By Ayodele Fagbohun

“Nigeria is not  a nation. It is a mere geographical expression. There  are no “Nigerians” in the same  sense as there are “English”, “Welsh”, or “French,” The word  Nigerian” is a merely a distinctive appellation to distinguish those who live within the boundaries of Nigeria from those who do not” except from “Path to Nigerian freedom” authored by Obafemi Awolowo, 1947.

Nigeria as a nation got her independence on October 1, 1960,  from British colonial rule.

The above quoted plain truth and hard historic fact is still relevant  and very poignant  to the seemingly  ever intractable  problems of nationhood that daze our sensibility over the years.

For Nigeria as a multi-lingual ethnical cultural  and religious divertsities, has waded through hard times and crises mainly as a result of protacted reigns of megalomania in both civil and military administrations  since independence. It has experienced vicious circle of socio-political travails which culminated into a 30-month  grueling fratricidal   conflicts and internecine civil war fought and won through  the political valour and  diplomacy of our few and dedicated nationalists politicians otherwise referred to as elder statesmen notably Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Anthony Eronsele Enahoro, Malam Aminu Kano, Dr. Okoi Arikpo to mention  a few names in the cause of one Nigeria.

Unfortunately, some thoughtless and depraved elements in the country now clamouring for the dismemberment of the six-geo political structure called “Nigeria” are palpably ignorant in their assertions based on dearth of  reliable data and information about the country.

Possibly, they are mentally indolent and uncharitable to the heroic, epic struggle, industry, sacrifice and personal integrity of the founding  fathers of Nigerian nationhood.

The onus is on the  present crop of politicians and planners to wake up from their mental inertia, stupor and be more focused  on proferring  workable solution to the multi-fceted problems afflicting the nation.

Moreover , the dirty raging controversy trailing the likelihood of the country being disintegrated into various component parts, is a fallout of our erstwhile obsequious history of colonialisms that gave rise to unbridled neo– colonialism; and the handiwork of our  detractors and international do-gooders who are gargantuan drawbacks to our economic and political advancement to the advantage of their economic  fortune and high standard of living at home.

This ugly scenario is aggravated  in consequence  to the  abysmal  failure and lackluster performance of  our previous political  leadership and the complacent  citizenry in sinking deeper into the abyss of ill governance in the face of rich potential and natural endowment thrust on our laps by the providence.

Little wonder, Prof Wole Soyinka, the intellectual playwright and Nobel  laureate in literature exclaimed that the former president, Mohammad Buhari, whilst in the saddle could not comprehend the problem of Nigeria, let alone proffering solution. That was  exactly the ugly and sardonic scenario we were grappling with.

It follows from the apparent weakness adumbrated above that the enemies and detractors of the country, both within and beyond, gather their forces in glee, on unholy alliance and contentedly at the slightest opportunity, to   launch mocking scurrilous  and devastating  attacks to impugn the territorial integrity of the fragile nascent democracy.

Records must be straightened that the history of constitution-making is as old as the Nigerian nation itself. Since the Clifford Constitution of 1922, the nationalist movement in Nigerian had left no stone unturned in their collective wisdom and struggle to lay a rock solid foundation and turn around the fortunes of good government in the country.

It should be noted in passing, that some nationalist movements, namely the Action Group (AG), Northern People’s Congress (NPC), National Council of Nigerian Citizens (NCNC), etc metamorphosed into virile political parties that agitated for the independence of the nation, through various  constitutional  conferences held in Lancaster House in London.

Whilst underscoring the importance of suitable constitution in the good fair conduct of government business in any enlightened clime. I submit with all humility and respect  that we cannot afford in this austere time, to dissipate much energy, fritter away scarce national resources and precious time in junketing abroad in search of  another constitution based on previous intimidating and diligent endeavours at  constitution  making from the  nationalist days and colonial experiment in self government to the Second Republic (It runs for upwards of 30 years of self governance under the British tutelage).

