There are people who strongly believe that
even though restructuring is Nigeria’s only hope of achieving lasting peace,
sustainable growth and development, it is almost impossible to restructure
Nigeria because of the unfounded fears of some interests over restructuring.
These people believe that the only reason those who have a phobia for
restructuring will succumb to its implementation is if they see that Nigeria is
on the brink of a break-up. And such people seem to be right, because even
though the restructuring debate has been on since the 1990s, after the
annulment of the June 12, 1993 election, it gathered unprecedented momentum
this year when the campaign by the Indigenous People of Biafra for the exit of
some parts of Nigeria was at its peak.
While the IPOB leader, Mr Nnamdi Kanu, was
in detention (and even after he was granted bail), the campaign for the exit of
Biafra was strong especially in the South-East and some parts of South-South.
Even many who disagreed with Kanu’s modus operandi and vitriolic saw a silver
lining in his campaign. For the first time since Nigeria’s independence in
1960, Nigerians were talking seriously about their continued existence as a
nation.
Several groups sprang up from different
parts of Nigeria claiming to have an intention to break away from Nigeria, even
though some of them sprang up to prove that Kanu and his IPOB did not have any
control over their own part of Nigeria. The campaign by Kanu so much infuriated
some people that some people, under the aegis of Arewa Youths Coalition, issued
an ultimatum to all Igbo people in the North to leave the North before October
1, 2018. Some other groups from the North-Central issued their own press
releases, distancing themselves from the ultimatum, and telling the Igbo people
in their midst that they were welcome.
There was tension in the country. Some
people feared that there would be crisis in Nigeria, given the way things were
going. Consequently, it seemed that the middle ground that would deflate the
calls for secession and the imminent crisis was restructuring. Prominent
figures from different parts of the country, including former military
dictator, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, added their voices to the call for
restructuring. Members of the two tiers of the National Assembly began to make
comments about restructuring and how it could be achieved or not. On September
7, Yoruba leaders held a summit in Ibadan, issuing what was known as the Ibadan
Declaration in support of restructuring. Delegates from the South-East and the
South-South were at the venue of the summit to witness the event and lend their
support.
All the meetings held with Kanu by some
groups and individuals to drop his campaign for self-determination fell on deaf
ears. All the entreaties to President Muhammadu Buhari to run a more inclusive
government as well as adopt a softer approach on the pro-Biafran agitations
also fell on deaf ears. All entreaties to the President to also show some
interest in the report of the 2014 National Conference also fell on deaf ears.
There were fears that a crisis was imminent. For different groups and
individuals the approach was rather than watch Nigeria break up, let Nigeria be
restructured to allow the states or regions more autonomy to manage their
affairs.
However, in September, the Nigerian Army
embarked on what it called Operation Python Dance II in the South-East. The
military invaded the home of Kanu in Umuahia, Abia State, with some people
killed. Since then, Kanu has not been seen or heard from. There have been
arguments over his whereabouts. Was he killed during that attack by the
military? Was he arrested and kept in a secret place? Did he escape? If he is
alive, where is he and why hasn’t he uttered a word since then?
Since that mysterious disappearance of
Kanu, the IPOB campaign for referendum to determine if Biafra should remain in
Nigeria or not has lost steam. The direct consequence is that the debate on
restructuring Nigeria has also lost steam. Today, restructuring is only
mentioned in whispers and whimpers.
The bottom line is that Kanu and his IPOB
no longer pose any immediate threat to the corporate existence of Nigeria; so
there is no more need to consider restructuring Nigeria as an option. Those who
champion restructuring are no longer keen on it, while those who oppose it have
regained their boldness and haughtiness, since they know that the possibility
of restructuring Nigeria has dropped to close to zero again. No wonder Governor
Kashim Shettima of Borno State was last month quoted as describing
restructuring as “this madness,” adding: “People are talking about artificial
intelligence, other nations are talking about nano technology or robotics
engineering but unfortunately, the topical issue in Nigeria is restructuring.
Restructuring my foot! To hell with restructuring!”
Shettima has every reason to regain his
arrogance. He knows that as long as there is no threat to Nigeria’s seeming
indivisibility, those talking about restructuring can only talk as they have
been talking for decades without any result.
Admittedly, Kanu spoke and acted without
much tact. Many people did not look beyond his words and actions. They were
consumed with their distaste of him and his campaign. They wanted him to be
crushed by any means possible. They did not realise that crushing Kanu was akin
to crushing their own bargaining chip. It was like one cutting one’s nose to
spite one’s face or throwing away the baby with the bath water.
But there were those who looked beyond
Kanu’s words and actions. They saw that his campaign presented an opportunity
for Nigeria to free itself from the shackles of inertia, stagnation, poverty
and bloodshed. They forgave Kanu for his caustic words and taunts and focused
on what could be achieved with the opportunity he had provided. They saw
clearly that unlike in the past many people who were dismissive on the need to
discuss the conditions of coexisting in Nigeria had lost their arrogance and
recalcitrance and were open for a discussion because of the threat posed to
Nigeria’s unity by Kanu and IPOB.
Therefore, Nigeria lost an opportunity with
the disappearance of Kanu and the silencing of his campaign. With the
disappearance of Kanu, all talks about restructuring have also virtually
disappeared. There is no pressure anymore on those who vehemently oppose
restructuring. They have returned to their refrain that all Nigeria needs is
good governance. If you ask them why Nigeria has not had good governance since
independence, they will come up with another reason.
Their strategy is that restructuring of
Nigeria should never be allowed because it will not favour them, which is a
fallacy that has no basis in Nigeria’s history. The achievements recorded by
the three regions of Nigeria before 1963 attest to the fact that Nigerians
lived a better and happier life when there was devolution of powers to the
regions and the attendant competitiveness and creativity it engendered.
Nigeria has been on a steady descent since
1966 when the asphyxiating centralisation of governance started. And there is
no sign that it will get better, no matter who is the President, unless
something drastic is done to its structure. Hoping or praying that Nigeria will
get better in spite of its present structure is wishful thinking.
– Twitter @BrandAzuka
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