There are those who want a constitution of the people, written by the people, and for the people.
The 33rd President of the US, Harry S. Truman, once ridiculed his political opponents that they operated according to the motto, “If you can’t convince them, then confuse them.” This is the position taken by the Journalists for United Nigeria (JUN) by not addressing the root causes of disunity in Nigeria.
Nigeria is divided in many ways that cannot easily be bridged. There’s the top one percent and the bottom 99 percent. There are APCs and PDPs. There are minorities and majorities. There are citizens and there are invaders. There are those who want true federalism with a level plain field. There are those who are determined to marginalize, dominate. There are those who want a constitution of the people, written by the people, and for the people. There are those who cling to the illegal and fraudulent 1999 Constitution written by one man from one ethnic group because it gives them special privileges over others.
There are those who want open grazing to illegally acquire or confiscate other peoples’ lands. There are those who favor ranching. There are those who call Fulani terrorists herdsmen or bandits. There are those who see them as terrorists because of their penchant for killings and violence. There are those who advocate amnesty for Boko Haram terrorists.
There are those who believe amnesty is not for terrorists. There are those who label agitators for self-determination secessionists. There are those who call Boko Haram and Fulani terrorists pastoralists. Our society is divided into multiple groups that dislike and hate each other. The bitter reality is that we will never be able to overcome the divisions and unite all Nigerians into one country because we are not the same. We are different in every way: language, culture, custom, tradition, religion, values, beliefs, civilization, world view, etc. Journalists for United Nigeria are on mission impossible!
The statement issued by the convener of JUN, Fredrick Nwabufo, touches on four issues: peace, unity, security, and one Nigeria. The declaration of the group is long on hypocrisy but short on the root causes of disunity, insecurity, violence, and why Nigeria is not one country. If two major ethnic groups - Yoruba and Igbo - called for self-determination that will ultimately lead to separation, definitely all is not well with Nigeria. No group of people in their right senses would want to leave a country where they are happy, where they are being treated equally, fairly, where they enjoy peace, progress, and prosperity, and where there’s justice and the rule of law. The two groups want out of Nigeria because they have been grieved and gutted by marginalization, injustice, violence, killings, rapes, robberies, kidnappings, and other unthinkable atrocities unleashed by Fulanis. The northerners are obdurate to reason. They adamantly rejected solutions that will make Nigeria a truly united one country. They dismissed restructure and vehemently opposed a new constitution. More importantly, the agitation for separation was further fueled by nepotism and the war of ethnic cleansing waged by General Muhammadu Buhari.
Nwabufo sounds hypocritical: “The events in the country recently call for patriots to rise up and hold forth… We must embrace peace-building as a path to peace in our communities. We need state protection, but it is much easier when we are not propagating hate and division.” How can communities that were plundered, pilloried, and massacred by Fulani terrorists “embrace peace-building as path to peace”? Who is perpetrating hate and division? Is it Igangan people that are being killed by Fulani terrorists? Is it Igboho associates that were murdered by Buhari’s DSS? Is it Igboho that fought to save and shield his people from Fulani terrorists? Is it Yoruba agitators that never fired a shot at anyone? Of course, Fulani terrorists and Buhari are the hate mongers and killers. The primary function of any government is to secure lives and properties of citizens. Indeed, insecurity is pursued by Buhari to achieve his larger plan of Fulanization and Islamization agenda. This is demonstrated by his inaction, aloofness, and spectator position in dealing with insecurity perpetrated by his kinsmen Fulani terrorists.
Listen to Mr. One Nigeria: “The cost of war is greater than the price of peace. There are no real victors in a war - only death and destruction.” Is Nigeria at peace? Is Nigeria governed the way a country should be ruled? Are we not at war with all the killings, violence, chaos, mayhem going on across the country? The mantra of war, war, war, drummed by Buhari’s regime and other foes of self-determination is to intimidate, silence, and suppress the yearnings of people wanting to be free from oppression and injustice. There comes a time in the affairs of people when their will cannot be suppressed forever. We are at the time now. No price is too heavy to pay for liberty and freedom. Break up of Nigeria is not a matter of if but when?