“It is clear that Nigeria is ripe for a revolution. There is no way the youth of Nigeria are going to accept to die of hunger and poverty in a country so blessed with human and material resources.”
On Wednesday, June 10th, 2009, Solomon Adun Asemota (SAN), met with Saharareporters to discuss wide-ranging issues regarding the Nigerian state from his unique perspective. Chief Asemota is the Chairman of the Governing Council of the Christian Social Movement of Nigeria (CSMN), as well as Coordinator of the Ethnic Nationalities Movement (ENM). He was the first Nigerian to obtain a law degree at the University of Lagos through the evening law program. Previously a professional policeman, he resigned in 1970, and has since then worked as a lawyer.
Interview with Solomon Asemota:
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What is the story of Amalgamation in 1914?
The south was where the white man first arrived by sea and entered into several treaties with native chiefs. Later the missionaries came and began [formal] education and [introduced] the Christian religion. There was not one south, but several nations who were first protectorates before the amalgamation of 1914. There was a punitive expedition like the one in Benin City because a white man was killed. We are told today that the ongoing war unleashed on the Niger Delta in 2009 is as a result of the killing of some Nigerian soldiers for which Ijaw towns and villages were bombed and razed. Punitive expedition once again, however, this time the new colonizers are Nigerians. The North, on the other hand was different. The British conquered most of the Fulani emirates that ruled mostly the north and found the Fulani more likable than the tribes of the south. Unfortunately, the administration of the north had to be subsidized from the British Treasury. The only way out of this unnecessary expedition of the British was to amalgamate the north with the south, so that the south will continue to subsidize the north which it has done till this day. The Hausa/Fulani in its broader definition include those who believe and work towards a system of government and way of life are based on Islam-thus anybody that accepts this type of rule or government is regarded as Hausa/Fulani as ensconced in the Willink Commission report in 1958. This enabled converts to Islam from the other tribes of the north to regard themselves as Hausa/Fulani.
And since Independence 1960, what has been the Nigerian story? The British, in favor of the “Hausa/Fulani” North, rigged the federal elections of 1959. Tafawa Balewa was invited to form the government even before the final results were announced. The British ensured through the special branch of the police and undercover agents, that Nnamdi Azikiwe (Zik) and Obafemi Awolowo—that is Nd’Igbo and Yoruba—never came together united because a united south continues to be a threat to the north. This practice continues till today. The job is now being performed by the State Security Service (SSS) that is well funded and assisted by contrived poverty of the Nigerian peoples that make them dependent on the centralized government controlled by the Hausa/Fulani.
What can you tell us about the crucial events of 1960-1966?
The rivalry between the three major tribes in Nigeria—the Hausa/Fulani, Nd’Igbo and Yoruba, especially between Nd’Igbo and Yoruba—was mainly responsible for the coup of 1966. It must not be forgotten that regionalism was intended for the major tribes to assimilate the other 387 in the country. God, in His infinite wisdom, deposited crude oil on the soil and off the shores of minorities of the south, which became the reason for the unity of purpose but not unity with the aim of nationhood. Rather it was the unity of the big three— or the tripod—to take the benefits of the crude oil to the exclusion of the minority owners. Land ownership was given a legal twist like apartheid South Africa and colonial Zimbabwe. Some ethnic nationalities of the Niger Delta are praying very hard that crude should dry up so that the people’s of the Niger Delta can be left alone, and if nationhood is not crafted by them, only God knows what would happen. The question to ask is whether the north would give the south part of their minerals. And will the south make ports available to the north? In any case, the desire to sacrifice 20 million Niger Deltans in order that the remaining 120 million other Nigerians may live in peace would not arise.
