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Tag: Confab

  • Niger Delta to demand resource control, true federalism at confab

    Niger Delta to demand resource control, true federalism at confab

    What are the issues the people of the Niger Delta will clamour for at the National Conference? Resource control and true federalism, The Nation learnt, will top the agenda of the region at the conference, which is billed to start soon. The region will also not subscribe to “No Go Areas” and manipulations by agents of the government, it was also learnt.

    The stage was set for the conference at the Pan Niger Delta Conference, organised by a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Social Action. Feelers after the conference show that the powers-that-be in the region are being rallied to pursue this line of thought.

    The conference has initiated collaboration with other regions to build confidence and consensus to avoid potential conflicts.

    The conference with the theme: “Niger Delta and the National Conference,” was held at the Atlantic Hall, Presidential Hotel Port Harcourt. It attracted representation from the states of the region, human rights activists, community leaders, women groups and youth organisations.

    A communiqué issued as a result of the January 28 conference leaves no one in doubt as to the direction of the region at the conference.

    The communiqué reads: “As Nigeria begins its second century, it faces the challenge of organising a new generation of citizens that would live under conditions of dismantled structural contradictions without the constraints on peoples’ capacity to fulfil their potentials. The PNDC is part of the attempts to deal with that challenge.

    “Specifically, the objectives of this Conference are: To identify the strategic interests of the Niger Delta at this historic moment, and to create a peoples’ platform for their pursuit; to map out plans for the achievement of the strategic interests of the Niger Delta during the National Conference and beyond; to draw up strategies that would help to prevent the difficulties that imperilled previous national conferences and dialogues with regard to attainment of the aspirations of the Niger Delta and other minority peoples.”

    The conference observed that the Niger Delta has been at the forefront of the struggle for the restructuring of the Nigeria based on the people’s conviction that a multi-ethnic nation-state like Nigeria can only exist peacefully on the basis of a truly federal structure that gives importance, equity and justice to all the components; it also observed that the peoples of the Niger Delta believe that the diverse nationalities that make up the country can only coexist successfully and peacefully on the foundation of clear restructuring of the federation anchored on principles of free association and the right of nationalities and communities to have spaces for political and economic actualisation.

    It added that having a President of Nigeria from the Niger Delta was neither a core demand nor is it a solution to the problems of the region, much as every individual in the country, including members of minority nationalities, can aspire to and hold the highest political office.

    ased on observations, the communiqué noted: “That we welcome the initiative of the executive arm of the central government with respect to the National Conference, and resolve to mobilise our peoples to participate fully;

    “That the primary mandate of the National Conference is to restructure Nigeria into a truly federal state where the components have political autonomy;

    “That representation at the National Conference should be based primarily on ethnic nationalities, and may include equitable participation from national interest groups;

    “That the resolutions of the National Conference should be ratified by a referendum organised in line with the principle of “peoples’ suffrage” as opposed to universal suffrage. By “peoples suffrage” the conference means the votes of the various nationalities that make up the country;

    “That the National Conference should culminate in a new Constitution for Nigeria, which should be the basis for the conduct of the next General Elections;

    “That the historic demands of the Niger Delta peoples and other minorities in Nigeria for identity, resource ownership and control, and environmental justice must not be reduced to development and infrastructure politics. What the Niger Delta peoples need now is freedom to actualise themselves to their full potentials, and self-determination within a Nigeria founded on equity and justice;

    “That conference endorses the setting up of a platform for engagement on the National Conference process, including development of mechanism for assembling the positions of the peoples of the Niger Delta.”

    Rights activist Ms Annkio Briggs, who was one of the speakers at the event, said the national conference must be based on ethnic representation instead of regional representation.

    She said: “Despite our enormous resources the Niger Delta, problems have remained unattended; the region is lacking access to basic necessities; that is why we must represent the aspiration of the people of Niger Delta. The Niger Delta must defend their right by ensuring that we have the right to serve for second term like other region and nobody should intimidate us for that. We have problem as people but the national conference offers us that opportunity to address those problems.”

