It has become necessary once again to loudly denounce the whispers from prominent members of the Northern power elite before they develop into a major threat to the stability of this country, Nigeria. Every Nigerian citizen should be sufficiently watchful at this time. The history of this country has been loaded with all kinds of manipulation from various power elite for purely selfish reasons.
Usually, the power elite have no social responsibility coefficient to their thoughts words or actions. The national interest is scarcely on their radar. The country has been worse for the apparent relevance of most of Nigeria’s power elite thus far. We have all seen them in their various hues lay waste our national resources. The country is in despair for their reign so far.
The North is specially impoverished by its power elite. There, little development has materialised on the landscape through these 50 years of Independence taking away what our revered and true leader of the North, Sir Ahmadu Bello, laid down himself. It has been one story of profligacy after another in the entire Northern spectrum.
The Northern elite have held unto power for three-quarter of the time and their majority still wallow in abject poverty on account of the condemnable selfishness of the few who hold the reins of power irretrievably. They give the impression to their minions that they should not aspire to new heights by keeping them in servitude and dependence and serving them meals that stultify their inventive spirits and subjugate them to the whims of their destructive mentors. Their army of mischief-makers are not allowed to strive to be like them. In the meantime, a large body of disgruntled people are forming all over the North. Among them are the middle incomes who have seen progress in other regions of Nigeria and manifestly dealt a political blow to their power elite. They cast their lots with outsiders in quiet revolt against their own elite.
It is now apparent that the die is cast for the traditional oligarchs up there. The rug is about to be pulled from beneath their feet if they do not back off. It is now vital for the power elite to shove off and let the sun reach the middle class up there. The middle class up there is comprised mainly of Northern minorities on the fringes of society and they have been grudgingly growing in resentment of the oligarchs. It is necessary to diffuse tension by consensus. This is what a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) will serve.
We still have not discussed and agreed on how this nation should proceed to provide equal shelter for all its inhabitants without stereotyping from its components. Biafra has come and gone. The Niger Delta has risen in revolt. The Middle Belt of Nigeria has thrown in their lot with their ilk in the Niger Delta and they have come in almost total control of the country in all arms of government. This is a healthy sign for the country.
I once again recall issues which have not been addressed on our historic path to nationhood. The first is population. How many people are Nigerians and what is the ethnic configuration of all Nigerians. How should we relate in the future of this nation? Population fiascos are on historical records. Doctoring of figures have characterised all population censuses to date. The North has insisted on being superior in population to the South in order to maintain its pre-eminent role as leader-material suppliers. It is clear like daylight that substantial percentage of Southern Nigerians make up the population up North.
It is indisputable that our British overlords desired to keep our Northern brothers in charge on account of their amenability to their manipulation which the South as a block resisted audaciously. Now that they are gone, it seems to me that our Northern brothers had better work hard to emulate the South and keep pace with the South in the task of development rather than envy the South and indulge in self-defeatist measures of destroying Southern people’s assets out of fear of being surpassed by more diligent rivals in the Nigerian project. It seems to me that what should be dreaded most is indolence not competition. Our Northern brothers desire control without commensurate competence and circumspection borne of true national spirit.
We should revisit the basis of association of ethnic nationalities. True Federalism is now critical to survival of the nation since sections who find themselves outside power feel totally disadvantaged. This is the saddest part of our puzzle. We have failed to build a nation. The immediate past elections clearly attested once again that ethnic enclaves remain in spite of years of experimentation with democracy. Everyone wants access to power. It means that all leaders have played the ethnic card and neglected the national card. If people depend on access to power to be comfortable, then our experiment in nationhood is a failure. We should just pack up the country and go our separate ways. The ideal we should be aiming at is peace and progress of federating units no matter who is in the saddle at any point in time. This can only happen as a subsequent note to egalitarian principle importable in democracy as a path to choice of leadership.
No egalitarian principle exists in our political system. There is a pitiable undertone of Lord and Serf in our consciousness in this 21st century.
The North sells the impression that they are the lords and that others, including the South West and the Middle Belt are the serfs. Ndigbo have discharged themselves creditably by fighting against that stereotype, though they are still wanting nerves to assert themselves with one loud voice. Biafra War has been fought and lost. Prejudices still linger in the minds of fellow citizens. Agreements do not exist on how to relate with those who waged war against Nigeria. All that is apparent is disgust about the former Biafrans. They must not be allowed access to power is a subdued credo of the ‘victors’ of that internecine war.
Ndigbo are fools to continue their tomfoolery. Ask the Germans about losing a world war and how they have known revulsion. I think Ndigbo should just quit considering themselves as material for Nigerian leadership. Their nature is not cut out for that. They must remain in control of commerce and industry and for this they have come among our neighbours. The minorities shall be the ones to take us to the Promised Land where true federation shall free all parties to strive for the highest and best for themselves and their progeny.
• To be continued