Tell us about the January 1966 coup…
Intervention of military officers in their early 20s, foolish and inexperienced, who belonged to my generation—those now above—70 was unfortunate. It was not a revolution but lawyers redefined revolution to include treason. “Araba” (divide) was the slogan of the north in their demand for de-amalgamation in 1966. Had it happened, more lives would have been saved, as the civil war would have been averted. We would have had an Islamic north and a secular south. Criminality would have reduced because, instead of one police force we would have had two or more police forces and two would have been be more efficient than one. Because the Nigerian police force as presently constituted is cumbersome and difficult to manage. We would have had two distinct ideologies “sharia” or political Islam for the north, and secularism for the south. That would have been better than having two conflicting and competing ideologies, one defined under the constitution and the other not defined but applicable when it is politically convenient. The question of conquest that is a present factor in Nigerian politics following the civil war would not have been there. Some Nigerians regard Nd’Igbo as conquered people and some Nd’Igbo still see themselves in that light. All these would not have happened had Araba taken place. Gowon, from a minority tribe, was the stabilizing factor during this period because he is from a minority tribe and was fortunate to have seasoned nationalists and politicians such as Awolowo, Shagari, Okoi Arikpo, and Tony Enahoro and Aminu Kano etc, in his cabinet. It is now too late for Araba.
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So, what do you know about 1975 Coup?
It is clear that the reason for this coup that overthrew the Gowon government was because one of the major tribes—Hausa/Fulani—was convinced that it was time to take over from Gowon and install a Muslim. It must be remembered that this period was the beginning of Islamic fundamentalism in the world. The Dimka counter-coup was not only misconceived, it was poorly executed, thereby providing the opportunity for the military establishment to decimate officials from the middle belt who were mainly Christians and rivals to the Hausa/Fulani military establishment. The 1983 coup that overthrew Shagari’s government was plotted because the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) had agreed on a rotational principle, and Akinloye, from the southwest, was being tipped to be the successor to Shagari. The overthrow of the Shagari government and the leadership of Buhari/Idiagbon began the incursion of rogue elements into the
politics of Nigeria. This was also the beginning of a situation when military officers went out of their way to look for shady characters that they could use for illegitimate purposes and for this they empowered these elements and placed them in positions of authority. This abuse became pronounced because Nigeria had no legislature that would have provided oversight functions over the Executive.
What about Babangida’s administration and the legitimization of corruption?
The conflict between elements within the military allowed Babangida to replace Buhari. This coup was regarded as a palace coup and an internal affair of the military. The armed forces, this time, began to rely on traditional institutions, as instruments for governance. They had to rely on traditional rulers and religious leaders to maintain stability, in conjunction with the police and security forces. They cultivated those in these institutions who were pliable and not in a position to disagree with the armed forces and demand change. It was even reported that Babangida had the habit of telling officers appointed into political positions that it was time for them to make money and that it would be their fault if they left office poor. This was the time when political assassination began in Nigeria with Dele Giwa. It was also the beginning of phantom coups and legal monstrosities whereby the method by which Babangida became military president, which was by coup, was not available to Vasta, costing Vatsa his life for “contemplating” such an action. Babangida and the north were not too sure what to expect from Abiola as president, and they were not prepared to take chances. While Shonekan was acting as head of state, Abacha was written into the transition decree. Abacha, a shua-Arab must have seen himself as an Arab, otherwise how does one explain his looting of over 5 billion dollars and stashed it all abroad? Nigerians of Arab descent must decide whether they are Arabs or Nigerians for the future of our country.
You mentioned Dele Giwa, what do you know about his assassination? I did not know anything directly about his assassination, more than what was in the public domain, but I knew a bit about the Gloria Okon case, because I defended the National Security Organization (NSO) then regarding the inquiry into Gloria Okon’s death when a commission of inquiry was set up. As the NSO lawyer I was presented with the photograph of a dead woman wearing trousers, which the security people told us was Gloria Okon, they said at that time that she was arrested for carrying drugs at the Aminu Kano International Airport. We also saw this dead body presented to the tribunal. When we finished the work I presented the papers to Nduka Obaigbena of Thisweek to give what I thought was the true account of the Gloria Okon’s case to the Nigerian public. At that time, I truly believed Gloria Okon died, because the case of the security people was that she took ill shortly after her detention and died. I later heard several versions from different people. After a while, I decided to reduce my engagement with security agencies by telling them that my calendar was full and later, I decided to quit as the lawyer to the NSO/SSS in order to maintain my integrity.
You mentioned that you were approached by Abacha to be Attorney General and Minister of Justice of the Federation?
