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What Is IBB Afraid Of? – "No Need for Sovereign National Conference” - Really? By Abe Ojo, Ph.D.

February 17, 2012

Nigeria and its governance are in a serious state of flux solely due to the central issue bothering completely on the unity of the country. Many events have taken place since independence and there have been a flurry of these events lately that calls for the re-examination of the central basis of our co-existence. A situation where security is lacking due to animosity between different tribes and because of the indigeneship question that are mixed with a deep dosage of religious dichotomy and deaths calls into question why some people, IBB and “others” are running away from discussing the basis of, and for, our unity in a sovereign national conference.

Nigeria and its governance are in a serious state of flux solely due to the central issue bothering completely on the unity of the country. Many events have taken place since independence and there have been a flurry of these events lately that calls for the re-examination of the central basis of our co-existence. A situation where security is lacking due to animosity between different tribes and because of the indigeneship question that are mixed with a deep dosage of religious dichotomy and deaths calls into question why some people, IBB and “others” are running away from discussing the basis of, and for, our unity in a sovereign national conference.

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IBB mentioned a series of those events such as the civil war, several coup-de-tat and many committees, in particular that of the Belgore Committee that proffered certain recommendations which have not been looked at but which he, IBB is asking the Belgore Committee to package into a bill. The Belgore Committee though, is not a government, executive or legislature but a committee which recommended deliberations of the committee to the executive arm of government. Yet, like all other and many committees that have been constituted by government with recommendations, none of these have seen the light of the day. Government just uses these committees to please the people demands, waste time and cool the temperature in the time being and sweep the issues under carpet. We cannot continue like these.

Recently, Dr. Jonathan and his government have instituted a number of committees to again show that the government is listening to the peoples demand following his government new year wicked gift to the country by removing the “so called subsidy” on petroleum. We all “know” there is no subsidy except avenues for corruption between the government and the oil marketers and NNPC. But instead of Dr. Jonathan dealing with the corruption in his government and curbing those with the known marketers in the oil industry, he chose to punish the entire people of Nigeria on January 01, 2012 with his wholesome sudden no-compassion removal of subsidy. Now, without any real thought and deliberations behind his actions, as usual for Dr. Jonathan’s government which usually carry out after-thought and knee-jerk reactions to events, he has set up a flurry of committees. Many of these are going to be another money guzzling affairs and some of it is going to perform and come up with outstanding recommendations and action points which, at the end of the day will be swept once again under the carpet. Why? Because, many committees before them have un-earthed similar recommendations and action points and none were utilized or pursued to their logical conclusions. They were all time wasters to calm the situations and events down, basically.

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According to Chief Gani Fawehinmi of blessed memory in the year 2000, “There are so many grievances and accusations against Nigeria and by Nigerians which the Sovereign National Conference must consider and resolve with the sole objective of designing a new Constitution (the Peoples' Constitution) for the country which will cast into extinction all the evil tendencies which have conspired to make Nigeria' a virtual 'ghost' country, deeply and invidiously polarised in all directions since 1914 to date and more seriously since January 15, 1966. We must pull Nigeria back from the brink and from the precipice with a Constitution made democratically by Nigerians through the SNC and affirmed in a referendum by Nigerians. The alternative to this path of sanity is to continue disastrously to pretend that pious political preaching, posturing and exhortations and the use of governmental power of brute force will contain the mounting crises. They will not. It is time to call a spade a spade and face the reality of our fate squarely, sincerely and courageously, so as to prevent a disintegration of the country. The Sovereign National Conference being advocated is to rebuild this single sovereign nation from its collapsing foundation, not to tear the country into several sovereign nations. If we don't, I shudder to think of the catastrophic consequences to the very existence of the country and its horrible effects on the black race, Black Africa and the world at large. Let us move away from the brink. The answer is the Sovereign National Conference. We must prevent the experiences of Rwanda, Burundi, Sri Lanka, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Kosovo, Croatia and Bosnia from happening in Nigeria. The only opportunity we have to do this is the convocation of a Sovereign National Conference. We need to talk, talk and talk ourselves to true peace, genuine justice and appropriate peoples' Constitution in which all Nigerians will find a fulfillment of their hopes and aspirations and unshaken guarantee of peace, stability and prosperity”.

With the onslaught of Boko Haram recently, resulting into unnecessary deaths of innocent citizens mainly from one section of the country, the southern section, and the resultant fear across the country of Boko Haram with their request that all southerners should return back to their homelands, and with various deadly agitations from the south-south and south east militants for resource control and nationhood, and different silent and sometime violent agitations by the OPC in the south west, it bewilders the mind why we should not sit down again to talk about our country. Some would say we have elected representative in the states and federal assembly to do this. Really? Many of these assembly members have their hands soiled. Many don’t have any mission other than to loot the common resources for their sections. And they are already doing a great job of this! What else have you heard them do since twelve years ago? They are truly part of the problem. While Nigerians are becoming poorer every day, the assembly members are increasing their pay checks and making deals with the executive and the other looters of our common destiny. Definitely, the states and the national assembly are not the vehicle to discuss and deliberate on our burning national question. These people are not out to put Nigeria on the national plane of progress and unity. They are only out there for their own pocket. Pronto!

We need a sovereign national conference as a vehicle, in fact as the engine to propel once again the country Nigeria forward, towards progress, prosperity and unity. So, then why would anyone be afraid of this noble idea and goals? Simple: we are all human beings – afraid of the unknown. We are all used to this Nigeria. Many thousands among the 160 millions are benefitting currently from this problematic and lopsided Nigeria. Many have benefitted. These categories of citizens are scared and would do anything and everything to preserve and protect these, their golden goose that lays the golden eggs for them. IBB and “others” are in these groups of Nigerians. We all know that. How else would a soldier (IBB) have the resources to build the bunker mansion on the hills of Minna, Niger State? But, we have to appeal to the inner secret conscience of these well-placed stunningly rich Nigerians who are so gong-oh against the calling for the sovereign national conference. At the end of the day, all Nigerians will benefit from the natural progressive direction of such gathering and resolutions, which would be binding on all the tribal affiliates or nations in the country. We can work together better. We can move freely from one place to the other. We can live side by side and within each other’s enclave without fear of death and violence against our family and possessions. The question of indigeneship and citizenship will be finally settled. Rather than have flurries of violence and deaths, we would have flurries of innovations, industrialization, prosperity and peace in the country. So, why would anyone be against these beneficial prospects? Or rather, who is afraid of convening of the sovereign national conference? It is the only peaceful solution for the country, Nigeria.
 

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