    A former President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) and lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Kimse Okoko, said some persons were exploiting Nigerians on the pretence of representing the people. He said the time had come when the people should make input on the issues that concern them.

    “The issue of national conference should not politicise the people should be represented through various ethnic group to have a people constitution and not geo-political group. We need structures to facilitate the attainment of the best possible quality of life for the peoples of Nigeria. We seek a Nigerian state to be a community where individuals and groups would achieve their best potentials,” he said.

    Leader of Social Action, Dr. Isaac Osuoka, said he resisted politicians’ sponsorship and participation at the conference. He said the conference was sponsored by Social Action and other non-governmental organisations who share the same belief because they did not want politicians to hijack the conference.

    Osuoka said: “Some of the participants of today’s conference, including some of our eminent leaders know that the idea of the Pan Niger Delta Conference dates back to the 1990s, especially during the late Abacha military junta. Following the genocide in Umuechem (Etche), Ogoniland and parts of Ijawland, organisations like the Chikoko Movement, Southern Minorities Movement (SMM), Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), Rivers Coalition, Environmental Rights Action (ERA) Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) started discussing the framework for a process of joint analysis and collaborative intervention in mobilising our peoples to promote the demands of self-determination within the Nigerian State, as guarantee for environmental and economic justice.”

    He lamented that the efforts and sacrifices of Niger Deltans to end military have mostly been unappreciated.

    “In the 19902 s, our people, through their representative organisations, were unanimous in demanding for a restructuring of the Nigerian federation as a precondition for a democracy in Nigeria. Rather than merely conducting elections with frameworks set up by the military dictators, we all asked for a sovereign National Conference (SNC) and a representative Government of national Unity (GNU) to supervise participatory constitution making before elections.

    “Within this idea, the National Conference would serve as platform on which the different nationalities and social groups in Nigeria would democratically decide on such crucial issues as power-sharing between the various equitable structures for the Nigerian Federation, the control of resources, including land and minerals, the religious question, alternative economic recovery package, a fair electoral system and other such decisions which border on the destiny of the Nigerian state and its peoples.”

    Speakers at the event include, Prof. Ebiegberi Alagoa, Prof. Ben Naanen, Rev. Nnimmo Bassey, Ledum Mitee, Prof. Andrew Efemini, and Dr. M. Akobo.

     

  • Confab: Oyo Muslims slam Afenifere

    Muslims in Oyo State under the aegis of the Muslim Community of Oyo State (MUSCOYS) has warned President Goodluck Jonathan and handlers of the planned National Conference to be wary of Afenifere leaders, saying they are not representing the overall interest of the Yoruba people.

    Led by its chairman, Alhaji Kunle Sanni, MUSCOYS addressed a news conference in Ibadan and said the group is not in tandem with the positions being canvassed by leaders of the pan Yoruba organisation as the agenda of the Yoruba race for the conference.

    Wondering how Afenifere leaders could leave out Muslims, including personalities like Alhaji Lateef Jakande, Chief Kola Daisi, Prof. Daud Noibi, Shuaib Oyedokun, Dr Jubril Martins-Kuye,  among others, from the proposed Yoruba Constitutional Conference, the group said at best, the group of leaders who gathered in Ishara last week are Christian Yoruba leaders.

    “The so-called Yoruba leaders, gallivanting all over the place, are at best Christian Yoruba leaders. How can you talk of Yoruba leaders in Yoruba land where at least 70 per cent of the population are Muslims without a single Muslim in their midst.

    These people have been going in and out of Aso Rock to curry favours for themselves, not for the generality of the Yoruba’’, alleged.

    He said that those championing the proposed Yoruba Constitutional Conference through a nebulous Yoruba agenda should be regarded as “Yoruba dealers and not leaders’’.

    The group appealed to Nigerians to see the positions and resolutions of the Afenifere leaders as self -serving and unrepresentative. Sanni, while speaking to newsmen after the press conference said the leaders could not be serving the interest of the Yoruba people let alone the Muslim Community in the Yoruba-speaking states without ensuring that their gatherings are representative enough to cater for the interest of all groups and sections of the geo-political zone.