Yes, Abacha went to great lengths to recruit me to become the Attorney General and Minister of Justice. It was during Chief Agbamuche’s tenure and while I was a director of Elf Nigeria. A relative was congratulating me for pending appointment as the Attorney General to replace Agbamuche. I was shocked because I never lobbied to become the Minister of Justice under Abacha. So I went in to see a justice of the court of appeal then and the Oba of Benin to help Abacha look for another person, giving the excuse that I was planning to become a “Jesuit Brother,” which requires two other levels to fulfill. The reason why I rejected Abacha’s offer was because I knew they weren’t looking for a brilliant lawyer. They made they made the offer because they wanted to stop me from what I was doing which was to bring Christians and ethnic minorities together to oppose Abacha’s dictatorship. When I rejected the offer, Abacha’s Chief Security Officer (CSO), Al Mustapha, reportedly classified me as more dangerous than Ken Saro-Wiwa.
Tell us about the re-emergence of Olusegun Obasanjo’s... When international pressure was made to bear on the military in Nigeria after the death of Abacha, the then head of state, Abubakar, supported by Babangida, sold Obasanjo to the northern oligarchy because they needed a Yoruba that will protect the interest of the north. To join in the sleaze for example the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) bribes that was in the pipeline and a Yoruba that can reduce the influence of the Yoruba’s who had the potentials to confront the north. Obasanjo succeeded in the above objectives and also established a political base for himself based on cultism and voodoo. At the end of Obasanjo’s tenure we had a corrupt and voodoo society. Thus Nigeria became a state controlled by undesirable elements and voodoo infested leadership. It was most unfortunate that Obasanjo’s generation that was responsible for Nigeria’s misfortune in the first place blew the opportunity provided when Obasanjo once again became President in 1999. To compound the situation, Obasanjo, before he left office, single-handedly chose Yar’Adua for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and to install him through rigged elections. Today, Yoruba solidarity is at its weakest and Nigeria is steadily and progressively moving towards a failed state. It is unfortunate also that all the principal actors in the north, in the east, in the west and in the Middle Belt or in the Niger Delta are manipulating Nigerian politics today, and manipulating the security agencies from the background are persons from Obasanjo’s generation, my generation. This is not to say that generations after us are any better rather it is to say that we created the problem. We have the moral obligation to undo what we had done. Fortunately the principal actors are still alive.
What is happening in the Niger Delta?
The Militants of the Niger Delta are the creation of the rogue elements in the executive, especially within the security. Bunkering was introduced by these elements, because of their privileged positions and greed, decided to establish two parallel methods of selling Nigerian crude oil legitimately for the government and illegitimately for themselves. These rogue elements provided a situation of insecurity in the region by arming militias. They instilled fear in the region and impressed on oil companies that they had to cooperate in the process by opening their taps also for stolen crude. The security agencies went further to train some of these militias abroad under the pretence they required the militias as
undercover agents necessary for the security of the Niger Delta. Some of these militias also acted as thugs during elections and helped to rig these elections. These militias were intended, above all, to turn their guns against their own people of the Niger Delta. This they did for some time but because blood is thicker than water they adopted the ideologies of the people, which is to say, they now support true federalism and resource control.
Why are Yorubas different?
The Yoruba since 1914 have been the tribe that refused to be dominated either by the British or the Hausa/Fulani, and both the Hausa/Fulani and the British feared the Yorubas until Obasanjo became president. He destroyed the unity and cohesion of the Yoruba people under the guise of bringing them into the mainstream of Nigerian politics which means taking the lion’s share of the oil wealth of the Niger Delta in collaboration with the Hausa/Fulanis. Lagos rather than Port Harcourt became the oil capital of Nigeria and the Yoruba held the Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation (NNPC) in trust for them until recently when the Hausa/Fulani took complete control.
