NIGERIA: A Dream In Limbo.

When Lord Frederick Lugard, the then imperial administrator of amalgamated the Southern protectorate with the North in 1914, the only commonality between the two geographical enclaves was the River Niger.

It was then not surprising that his wife named the new country Nigeria which she derived from the River which originated from the Futa Jalon mountains in Guinea and traversed a few West African countries before emptying into the Atlantic ocean through so many distributaries across the Nigerian coastal plain. This natural phenomenon is what is today defined as Niger Delta and the inhabitants of the region adopted same for their political and economic agitations.

The British colonial authority’s frantic desire for the amalgamation of the two cultural and religious diverse protectorates was a function of its economic interest at the time. It needed   the southern waterways for effective export of the vast agricultural produce from the north. Since the imperial administrator had consolidated indirect rule in the north, it needed the new fusion to control the entire Nigerian landscape through the existing feudal powers in the north. The process of clobbering together an unlikely nation commenced in 1914. The insincerity of the promoters at the time ensured the fortification of a faulty foundation that thrived on inequality, intolerance, graft and deficient trust. The Nigerian dream began on this wrong premise.

While the colonial authorities promoted unitary administration in Ghana with similar cultural and religious diversity as Nigeria, it worked behind the scenes to institute federalism in Nigeria which was not a bad form of governance anyway. The problem was the mindset and motive behind the adoption of the concept. Agriculture was the major foreign exchange earner at the time and it suited the feudal north and its British collaborators because it ensured adequate resource and institutional control by the regions.

The progressive political class of northern Nigeria led by the late Aminu Kano and the rest fought relentlessly to redress the seeming structural injustices erected by the colonial authorities. The southern politicians on their part did not help matters by isolating the progressives and painted them in the same brush with the feudal oppressors. History is meant to expose the mistakes and successes of the past for effective future decisions. We are today crying for the restructuring of the police force to accommodate the establishment of the state policing. How many Nigerians are aware that we had regional police in the past?

The Action Group( AG)led by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo campaigned for the abrogation of state police and its substitution with a central command. The party argued at the time that regional police help the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) in rigging federal elections in the north. Because of parochial interest, regional police was replaced with the current sham we have now. What lesson have we learnt from that? Crude oil was not on the front burner when northerners clamoured for federalism. Today the Niger Delta is demanding for resource control and full adherence to the practice of true and effective fiscal federalism. Is there any lesson to be learnt? It is also important to note that mouthing of restructuring and good governance is not a function of willingness to accept implementation. The South West political establishment has over the years advocated for resource control. The Abacha constitution availed them the opportunity to enshrine a minimum of 25% derivation into the constitution. They voted in block and killed the motion. Is it not ironical that the same power block is part and parcel of those blaming the north for the non-reform of the country?

The Igbo political leaders are in “unison” in their demand for the presidency in 2015. What is laughable with this quest is their elastic support for the incumbent with the misplaced hope of the presidency landing on their laps because of anticipated support from him. They have failed to ask the president to take firm control of the security of the country as the Commander in Chief that he is. They endorsed the wicked increment on the pump price of petroleum products when other sections of Nigeria trooped to the streets in protest. Are they aware that politics abhors vacuum? Those that are seen as fighting for the masses today have already taken a latent step towards presidency 2015. The precipitation of this dumb political standpoint will keep the Igbo man’s dream of the presidency in perpetually limbo.

I am also perturbed by recurring calls by a section of Niger Delta community for the division of Nigeria because of their oil wealth. Are these goons aware that oil is a finite resource? A Niger Delta Republic as presently constituted will witness more arms struggle than the present Nigerian state, same level of corruption and same zero political accountability. The political looters will still descend on the “new country” and tear it apart. I am more worried by the selfishness of the present generation. What will they bequeath to the new generation of Niger Deltans considering the swampy nature of the riverine terrains? They should remember that their leaders voted down true federalism and resource control during the ill-fated Gowon’s constitutional conference. They did so because oil reserves were quite low at the time.

The current terror unleashed by Boko Haram is a further reminder of the deferred dream of our nationhood. I have wondered why the security services are at a loss on how to combat the insurgence facing the nation. Admittedly, various stakeholders are expected to play their part in finding a solution to the menace. The final responsibility lies firmly on the bosom of the President and Commander in Chief. He controls the intelligence, security and financial resources of the state. Blaming others based on imaginary agenda to destabilize the state and the presidency is the most warped and archaic sophistry Nigerians have been fed with.

Our founding fathers dreamt of a united and prosperous Nigeria that is defined by egalitarianism and patriotism. We are still dreaming along the same line after five decades of independence. Those demanding for the abortion of the dream should be mindful of what they wish for. The unending dream might be replaced by the worst nightmare that ever visited mankind. Let us continue with the dream until positive reality dawns on us.

In the transition from dreamland to positive reality, we need to sustain our democratic gains no matter the prevailing imperfections. This to me is the first step to a successful turn-around of the country. We must search for and elect strong leaders with impeccable integrity and the same time equipped with necessary biceps to fight corruption. Once we are able to democratically install a service oriented leadership, the teeming masses will naturally queue behind the government and complete the transition.

A failed dream will most likely lead to a nightmare.