  • Confab: ACF opposes calls for ethnic autonomy

    Confab: ACF opposes calls for ethnic autonomy

    The pan northern socio-political organization, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has said that the problem of Nigeria lies in the collapse of national ideals, moral values and the collapse of social contract and not in the structure of the nation.

    The Forum also said that it would have been better for delegates to the planned national conference to be elected rather than nominated, adding however that since the ideal of election has been jettisoned, Nigeria’s “first eleven” should be allowed to represent the vast majority of the people.

    Spokesman of the Forum, Anthony Sani told The Nation that the position taken by the Yoruba to push for some form of ethnic autonomy close to confederal arrangement at the national conference will not help in solving the nation’s teething problems.

    Sani said however that since some sections of the country believe that coming together at the conference is capable of furthering the cause of a united Nigeria, delegates from the North will not lack what to say at the conference.

    He said: “we have read the reports that the Yorubawill push for some form of ethnic autonomy during the coming National Conference that is reminiscent of confederal arrangement.

    “As we have repeatedly made clear, ACF did not canvass the conference. This is because of the forum’s belief that the problems of Nigeria lie in the collapse of national ideals, fall in moral values, collapse in social contract and fall in sense of what is right and what is wrong rather than in the structure of the country, in the constitution and in the form of government nor in the hype in ethnic nationalism that promotes cleavages of the country.

    “But since some sections of the country believe that coming together at the conference is capable of furthering the cause of a united Nigeria when issues of national importance bordering on real issues of real concern to real Nigerians are discussed, we have said ‘so be it.’

    “Surely, if such issues are raised at the conference, delegates from the North will not lack what to say. It must be noted that there is no system of true federalism that is accepted universally.

    “That is why no two federal systems are clones of one another. This is because a federal system has a lot to do with the circumstances of its emergence. For example, the 13 American Colonies came together to form United States of America, while in Nigeria the national government formed the federating units.”

    According to him,what most federal systems do is to balance the national power with appropriate level of state power with the centre strong enough to keep the country together but not too strong as to push the country towards a unitary system.

    “Towards this end, devolution of power can still be achieved by appropriate tampering with the exclusive and concurrent list for performance,” he said.

    He saw nothing wrong in the way Nigeria was created without consultations with ethnic nationalities,saying “ that was how most countries were created. Ethiopia is the only country in Africa not affected by colonial rule.”

    He added:“But what most countries do is for the people to come together and make the most of their diversity by working hard to overcome their differences, since culture and traditions are dynamic, and only core values of humanity are for eternity”.

    On the complaint by minorities in the Northwest about the advantage given the Hausas over them in terms of representation at the conference, he said “We have made it clear that the best modalities for delegates would have been by election in order to give them legitimacy.

    “But since the government has said that is not possible, all we can say is that we should let the first eleven Nigerians who are versed in public affairs and endowed with patriotic courage should be selected as delegates to go and discuss the real issues of real concern to real Nigerians.

    “It is noteworthy that ethnic nationalism is a manifestation of failure of leadership, since such hype cleavages the country along ethnic and religious lines at our collective peril”.

  • Confab: Yoruba demand restructuring of Nigeria

    Some Yoruba groups declared yesterday that delegates representing the zone at the National Conference must defend the position of the Yoruba.

    They warned the delegates against betraying the Southwest.

    The groups spoke at the Yoruba Constitutional Conference (YCC) convened in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, by the Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG); the Coalition of O’dua Self Determination Groups (COSEG); O’dua Nationalist Coalition (ONAC), Atayese; Convenant Group (CG); Afenifere Youth Forum (AYF); Oodua People’s Congress (OPC); Agbekoya Reformed Society and the Oodua Foundation.

    The conference, held at the State Secretariat, was attended by Gen. Alani Akinrinade (rtd.); former Oyo State Deputy Governor Iyiola Oladokun and former House of Representatives’ Chief Whip Wale Oshun, among others.

    The Olubadan was represented by Chief Olufemi Olaifa.

    Oshun, who is the ARG chairman, reviewed the key Yoruba demand, which is the restructuring of Nigeria. He said any attempt to resist the demand for the restructuring of Nigeria would lead to a pull-out from the conference.