Explain what you think of the Nd’Igbo
The Hausa/Fulani see Nd’Igbo as conquered people and also regard the Niger Deltans as latter-day conquered people. The Nd’Igbo position became difficult to understand because of the imposition and installation of some unreliable elements as governors who in turn impose traditional institutions on the people. Nd’Igbo now regard traditional institutions, not democracy, as ideal for the southeast. This was the method used by the British in the 18th century whereby chiefs were provided where there were none. The practice was reintroduced during the military rule when Nigerians had no political parties and traditional rulers became the instrument of governance. Southeastern state governors approved thousands of traditional rulers for hitherto republican Nd’Igbo. Nd’Igbos are now begging that the next president should be an Igbo on the ground, no doubt, that the Yoruba and Hausa/Fulani have eaten enough, it is now the turn of Nd’Igbo. The problem with Nigeria is the greed of the tripod, the foundation upon which the British had intended to elevate Nigeria to nationhood.
What is Nigeria’s Secret Service about?
The secret services arm of the executive has to be singled out for mention on the ground that it is the most prominent organization in the transformation of Nigeria from a state with prospect to a failing state. At independence the special branch—‘E’ branch—of the Nigeria Police Force provided intelligence for the country, not only for crime prevention and detection, but also for the security of the country. The special branch was effective and functioned well at independence until 1966 [but] as a result of the January coup and July countercoup it became partisan. This had to be so because Nigerians were pulling in different directions: North, East, Middle Belt, Midwest and West. After the counter coup of July 1966, which the north won, the intelligence service became an instrument for the protection and promotion of the winner. Systematically northerners and Muslims dominated the security service. The 1975 coup against General Gowon could not have happened if the special branch did not collaborate with the coup plotters. It was bloodless and a Christian leader, Gowon, was replaced with a Muslim leader, Murtala Mohammed. Dimka’s failed coup provided the opportunity for the army to purge its self of Gowon’s supporters. While the overthrow of Shagari laid the foundation for the Islamization of the Nigerian state. The coup against Murtala Mohammed, we are told, was responsible for the establishment of the National Security Organization (NSO) and the military intelligence became more powerful. Later, the security services throughout Nigerian were put under the Nigerian security advisers that have always been a northerner and a Muslim.
…And the notion of “Security Clearance”, what is that?
Security clearance became a political weapon in the hands of the north. Nobody can contest election or gain employment in any tier of government—local government, state and national government—including government corporations and companies, without security clearance. Yet criminals, shady characters, rogue elements dominate the public service in Nigeria. It will appear that security clearance is being manipulated so that one section of the country can control the other through these rogue elements. Unknown quantities are empowered for the south to do the biding of the north. The security apparatus of Nigeria, including the other law enforcement agencies, must be held responsible for the rapid slide to a failing Nigerian state. Security organizations should also be blamed for sabotaging democracy by subverting democratic processes; by promoting rigging through violence and fraud. Some have argued that from the ashes of a failed Nigerian state a truly Islamic republic will be born not a secular state that some people want to impose on Nigeria. One thing is clear any nation that is notable to control its security apparatus is courting dictatorship or a failed state.
What are your conclusions?
The above is the analysis of a complex situation that has brought Nigeria to the brink of a failed state. It is clear that Nigeria is ripe for a revolution. There is no way the youth of Nigeria are going to accept to die of hunger and poverty in a country so blessed with human and material resources. Nigeria needs urgently the harmony of the over 389 tribes because it is very wrong to elevate one, two or three tribes over the others. It is unprogressive and it will fail and when it does Nigeria will also inevitably fail.
What are your Recommendations on the way forward?
Obama’s speech of June 4th, 2009 to the Muslim world includes Nigeria, because Nigeria is a member of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). Obama’s speech is highly recommended. Obama used the phrase, “Muslim majority countries.” Muslims in Nigeria believe that they are in the majority to justify Nigeria’s membership of OIC. We have falsified our census figures, removed such classifications as ethnicity and religion so that such issues can be left to speculation to justify Nigeria’s continuous membership of that organization. As Obama said, we require a government that accepts, not rejects, the will of the people. Nigerians must be free to speak their minds and have a say on how they are governed. The rule of law in practice, not as a slogan; and equal administration of justice, not two parallel and competing legal systems; transparency, where leaders do not steal what belongs to the people. Governments that protect the right of the people are ultimately more stable, successful and secure. The revolution that Nigeria needs is one that will use methods by the Afro-Americans to change America. Not by violent means but by the search and application of Truth, Reconciliation and Forgiveness.
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