OUR FEDRALISM IS A SCAM

“Politics is the Authoritative Allocation of Values for the society.” (David Easton)

Nigeria for a long time we know is a product of coercion of irrational actions of the Colonial Master to create a colonial appendage for its products and citizens. As a result, one wonders why Nkiru Asika says, Nigeria has ”over 200 Tribes speaking 300 Languages”, probably to show the heterogeneous nature of the Product called Nigeria.

Indeed, the valiant diversion of the Founding Fathers to create a miniature Federal Governmental structures is commendable- farther from its traditional allies, The Great Britain.

The United State of America’s Federal Structure did not sprout from the Blues; it was an aftermath of National Predicaments and Futurist Foresight to give the Minority a voice and follow a Collective Bargaining modus operandi.

I could remember vividly the compendium I read while as an undergraduate written by Michael Burgess on the comparative Analysis of Federations in the world. The United State remained almost an eternal model of Federalism birthed by Philadelphia Constitutional Convention (Virginia Plan) and Connecticut Great Compromise (New Jersey)

Where did Nigeria get this mysterious Federalism from? And why has it remained a producer of Federal mirage? This answer is not far-fetched, since The 1957 Willick Commission recommended that to obliterate Fears of the Minority groups, Minority Groups should be allowed to hold Political Positions to Balance Power against Inequality, create Special Commission for Minority dominated Areas, etcetera.

With this in our minds, different governments since the First Republic had been dealing with this appalling menace of Secession which are in form of Party Conflicts, Civil War, Religious Riots, Militancy, Ethnic Agitations, Genicidal Struggles, etcetera, and the only government that has tackled this objectively were Muritala- Obasanjo Regime of 1976- 1979- probably because of its Marxian Leaning, and Yar’Adua- Goodluck’s Government 2008- 2011.

Successive Governments aside those mentioned above can be quoted as often saying or acting in the manner as, “the Sovereignty of Nigeria is non-negotiable” with so much impunity and pride, as if they are the Humanity of Nigeria’s existence.

For this Product Nigeria to move forward, all must understand the Humanity we belong to as being a multifaceted being and not a one-way path. And we must ensure we go back to the negotiating Table to bargain for the possible continuous existence of Nigeria and its Federating Structures.

Why cannot the Biafran Sun shine from the East? Why cannot the fingering Creeks that bathed Kenule Beeson Saro- Wiwa  from Ogoni flow to the Delta into the Atlantic?

Written by Abayomi Olaofe.

Edited by Molawa Olawale.