    Oshun warned delegates to the conference to be cautious of whatever they present at the deliberation, stressing that any act of betrayal by any of them would have consequences.

    He said: “The Yoruba people have spoken in one voice and we have an agenda to the national conference. We want a pathway to our freedom and development without hindrances. We need to revisit the 1960 amalgamation order. Why is Mr President denying ethnic nationalities representation at the conference? This is unfair. We demand regional autonomy and key restructuring.”

    Other agendas to be pursued at the conference include: parliamentary system of government; regional and community police system and regional army command structure, among others

    In his lecture, titled: “Yoruba Nation, looking back into the future”, Gen. Akinrinade said the federating states must come together to decide how much power should be delegated to the Federal Government.

    He said: “We need to decentralise our policing system in order for it to be more effective. We need to clear the linkage between resource control and taxation. This conference must ensure equal representation of all ethnic groups and we must implore Mr. President to consider more seats for ethnic nationalities, because we need a nation where no ethnic group is cheated at the federal level of government.”

    The Olubadan’s representative said: “I believe the Yoruba’s first 11 are very productive, intelligent, hard working, experienced, inspirational and brilliant. I believe regional autonomy and the parliamentary system of government should be canvassed and the role of traditional rulers should be spelt out.”

    A lawyer, Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN), said the conference was necessary to address the nation’s challenges.

    Akintola added:” We already have a Yoruba agenda and anybody that goes against it at the conference will be sanctioned. This is the time to know the true leaders and enemies of progress in Nigeria. There is nothing that should not be discussed at the conference. Let us all fight for resource control.”

    ONAC said the 36 states structure should be abolished and each region should have its constitution and police. It said the port authority and railway should be taking over by the Southwest.

    Mr. Adegboye Olaiya, who spoke for the Atayese Group, said: ”We prefer a conference of ethnic nationalities. Both our regional and federal constitution should be subjected to referendum. We do not accept government prescription of 75 per cent majority votes for decisions reached at the conference because the minorities will control the conference.”

    The Odua People’s Congress (OPC) called for a review of the modalities for representation at the National Conference.

    Chief Segun Odegbami, who spoke for ARG, restated the need to restructure Nigeria.

    A former lawmaker, Senator Olabiyi Durojaye, said: ”We need to bring other Yorubas to a round table for deliberation in order to have a uniform voice at the conference. There should be true federalisma and regional autonomy, but we cannot have a new constitution within six months, so it is better to revisit the 1960 constitution that recognises three regions.”

    Reading the agreements reached at the end of the conference, Asiwaju Bisi Adegbuyi said Yoruba-speaking people in Kogi, Kwara, Edo and Delta states would be co-opted into the yoruba agenda.

    The representative of the Yorubas in Kogi and Kwara states, Jaiyeola Omotosho, pleaded that seven of the Yoruba speaking local governments of both two states should be made part of the Southwest.

  • Our expectation from Confab, by Yoruba groups

    A National Conference that does not reflect the wishes of all ethnic nationalities in Nigeria will not change the fortune of the country’s “drifting ship”, a coalition of Yoruba pressure groups said yesterday.

    The groups said the National Conference must give Nigerians a new constitution that would reflect the people’s wishes. They said all ethnic nationalities, in equal number, must meet to discuss how the country’s potentials could be harnessed in the constitutional framework to benefit all.

    The groups comprise the Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), Coalition of O’dua Self-Determination Group (COSEG), O’dua Nationalist Coalition (ONAC), Atayese and Covenant Group (CG), PRONACO Action Group (PRAG) and Afenifere Youth Forum (AYF).

    In a statement, they said: “There is no gain saying that the 1999 Constitution, with all its manifest deficiencies in resolving national challenges, cannot sustain peaceful and progressive national growth. As Yoruba people, we are conscious of the fact that various conferences in the past were mere mirages, which did not meet the genuine aspiration of Nigerians. We see every platform as an opportunity to represent the age-long development agenda of our people.”

    The groups reiterated the call for true federalism, stressing that the National Conference must focus on restructuring the country to reflect a true federalist setting.