Nigeria is a multi-lingual, religious and secular nation comprising over 250 ethnic groups which are very independent and autonomous before the ‘conqest” of  British pax.

In the 1931 census, 10 main national groups were identified in Nigeria as follows: 1) Hausa (2) Igbo) (3) Yoruba (4) the Filani (5) Kanusi (6) Ibibio (7) Munsh or Tiv (8) Edo (9) Nupe (10) Ijaw.

According to Nigeria handbook 11th edition. “ there are also, a great number of other small tribes too numerous to enumerate separately, whose combined  total population amounts to 4,683,044.

The British who are past masters of diplomacy,  having no  requisite personnel  to run the affairs of the far flung and vast territory, resorted to the policy of indirect rule.

The Indirect rule system introduced by Sir Lord Fredrick Lugard to administer Colonial Nigeria, in spite of its defects, was an eloquent testimony to the concessions  of democratic, norms and practice,  although in its pristine form, granted the natives, especially the chiefs, the right to participate in the affairs of their country.

The nation and her people have weathered all conceivable  political storms peaceably in spite of the huge diversities  in culture, language, religion and the needless strains and pressure inflicted on the nation due to rank administrative ineptitude and naked rapacity of the politicians both in the civil and military attire.

We are of the well considered opinion that  all conditions favourably and well disposed  to good government provided we can take the bull by the horns and muster enough courage to checkmate the infiltration of obdurate. Lascivious and corrupt politicians into the nation’s political system .

It is opposite, in my conclusion,  to  extensively  quote  Chief Obafemi Awolowo, having played a  leading role in the constitution making in Nigeria since 1949. The  late sage Awo in his lifetime, had empirically demonstrated both in theory and practice that constitution making is  applied  science. It follows, therefore, that certain laws or principles must be  observed, lest the society or the country  come to grief and peril for the wrong application of the constitution.

Hear Chief Obafemi  Awolowo (i) If  a country is unilingual and uninational, the constitution is unitary. (2) If the country  is unilingual or bi-lingual or multilingual and also consists of communities which, over a period of years, have developed divergent nationalities, the constitution must be federal and the constituent states must be organized on the dual basis of language and nationality.

(3) If a country is bilingual or multi-lingual, the constitution must be federal, and  the constituent  states must be organized on linguistic basis.

(4) Any experiment with a unitary constitution in a bilingual or multilingual country must fail in the long run.

Little wonder, the gargantuan and recurring failure of the military rule and its concomitant self-serving civilian  administration in Nigeria from driving  us from pillar to post and to grope in the dark in elusive search for workable constitution down the ages.

Nigeria must unhesitatingly opt for true federalism and revisit the arbitrary six (6) geo-political zones with necessary amendment and grant internal autonomy subject to approval in a plebiscite.

The states carved out from the zones shall operate separate constitutions to manage their own affairs, autonomous and independent of the  federal constitution.

However, the Federal Constitution shall prevail whenever the interest of the state and federal constitutions conflict. As a nation, we are liberty bound to sit down, reflect, draw and redraw the political map of the country to reflect an administrative structure conduces to good government with minimum  overhead cost.

We must, at this critical phase of our development, say emphatic no, to political venality or the bad influence  of money which corrupts and imperils  our socio-political system.

The nation is in dire need of capable , self abnegated and experienced politicians; in corruptible hands and minds to pilot our political affairs particularly at the commanding heights of the economy.

Men and women who are dispassionate to run a truly federal institution that will  respect the disparate groups of  diverse interests within the polity, foster justice, fairlyplay, amity and concord; enthrone good government as practised in enlightened democracies regardless of the type of constitution they practice.

We hasten to urge our poliliticians and those at the helm of affairs to jettision the military  culture of economic pillage with impunity and might is right which often lead the people on collision  course to take arms against one another.

The panacea for peace and unity of this country is to adhere strictly and democratically to the tenets of true federalism within a view to promoting life more abundantly for all and sundry.