Imagine for a few moments that you’re blessed with the most amazingly beautiful garden in all the world – a garden so rich in beauty it deifies logic and wisdom; so much so that even king Solomon would be greener than green with insatiable envy. Furthermore your garden is so sumptuous in vegetation and agricultural produce that you have no need to look anywhere else for provision or sustenance. Everything you could possibly wish for is at your fingertips.
However because your garden (kindly allow me to re-emphasise – ‘Your Garden’) is in the midst of a city, your crops and aesthetically sublime plants are mercilessly plundered, not only by the ruling class but also their minions, sycophants, and foreign assailants on a daily basis – simply because they can.
For how long would you sit quietly (some might say idly) – allowing them to have their way with your prized possession without so much as an ‘Excuse Me!’?? It wouldn’t be too long at all before you start complaining. Further-still the more your complaints are ignored over time the more agitated you become. I suspect the more agitated your complaints about the protection, preservation, and respect for your territory becomes, the more the likelihood of a somewhat more physical reaction. You’re only human after-all.
This unfortunate and diabolical scenario of pillage and plunder is precisely what we have been inflicting on the people of the Niger Delta for decades. To make matters so much worse, not only do we rape, plunder and pillage but we insultingly give oil blocks to those that have absolutely nothing to do with the region – either by way of origin or adding value in any way whatsoever.
What kind of nation hands out hundreds of millions of dollars to certain individuals simply because they know the right people? What kind of nation sits idly by as foreign oil companies desecrate the land of its indigenes, consigning them to a life of penury as its own staff live like kings and Queens?
Answer – a nation wherein money is all that matters – enabling foreign companies to mockingly do as they please as a result of our ineptitude and short-sightedness; where wealth is valued by money over and above everything else – leading to a distinct lack of vision, foresight, care, and planning.
It’s time for us to hold up our hands and admit we have all been accomplices to a great injustice; an injustice so great it beggars belief.
Like millions of Nigerians, I’m profoundly irritated by the Niger Delta Avengers’ penchant for disruption – an almost complete destruction of electricity supply, desecration of crude oil sales at a time when global prices are finally increasing a little, and the flagrant massacre of gas pipelines, again causing us untold inconvenience. Indeed just a few weeks ago my ‘selfish’ gut instinct was to encourage Mr. President to ‘level’ the whole region. For why should a rabid few be allowed to cause so much pain to so many? But over the past few days I have come to recognise and accept that the fault lies with us – we the rest of the nation.
There is only one way around this mess; and that is for the government to meet with the militant leaders, listen intently, empathise sincerely, and genuinely seek to find a solution that will correct the numerous wrongs done to the people of that region. The time has come for a thorough and lasting solution to this endemic crisis.
In my view whatever else the government adheres to, the following three concessions must be included;
1. Oil revenue share must be reviewed and amended – giving a more significant proportion of the revenue to the region
2. An initiative must be launched as soon as possible in order to build and develop the livelihoods of the region’s citizens
3. The entire region must be developed and beautified, thereby creating more enlightenment and growth
But in truth the more I ponder this matter the more I’m convinced our problems lie much deeper. For who’s to say that once this particular challenge has been resolved another won’t crop up in the north or some other region – such is the dilapidated state of our federation.
Is not the fragile nature of our union the route of our numerous woes??
Let’s consider just a few of these woes for a few seconds;
1. Too much money in politics – leading to a do or die nature of politics
2. Too much power in the centre – leading to many regions feeling unloved, maligned, and unfairly treated
3. Ethnic rivalry – leading to various tribes believing they’re secluded from certain positions or even the nation at large
4. Rotational policy – leading to the best candidates for the job not getting appointed
5. Infrastructural and other developmental projects – who’s responsibility – federal or state – leading to face-offs and status quos that benefit nothing and no-one
6. Financial dependence on the central government – leading to laziness, zero vision and foresight, and a distinct lack of development in many states
Let’s go back to basics.
Let’s return to something similar to the confederation that existed in the early sixties. In those days Nigeria had four independent regions, each with its own premier – Mid Western Region, Eastern Region, Northern Region, and the Western Region. We simply need to add one more – South South Region.
There are three significant advantages of this system.
1. Autonomy for each region – resulting in more efficiency, competition, growth, and development
2. Cheaper system to maintain – resulting in more financial independence, transparency, and the right individuals in the right places
3. Each region’s attention and focus on fair governance and the plight of its people – resulting in a significant decline in corruption, poverty, and militancy
In the next few weeks the people of Britain will decide whether or not to leave the Euro. The British government recognises that a decision so vital to the lives of everyday British citizens must be decided by the very people it will affect the most – the electorate.
Nigeria has witnessed at least two national conferences during the past two decades – each one with the sole aim of deciding the nature of our nation-state. On both occasions we were represented by the same political leaders that decimated the country in the first place.
Question – exactly who were they representing? The people, or themselves?
Nigeria is literally falling apart at the seams. Every-which way one turns the dire consequences of our collapsed union is clear to see – be-it poor infrastructure, darkness, mutual suspicions, ethnic rivalries, militancy, or corruption.
We can no longer continue to paper-over the cracks. No-one in his or her right mind can claim that the Federal Republic of Nigeria has been a success. Does anybody truly believe that federalism is the right system for this nation? If so, based on what exactly.
It is only by the grace of God that Nigeria is still standing – in whatever shape or form.
I urge this administration to take the courageous step of allowing the people to decide the fate of our presently precarious union.
Segun Akande
