Baron Roy
There’s something somewhat fascinating and at the same time, disturbing about the constituent nationalities in Nigeria. It’s a kind of morbid fascination as the reasons really ought to make us all weep in shameful exasperation!
We are all agreed that the country is badly structured with an obnoxious constitution. No one could know this better than an ex civilian president (Mr. Jonathan) who pointed out the ills and weaknesses of a badly structured country. He was president and he should know; and he did know…and knew the formidable challenges he faced in the attempt to steer the ship of the country aright.
Truth be told, if we had an equitable federation where the collective will of the constituents made up the country, then there wouldn’t have been sociocultural groups as Ohaneze, Afenifere, NSDSM, MEND, IPOB, PANDEF, MBF, Urhobo Progress Union or the rest of them. These groups emerged due to the obvious lack of equity in this unfortunate place we call home.
These sociocultural groups actually are an approximation of the Ethnic Nationalities that make up Nigeria. Ordinarily, these associations ought to be the main voices of the people. Most were formed on the charter that the ethnic nationalities they represent, would get a better deal from Nigeria. Unfortunately, immediately these groups emerged (most within the past 2 decades), they abandoned their charters! Rather than these associations to be a formidable front for the reinstatement of regionalism and parliamentary governments, they became avenues to corner appointments and contracts from a federal government they were created to engage and whose overlordship they were formed to challenge! We now have the leadership of our sociocultural groups visiting governors and appearing in Aso Rock to solicit for “projects, appointments or contracts” instead of engaging the establishment on the need to recreate the country for the betterment of all! The different associations became platforms for the peddling of influence; projecting particular interests for some mundane considerations at the detriment of the very people they were supposed to protect! What a bloody shame! What a disgrace!!!
Dear Readers, when these associations talk about restructuring, their own misplaced brand of restructuring is how to get more from a criminally formed federation rather than to recreate the federation under a philosophy of fairness and justice! How then do we restructure the country when the very vessels of restructuring have become beggars to the very establishment that prevents the polity from being restructured?
I get personally embarrassed whenever the Young Turks (IPOB, YOLICOM, IYC or OPC) take potshots at them and call them names!The very elders we depend upon to champion the deep-seated aspirations for restructuring have become political merchants for the propagation of the very constitution that’s almost universally detested!
At times, we ought not blame the establishment but blame those leaders of ethnic nationalities that have allowed their indiscipline to cloud their judgement and become fodders in the hands of the hegemonic establishment!
Dear Readers, for us to have any semblance of progress in the agitation for an equitable country, we must redirect these associations to align with the people and not their pockets! As a matter of urgency, each of those sociocultural groups must transmute into Regional Governments in the wings, complete with regional parliaments and a premier. Each of these groups must rally their nationalities to have regional constitutions and structures despite the current arrangement. It is on the basis of these regional organic governments that the restructuring shall be. It is on the basis of these distinct regional arrangements with proper people-driven organic governments that a real challenge to the 1999 Constitution would be. The current situation of myriad groups each yelling like some demented hyenas, with neither a form nor a structure would continue to be exactly what it is: Empty Tantrums! We could agitate all we want, write long epistles on Facebook and print media, call press conferences and speak the Queen’s English. Until the associations transfigure into regionally capable governments with distinct structures, we would just be making empty noises and disturbing our neighbors in West Africa!
Of course, we must #restructureOrBurst. But without actually making deliberate attempts to have regional governments evolve from the Ethnic Nationalities as represented by these associations, we would just be throwing tantrums like some spoilt kids deprived their candies!
This is a fact! And all our ethnic constituents are as guilty as sin! The whole damn lot!
