Between One Nigeria and Secession

Notes for File

The reactions of Nigerians to last week’s arrest of Nnamdi Kanu, the ‘Supreme Leader’ of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the subsequent raid of the home of another secessionist agitator, this time from the South-west, Mr. Sunday Igboho were a reassurance of the fact that a majority of the Nigerian people, irrespective of creed, tribe and religion, would rather they were one indivisible people for as long as the country treated everyone fairly within their rights and freedom as established in the constitution of the land.

Although there are still a few still sentiment to the obnoxious cause of seceding, even when the agitators have no clear cut idea what they want or a distinct definition of their own independent geographical entity, their voices often pale into insignificance anytime the real debate on what they really want is set off.

Yet, there’s an instructive takeaway from the current state of play and it is the fact that there’s an absence of genuine leadership – a patriotic one with fatherly disposition and one not panning to the sentiments, whims and caprices of anyone ethnic nationality. This, no doubt, is why the agitations for secession seemed to have become popular, even when the percentage of those in this space is largely trifling.

Truth is, even though the government of the day appears to have the support of a majority of the people siding with one Nigeria, the nation and the leadership cannot also continue to live a lie, because it is not sustainable. Addressing the basis of contention with all the seriousness it deserves is the way to go.

There’s evident injustice in the land. Marginalisation is an open trade. The economy is in a bad shape. Insecurity is currently the order of the day. Corruption has suddenly attained a new height, even though government is not doing badly with the ongoing infrastructure renewal. But, there’s a need – an urgent one – to address the core of the concerns.

By and large, while keeping Nigeria as one is only IMPERATIVE as the facts currently speak to the issues, ensuring equity, justice and fairness as mandated by the constitution within the rights of everyone irrespective of where they come from, what language they speak or the religion they practice, is equally sacrosanct. Nigeria cannot afford to run on the laws and terms of George Orwell’s Animal Farm. It will never work!