    They said: “The current federating units are not viable. The current governance structure midwives developmental barriers and imposes high cost of governance on the polity.”

    The groups kicked against the nomination of delegates by the president and governors, noting that the conference is to discuss Nigeria and not partisan politics.

    They urged President Goodluck Jonathan to refuse the temptation to nominate delegates to the conference, adding: “For the conference to be successful, no partisan political interest must be represented. We, therefore, kick against the nomination of delegates by anybody. We want to discuss Nigeria, not politics or a vested interest.

    “If a peaceful and mutually agreeable federal structure is made impossible through deliberate subversion of a constitutional conference by enforcing unacceptable modalities, the Yoruba people reserve the right to take their fate in their hands.”

  • Confab: Igbo leaders insist on ethnic representation

    Concerned Igbo Leaders of Thought led by eminent constitutional lawyer, Prof Ben Nwabueze, rose from a meeting in Enugu yesterday re-affirming their position that representation to the proposed national conference be based on ethnic nationalities.

    The leaders expressed happiness that their position, which is contrary to the recommendations of the Senator Femi Okurounmu-led Presidential Advisory Committee (PAC), was enjoying the support of other interest and regional groups.

    The fourth assembly of the Igbo leaders witnessed even more prominent Igbo people in attendance, including former Central Bank Governor (CBN), Prof. Charles Solido; Biafra war veteran, Col. Emma Nwobodo; Prof. Felix Orange; Chief H.B.C. Ogboso; HRH Prof Vincent Chukwuemeka Ike and Engr. Obi Thomson of World Igbo Congress, USA.

    Other regular attendees include: Prof. Uche Azikiwe, Prof. Ben Object, Arc Bishop Aniens, Prince Emeka Onyedi, Sen Enyim Ude, Sen Offia Nwali, Prof Nwabueze, Prof. Elechi Onyia, and Dr. Chu S. P Okay among others.

    Briefing reporters at the end of the meeting, the secretary of the group, Prof Elochukwu Amaurosis, said they held and would continue to hold President Goodluck Jonathan.

    in high esteem,

    Amaurosis said: “He (Jonathan) will go down in history as really the founder of modern Nigeria if the national conference works out very well. So far, we have been concerned with modalities about the national conference. If he gets it right, every other thing will follow.

    “If you look at the papers, you will find that South Peoples Assembly headed by Ekwueme, Arc Bishop Gabbing and Chief Edwin Clark, has endorsed the views of Igbo Leaders of Thought. The Middle Belt under Prof Jerry Gana has endorsed our position. The Yoruba, Odumakin and the rest of them, they are all saying the same thing.

    “We want a national conference of ethnic nationalities that will produce a new constitution which will be approved by the people through a referendum. We are not in competition with any person.

    “These are the things Ndigbo stand for”.

  • Agric confab to hold Jan 15

    Agribusiness leaders, organisations and authorities will next week gather for an international summit on further development of poultry, aquaculture and feed production.

    The meeting to be held on January 15,in Abuja, will attract farmers processors, retailers, government officials and representatives of the feed business.

    The organisers said international experts in poultry and aquaculture will present participants with examples of technical best practices as the foundation for an efficient and effective expansion of animal protein supplies from the nation’s farms.

    There will also be a focus on investment opportunities and encouraging young people and women to explore the potential for employment in the agricultural sector nationwide.

    Tagged: VIV International Nigeria Summit, the programme is arranged as part of roadshows by VIV Europe 2014, a global expo for poultry and livestock husbandry and processing.

    To organise the international summit in Nigeria, the team is partnering with local groups, such as Nate Farms Enterprises Nigeria Limited.

    The programme will feature parallel walk-in sessions of 30 minutes each which cover the major poultry themes: feed and nutrition; breeding and hatching; farm management; health; and processing and handling. These sessions include remarks by specialists from a number of VIV Europe exhibitors for the poultry sector as well as an insight into broiler chain production in Brazil, arranged for the summit by the World’s Poultry Science Association.

