By Dan Amor
To all intents and purposes, the
position of the Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze
Ndigbo, that at least one more state be created in the South East
geo-political zone is most appropriate. In a recent statement, the group
renewed its call for a balanced federation for the sake of equity.
Pressing the demand
further, the group enthused: “Nobody can
say we are asking for too much because we are demanding for the creation of one
or two more states in the South East. North East, North Central, South-West and
South-South all have six states each. North-West has seven. Why should South
East have only five?” In fact, this position is sacrosanct. If the Nigerian
state were founded on justice and fairness, the South-East deserves more than
five states. The statement credited to the Deputy Senate President and Chairman
of the Senate Committee on the review of the Constitution, Ike Ekweremadu that
the path to the creation of new states was tedious is unacceptable. The restructuring
of this lopsided federation must begin with a new state for the South East
geo-political zone.
Indeed, it is glaring that
for so long, the ugly phenomenon of injustice has been institutionalized in the
country. But for how long must the people continue to endure the unnerving
weight of this hydra-headed monster? The quake of apprehension and insecurity
enveloping the country is the outcome of several decades of injustice inflicted
on certain groups in the country by others. It is now as though the nation is
still under colonial bondage whereby almost all the ethnic nationalities are
agitating for political autonomy and liberation. The truth is that the North
used the military to internally recolonise the country. With what we have been
witnessing, it is evident that the communal bond that once held the various
component parts together has been rendered taut and things are beginning to
fall apart. The obvious is that in today’s Nigeria, there is enormous bad
blood amongst the various brother nationals making up the concocted union. Yet,
it is most annoying that this embarrassing situation is a deliberate creation
by those who think that the entire country is their bona fide property.
Or else, how does one
rationalize the process whereby Lagos State which hitherto had nine million population was
given only twenty local government areas while Kano State
that had a population of six million was given forty-four local governments
after Jigawa was carved out of it? Now, with more than twenty million population,
Lagos is still officially recognized as having a
paltry twenty local councils while Kano
has forty-four plus the number of local councils in Jigawa state. It will
therefore be sheer pretence and active game of the ostrich to behave as though
nothing is wrong with the soul of the nation. Isn’t it imperative that after
several years of trying to paper over serious cracks on the nation’s body
politic the present administration should recognize the need to heal old
national wounds as a prerequisite for the much-needed national reconciliation?
Yet, unfortunately, the Buhari administration has even aggravated the situation
with his one-sided ethno-religious-induced appointments.
