Nigeria’s Unity Is Negotiable, Mr. President

By Godwin Etakibuebu

A few days ago, President Muhammadu Buhari was quoted as telling a group of agitators from the Niger Delta region of the country that “Nigeria’s unity is not negotiable”. He went further by pulling from a former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, most popular quote while the Nigeria/Biafra war lasted to buttress his point. That quote said: “to keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done”. 

I want to convince myself that the President meant this “clarion” call of “non-negotiable of the Nigerian nation’s unity” for the attention of all militant groups or agitators in the country. This is necessary because what is good for the goose of the Niger Delta geo-political region of Nigeria is even better for other and all geo-political zones of the country. Of course, this slogan of “Nigeria’s Unity not negotiable” is not new; it is an age-long and over-used phrase by most political leaders in Nigeria. Proof at hand is that this slogan has failed the test of time.

It is time for us therefore to go to the other side of the current bargain of “non-negotiable” in finding solution to the peculiar and perilous challenge that may likely put Nigeria asunder sooner than expected by exploring the benefits of “negotiating the unity” of this geographical enterprise called Nigeria. First and foremost, there was no country by the name Nigeria until 1914 when the amalgamation took place under the watchful eyes of Lord Lugard. He happily adopted the name ‘Nigeria’, a loudly pronounced thought of that British journalist, Dame Flora Louise Shaw [1852 – 1929], who later became Lady Lugard – the adoption itself was negotiated.

 In a well-researched lecture given very recently [2013] by one seasoned and old British Scholar in the Nigerian House, London, under the chairmanship of Dalhatu Sarki Tafida, then Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, the revelation on the reason for the 1914 amalgamation by the British Empire was laid on the table. I was there at the lecture just by co-incidence of events. The two separate protectorates of both south and north coming together in 1914 was “based on the economic consideration of running the protectorate of the north which could not pay its bill”, according to the scholar/researcher, adding that “while the south protectorate was economically self-sufficient, the north protectorate was not”. It is in the face of this reality that the decision was taken by the Home Office to fuse both north and south protectorates together “so that the ‘unified’ country would be self-sufficient economically.

We, the people of this “area of the Niger”, as opined by Lady Lugard, were “negotiated” into a nebulously packaged unity by powers and influences out-side, even the continent of Africa, purely for the economic exigency of the British. I want to submit therefore, that a clarion call for the survival of this fraudulent unity that is operational in Nigeria presently should be negotiation-based, by the Nigerian people. Any opposition to this is begging for rapturous disaster. Let us pull from one major historical event of the past to be surer of the most likely profitable route, in enduring national survival, which we need to follow in this matter. 

Mr. President, Your Government Is Losing Momentum

A Nigerian Citizen's Open Letter To President Muhammadu Buhari

Dear President Buhari,

We are in dangerous times, and your actions, or inactions, will count for a lot. The truth is that whenever someone begins a project, especially a project which he has fought so hard for, it is important to make haste, lest motivation wanes. If motivation wanes, there is a clear and present danger of the entire project faltering. That, is the cliff down which we all stare at the moment, including you, no, especially you.

The wind in the sails which swept you to office just over half a year ago are beginning to dissipate, and no other scenario illustrates this better than what is happening in the North East at the moment. I'd rather not, at this point, dwell on the fact that the buck stops at your table, and for my own, selfish reasons.

I voted you, and at this point, I don't want to accept that I may have made a mistake. In voting you, I had hoped that if anything, I'd be looking at an end to the Boko Haram nonsense post haste. That has not happened. Rather, I've been told about a "technical defeat". What does that mean?

Sir, a week before we all queued up and voted you into office, I stood before a room full of your supporters, an audience which included some of the "big men" in your government today, and I told them that no matter what, they should not lie to you. I took that stand, because I believed, and still believe, that the reason the government of your predecessor failed was because of that kind of dishonesty. Sadly Sir, it appears that my advice was not heeded.

You are the President of Nigeria. Your success will be beneficial to me, and to millions of my fellow citizens. Likewise, your failure, will negatively impact me, and millions of my fellow citizens. Telling you the real situation at every point in time will lead you to success. Hiding things from you, will lead to failure. It is my duty to you, and to my country, to tell you the facts always. I do not do blind support Sir, it is not in my blood, and will never be. I do not do blind opposition either. I say things, as I see them, regardless of how painful some of my peers may find such statements. It is both a weakness, and strength. How you see it Sir, depends on your disposition, and I still like to believe Sir, that you of all people, see such truths as strengths.

Sir, your government is losing momentum, and a large part of it is, at least to my mind, because the people around you, those you have chosen to surround yourself with, are being dishonest with you. They have continued to tell you the same tales that you were told during the campaign, the same tales their predecessors told your predecessor. Rather than sit you down and have an honest discussion with you about the state of things, they are living in denial about the realities on the ground, from the price of oil, to the pump price of petrol, to the state of the economy, to Boko Haram. They are living in denial about the constitutionality of some of your actions, actions which are eroding your credibility as a man of integrity.

I'll end this letter Sir, by asking a very simple question, a question who's answer is meant for you, and you alone: All things being equal, in thirty years, you will be gone, I'll still be here, how would you want me to describe you to my grandchildren?

Sincerely yours,
Cheta Nwanze