    Prof Daisy Eruvbetine of the Animal Nutrition Department, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, will speak on the prospects and challenges facing feed and poultry industries in Nigeria. The health segments of the event have been compiled with the assistance of the World Veterinary Poultry Association.

  • FUTA’s paper gets top rating at confab

    A paper written by a team from the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) has been adjudged the best at the Eighth International Conference for Internet Technology and Secured Transactions (ICITST-2013) in London, United Kingdom.

    The paper titled: DGM Approach to Network Attacker and Defender Strategies, was presented at the conference by Dr Kayode Alese.

    He wrote the paper with Iwasokun Gabriel Babatunde and Haruna Danjuma Israel, all of the varsity’s Department of Computer Science.

    The FUTA team’s paper beat 1,241 papers received from 96 countries to emerge the overall best, according to the panel of assessors.

    Four of the six submissions by FUTA were accepted for presentation at the event.

    Alese’s paper dwelt on strategies to checkmate infiltrations of secured transactions on the information super highway.

    The don, who is Dean, Students Affairs, said the consensus at the conference was that FUTA showed great strength in global competitiveness through excellence in technological advancement, learning and research.

    The FUTA Vice-Chancellor, Prof Adebiyi Daramola, said: “We are not surprised about this feat; Research and scholarship are our main selling points in FUTA.

    “In the last quarter of last year, our students coached by Dr Alese came out tops in two major software competitions organised by the Institute of Software Professionals of Nigeria and the Federal Ministry of Education in conjunction with the British Council.

    “This feat is an icing on the cake for us and we will not rest on our oars; we will continue to strengthen our institution’s culture of scholarship and excellence. This honour is not for FUTA alone but our country and Africa.”

  • Free eye glasses at confab

    Participants at this year’s conference of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE), were offered free eye checks and glasses by Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc.

    Seplat, through its team of medical personnel, conducted tests for over 200 people during the two-day event that took place in Lagos.

    Most callers at the company’s stand received counselling, eye drops, medication and reading glasses free.

    The company, in a statement, said the the free eye test was part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS) initiatives.

    “We have been organising the programme for years as part of our CSR programmes.We believe that the eyes are the windows to the soul. hence the decision to conduct free eye test for people,” he said.

  • Why confab of local governments is dangerous

    Why confab of local governments is dangerous

    Most of the local governments in existence today are creations of military dictators

    An important confession: the title of today’s piece is partially taken from Mohammed Haruna’s title in The Nation of last Wednesday, “Why Confab of ethnic nationalities is dangerous.” The borrowing is not designed to critique Haruna’s thesis about the fluidity of ethnic identity in Nigeria and elsewhere for that matter. If there are as many ethnic groups in Nigeria as Haruna has identified in his essay, then it may be more difficult (but not necessarily any less dangerous) to use ethnic nationalities than the current local governments or federal constituencies as basis of inviting delegates to the conference.

    There are some verities that those privileged to represent Nigerians from various parts of the Nigerian territory must deal with. One of these is Haruna’s thesis that identity evolves over time for all groups: Hausa, Fulani, Igbo, Ijaw, Edo, Idoma, Yoruba, etc. For example, Ondo, Ijebu, Egba, Oyo, Ekiti, Ijesha, Igbomina, etc have been evolving and may still evolve over time into something different from what exists at present. At some point in history, those referred to as sub-Yoruba groups today considered themselves as nations and even presented themselves to British colonialists as such and to the Portuguese before then. The experience of today’s Germans and the German language is similar to that of the Yoruba. One of the many German dialects was chosen to become the standard German language, just as the Oyo dialect was, at the encouragement of Bishop Ajayi Crowther and further encouragement later by Chief Awolowo’s Universal Primary Education, chosen to serve as the language to unify and prepare the sub-Yoruba groups for Christianisation and modernisation.

