The handshake
across the Niger summit has come and gone. Though the
event was fraught with strategic shortfalls, the move ought to be encouraged by
all, because disunity in Southern Nigeria has been a stumbling block
to Nigeria’s democracy.
Here is why and how. A definite problem that
dogged the Nigerian democracy for ages was lack of dynamic opposition due to
proliferation of political parties. This phenomenon contributed to systemic
dictatorship and, by consequence, a history of power abuse. The god of
democracy came to the rescue by provoking the creation of the All Progressive
Congress (APC). Unfortunately, however, the desired outcome has been elusive
because of another dimension of dictatorship in form of primordial ethnic
tyranny.
The gist is that disunity in Southern Nigeria has emboldened a minority group in the North to assume absolute authority in the affairs of the nation. Instead of the government of the people by the people, Nigeria has become a government of a Northern oligarchy by the oligarchy and for the oligarchy. The result has been an absence of the checks and balances central to an effective democratic governance and, of course, continued abuse of power.
Think of any debate or
policy on Nigeria, be it constitutional amendment, restructuring of the
country or what have you. When all is said and done, the final decision is
hardly based on the salient points raised through the debates but simply on
what the North wants, whatever that north means. Worse still, instead of the
“North” considering the opinions or the needs of the Northern masses, the final
say in the region—or rather Nigeria as a whole—is typically the sole province
of the Northern oligarchy, a clique of wealthy Northern traditional leaders and
retired army generals.
The problem does not
end there. The Northern oligarchy exploits the disunity in the South to a
satanic proportion. Notice how the “North” embraces notoriously corrupt
Southern politicians once they claim solidarity with any vision of the
oligarchy. Also consider that any consequence for corrupt elements
in Nigeriadepends on the degree of their relationship with the same
shameless plutocrats.
The cumulative
effective is a whistling impunity in the land, and no region has been insulated
from the after-effects. The most unfortunate, however, is that the innocent
Northern masses are the worst victims.
The solution is where
projects like the “handshake across theNiger” come in. Similar to the path to
effective leadership in a multiparty democracy, there is the need for regional
equipoise between the North and South. Such approach has the potential to
checkmate the perceived Northern hegemony over the South, reduce culture of
impunity and, consequently, allow genuine development in the country.
In short, the
handshake across the Niger is designed for the South to emulate its
Northern counterpart to finally demonstrate common sense in terms of unity. For
instance, though the North is made up of a multitude of ethnic groups, the
region typically speaks with one voice through central organizations.
In other words,
instead of masquerading with beggarly ethnic antiquities, such as Ohaneze
Ndigbo, Afenifere or the various Niger Delta outfits, the entire South
should simply promote central bodies akin to the different umbrella Arewa
groups. The Southern leaders must be careful to avoid a fall before the rise.
The recent handshake
across the Niger is a bold step forward, no doubt, but its strategy
is tangentially myopic. Such strategy has already given rise to the emerging
nickname, “The Igbo/Yoruba Summit”, which is enough to create peppering
mistrust among the minorities in the South.
It can be
misconstrued as sowing seeds of socio-cultural hegemony—so soon—by the Igbo and
the Yoruba over not only the smaller ethnic groups in the South but also other
like minds in the true North. That is why the Southern leaders must learn to
embrace umbrella southern organizations over tribal charters.
One hardly hears of
Hausa Union or Fulani Assembly. Neither does one hear of separate fora for
North-West, North-East or North-Central governors or their legislators.
What we know is North
or Arewa, an Hausa term for the north, not minding that the region is far from
being monolithic, ethnically or religiously.
The South should also
guard against unrepentant sycophants who, in attempt to curry favor from the
Northern oligarchy, will stop at nothing until the vision for southern unity is
frustrated. That is precisely how they frustrated the original Southern
Governors Forum initiated in 2001 by the visionary Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Unity in the South
must not be seen as a coup against any group. It is only a means to an end; the
end being the overall unity ofNigeria and effective democratic leadership.
It can also be convenient to continue to heap blames on the Northern oligarchy
and its minions—most of whom are the beneficiaries of bad leadership
in Nigeria—for thwarting unity in the South.
But that is
foolhardy. The blame lies squarely on the South, which has historically allowed
itself to be used to frustrate the desired Southern unity.
* By SKC Ogbonnia
Ogbonnia is a commentator on public issues (skcogbonnia@firsttexasenergy.com)
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