kalu Idika Kalu and Ayagi cannot become President. For instance, for an Idiagbon Military coup to be legitimate, a Buhari had to be brought in from retirement to satisfy the interest of the so-called Sokoto-Kano Caliphate. Where it not for that historic blonder, there would not have been an IBB Government or an Abacha fiasco. In similar vein, no one has come forward to tell Nigerians how the decision to annul the 1993 Presidential election won by Moshood Abiola was taken, and who were present at the deliberation. Also, IBB and his friends and fellow mafias, imposed Obasanjo on us. Not to be left out, Obasanjo, knowingly and unilaterally imposed a visibly sick man on us, and at the same time, successfully decimated his Vice President politically. Therefore, since we cannot have leadership that we can trust through a credible electoral process, then it is expected that the conference come up with a full-proof model for managing leadership selection at the national level, instead of leaving it to powerful interest groups headed by Obasanjo, IBB and Northern Elders.
Now you know how the structural deformity defines the poor quality of our leadership, and by extension, the state of our federalism. And it is that anomaly - trust deficit in the leadership cadre - that defines the state of corruption and squandering of riches in Nigeria.
"It is my turn or the turn of my region" must stop for Nigeria to evolve and develop as a true and indivisible one nation-state. Let it be about you the candidate. What makes you different, what are you bringing to the table - ideologically and philosophically? That is the question. If we are not ready to eliminate the abuse and emphases on "state of origin" in our scheme of things, then we should be willing to embrace "true federalism" or a "certain degree of autonomy" for the component or federating states. It is called decentralization of the federal system. See the three posts preceding this as my contribution to the evolving Sovereign National Conference.
In the mean time, I have nothing more to write about Nigeria until further notice.