    Despite the rightness of Professor Peter Eke’s observation that “an Ekiti man would have been astounded if he were called an Oyo man in 1820,” it is not true that an Ekiti man would have needed an interpreter in order to communicate with a Yoruba (Oyo) man in 1820. A cursory reading of Biodun Adetugbo’s linguistic study of Yoruba dialects and some familiarity with the most trans-ethnic Yoruba discourse, Ifa, would be enough to confirm that the Ondo, Ekiti, Ijesa, Ijebu, Oyo, Egba, Oyi, man would not have had any major trouble understanding an Oyo man in 1820, particularly as members of communities of primary orality at that time. No doubt many of the sub-ethnic groups would have had difficulty in written Oyo (now standard Yoruba). In addition, Yoruba pre-colonial historiography that recognised the Ife ancestry of all Yoruba sub-ethnic groups was and is still used to underscore the reality of diversity in unity among those that call themselves the Yoruba today after the scattering of Oduduwa princes across what is known today as the Yoruba section of Nigeria.

    Those going to the national conference need not know a lot of pre-colonial Yoruba history to make rational contributions to the dialogue on how to construct a federal system that creates affection and not fear among the ethnic groups in today’s Nigeria. In fact, such a union of affection, rather than one of sectional domination bequeathed by decades of military autocracies, is the one that is likely to aid the process of Nigeria’s version of the Melting Pot or massive acculturation that will create a truly Nigerian persona, if this is found by conference delegates to be a desirable goal. Even if Nigeria’s ethnic diversity disappears today, such disappearance does not automatically make nonsense of demands for territorial federalism, such as exists in the United States of America and in the United Arab Emirates, for example. Such demands, even after a thorough homogenisation and pasteurisation of Nigeria’s ethnicities, would still form part of the expansion and extension of the culture of freedom and liberty, namely decentralisation and devolution of power with the purpose of enhancing participation of the governed and expanding the rights of citizens in their governance at the subnational or local level.

    Let us now address why it will be dangerous to use existing local governments or federal constituencies as basis of choosing delegates to the national conference. Most of the local governments in existence today are creations of military dictators. They were created at a time when the revenue allocation formula was changed by military autocrats away from the principle of derivation in existence until 1966 to the principle of even development and national unity manufactured by military autocrats. After several decades of military rule, dominated largely by generals from what used to be the northern region up till 1966, military dictators created more local governments in the north than in the south, basing their argument on land mass and population.

    This was despite the fact that Nigerians were and are not convinced that the population figures given to the country at the end of several censuses are accurate. Those who argue that Nigeria’s population pattern is the exception that confirms the rule of population spread in West Africa may be wrong. However, to use a figure that does not enjoy the confidence of citizens to determine the number of local governments at the same time that local government is promoted by military rulers to a tier that attracts allocation other than what is given to states that encompass local governments is to create suspicion among citizens from different parts of the country who want to live together as friends and partners, rather than as overlords and underdogs.

    Just as more funds currently go to the north from the federation account on account of the number of local governments, so will more votes go to the local governments from the north at the national confab, thus making it possible for the north to use the principle of majoritarianism to prevent any changes to the status quo created by unelected soldiers. No section of the country should have the power to prevent the north from having as many local governments as it desires for its own pace of development. Correspondingly, the over 400 local governments in the north should not have the power to use their majority at the national conference to prevent any section of the country from opting for another structure that is different from the current one that gives the north over 400 local governments and makes it hard for the south to increase its number of local governments. In other words, the opportunity for each region to have the number of local governments it believes it needs for its development should not be tied to money sharing from the federation account, nor should it be tied to the fact that any region currently has the advantage of more local governments created by military autocracies.

    Similarly, using existing federal constituencies to determine number of delegates and voters on issues at the national conference is fraught with avoidable danger. Like the local governments, the current federal constituencies came out of decrees and constitutions created by military dictators and on the basis of the census figures, the veracity of which has been questioned by citizens that include former leaders of the population commission. With almost 200 in the north out of a total of 360 federal constituencies, it is understandable for delegates from the south to feel that the power of majority can also be invoked by the north to keep the status quo intact. To have a frank dialogue that can help to enhance the unity of the federation, it is important to avoid all of the fetters created by military dictatorships and allow a level playing field for all parties to the national dialogue, be they spokespersons for ethnic federalism such as exists in Ethiopia or advocates for territorial federalism such as the one in the United Arab Emirates.