By Femi Oluwasanmi
Democracy is adjudged to be the best system of government not only because it is the most popular system in the world but because it affords the citizens the opportunity to effectively participate in the affairs of their country through elective structures and processes. This prompted the nationalists to narrowed their differences in the quest that ended the colonial administration in Nigeria in 1960 and ushered in the first republic in 1963. However, the increase in the numbers of “secessionist movements” demanding an end to the corporate existence of Nigeria seems to suggest that beyond the democratization exercise, there is need for a national conference to assess the progress made on Nigeria project.
While addressing the nation on 1st October, 2023, president Bola Ahmed Tinubu explained that a progressive country is only possible within the ambiance of agreement and we have all agreed to live a united, peaceful, prosperous country, despite our diversity and reiterated his commitment to pilot the ship of the country to a promised land where the celebration of her independence will no longer be done on a low key.
Nigeria came into existence with the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates in 1914 and since then there have been efforts to consolidate this merger in order to ensure that the country becomes an enviable nation in the world. This informed the struggle that led to the independence of the country in 1960. Though, the intervention of the military in government in 1966, the counter coup that followed cum the ethnic clashes especially in the Northern part of the country and the civil war that erupted in 1967 seems to have widened the gap by creating psychological trauma that further deepens the feelings of marginalization.
To fast track the healing of this wound, the policy of ‘Reconciliation, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation’ otherwise referred to as three R’s meant to reintegrate the secessionist Biafra into the bigger Nigerian were initiated by the federal government immediately after the war with a slogan of “no victor, no vanquished.” However, looking at the resonation in the tunes of those blowing the trumpet of secession especially, in the southern part of the country, it obvious that the memories of the war is yet to be totally erased from Nigeria.
In 2021, the country almost degenerated to a state of anarchy before Nnamdi Kanu and others agitating for the independence of Biafra land were arrested by the Federal Government. This arrest led to the declaration of operation sit at home protest by his followers across the south east region demanding the release of their leaders.
Similar parade of secession seems to have been raising its head under the pretext of agitation for Oduduwa republic in the south west region before their leaders decided to go on exile due to the federal might and intimidation. This ethnic feelings became more obvious with the results of the leading candidates at the last general election, February, 2023, reflecting ethnic and religious colourations. For instance, none of the leading candidates at the election secured less than 65% of their votes from their regions of origin.
The peak of this ethnic demonstration and manipulation was when some of the politicians started using ethnic chorus such as” Yoruba Lokan,” “ emilokan,” “Igbo has never produced president in this dispensation”, “it remains four more years for the North to rule” and other jargons that ought not to be heard in a united and progressive country as weapons of political mobilization to woo the electorates. Meanwhile, the issue of good governance and nation building which supposed to be at the center of discussion were relegated to the background.
No wonder, despite the amount of money claimed to have been spent by the government in the quest to eradicate poverty in Nigeria, the syndrome still remains at an alarming rate.
In 2018, Nigeria was accorded the poverty capital of the world and till date the country is yet to leave the group of the top ten poverty infected countries in the world. Of recent, the World Bank disclosed that no fewer than four million Nigerians were pushed into the poverty trap in the first six months of this year, with another 7.1 million more expected to join the conundrum if properly targeted measures are not taken to manage the impact of fuel subsidy removal.
That the fuel subsidy has been abused by the “haves” at the detriment of the “ have nots” is not in doubt. The removal is something that is overdue because of the issue of corruption that has eaten deep the fabric of the reasons for its existence. However, the timing of and the manner it was done show that the government is insensitive to the sensitivity of the people.
A government that is sensitive to the condition of the people would have first of all put in place palliatives that will cushion the effect of the removal before removing it and not the other way round. This miscalculation is responsible for the unending arguments revolving around the removal and the threat of the mother of all strikes from the labour unions and civil society threatening to shut down the country’s economy if urgent steps are not taken to reduce the excruciating pains brought by the removal of fuel subsidy on their members.
While battling this hardship, another hike was announced at the education sector, particularly at the tertiary institution where the tuition fee was increased by more than 100% with a promise that the federal government will roll out a borrowing scheme for students that don’t have the capacity to pay to borrow money for their payment.
Unfortunately, the modalities to follow in accessing this fund and how to repay after school looking at the oversaturated labour market in Nigeria are yet to be released. No wonder, the micro nationalists are being treated as messiahs at their region of origin despite the federal government’s labels of terrorist, secessionist among others.
To redirect the steps of the country to a united front, a national conference must be given a chance. This will create an avenue for people from different regions to harmonize ideas that can move the country from its precarious situation to a prosperous destination where the feelings of ethnicity and religion will no longer threaten the unity of Nigeria.
•Oluwasanmi writes from Ibafo, Ogun State