Leaders from Igbo land and some others outside the zone, took another look at the socio- political and economic fortunes of Nigeria when they met at the 14th National Conference of Igbo Youth Movement in Enugu and contended that only restructuring, achieved through a National Conference, can save Nigeria. Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu, presents the highlights
Eminent Nigerians, who gathered last week’s Saturday at Nike Lake Resort, Enugu, at the 14th National Convention of the Igbo Youth Movement, (IYM), may not have expected the current verbal crossfire, especially from the presidency, when they alleged symptoms of a failing state and demanded that only restructuring would save Nigeria.
They had also called for convocation of a national conference before 2015 general elections to save the perceived ‘collapsing nation.’
But throughout the week, verbal arsenals from government officials and presidential aides are indications that the country’s seat of power is not taking kindly the suggestions from the political leaders and elders.
The IYM convention, tagged; ‘National Conference before 2015 Elections, Only Roadmap to a Truly Greater Nigeria,’ had in attendance, elder statesmen and leaders of thought from Igbo land and featured speakers from the zone and some other parts of the country.
Distinguished speakers at the well attended event included, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, General Alani Akinrinade, Col. Joe Achuzie, Amb. Joseph Ayalogu, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Sen. Ben Obi, Col. Ben Gbulie, Chief Solomon Asemotah, Chief Dipo Famakinwa, Chief Michael Orabator, Chief Ayo Afolabi, Rev. Ukandu Ucheya, Chief Kunle Famoriyo, Prof. Mark Odu, Prince Emeka Onyesoh, Chief Toke Benson Awoyinka and Mazi Obinna Obi.
In his remarks, the National President of IYM, Evangelist Eliot Ukoh, said the choice of the theme became necessary because, according to him, “the survival of Nigeria as one indivisible nation is blinking.” Elliot added that though the Igbo youths believe in one Nigeria, they know that “such would not be effective without a restructuring of the country.”
Chairman of the occasion and renowned constitutional lawyer, Prof Ben Nwabueze, also said the “convocation of a national conference is overdue.” The elder statesman added that there are so many variables indicating that Nigeria is on the verge of becoming a failed state, pointing out, therefore that only a national conference can bring Nigeria back. He also warned that if proactive steps are not taken to checkmate the impending danger, like convocation of a national conference before 2015, “the country might head to the rock.”
‘This country is on the verge of becoming a failed state. There are so many failed states in Africa and Nigeria is on the verge of getting to that status of a failed state.
More than any other contribution, Nwabueze’s assertion that Nigeria is exhibiting signs of a failed state has been a subject of debate since then. The presidency in particular is not amused by the assertion. So, soon after the meeting in Enugu, presidential spokesmen did not hesitate to reject the assertion that symptoms of a failed state are manifesting in the Nigerian state.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, in his reaction, was decisively combative when he described Nwabueze’s comments as “irresponsible” and “unpatriotic.”
He contended that “available facts and figures do not suggest anything near a failed state in the country.”
In his words: “A failed state is where there is erosion of legitimate authority, where there is instability and the country cannot afford to provide public services like the provision of light, good roads, water supply and security services.
“In Nigeria, there is a serving national and state Assemblies providing quality legislative services and issuing out good and quality legislations for the good governance of the country and the states.
But the former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Alani Akinrinade and Col. Joe Achuzie (rtd), who also spoke at the Enugu event, said the situation in the country had gone so bad that the present leaders must go beyond rhetoric and seek solution to “what has obviously become a complex problem for the country.”
Akinrinade, who attributed the problem of the country to the constitution which was handed over to us by the military, insisted that a democratic nation state like Nigeria cannot be ruled by military fiat. He was of the view that efforts should be made to prepare acceptable and workable constitution for the nation by Nigerians themselves.
Achuzie pointed out that the existence of many nations within the country was becoming a major threat to its continued existence as one nation, explaining that the national conference would help in addressing the challenge.
“Unless we go back and convene a national conference where all the ethnic nationalities will say how they will co-exist, there will be no movement forward. Something must be done to rescue the situation,” he said.
Former governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, said the IYM’s call for national conference was faultless. “I agree with IYM that Nigeria must have a national dialogue, “if not for anything else, after 100 years of our existence, we should be able to talk about ourselves, we will remain together but we have to understand ourselves.”
Mr. Solomon Asemota, SAN, in his contribution, said “the constitution we are operating now is very defective. Even the National Assembly has agreed to that and that’s why 60 areas have been short-listed for amendment.
But the Special Adviser to the President on Inter-Party Affairs, Senator Ben Obi, in his speech said President Goodluck Jonathan and indeed the federal government was not against the convocation of a National Conference, but that the agitators of such conference should organise themselves and meet with both the president and the leaders of the National Assembly.
“We’ve all agreed to a national conference but at this time, we should be able to go beyond calling for national conference and initiate action towards realising same. Even the president himself has never said he is opposed to the conference but we need the right calibre of men and women to go to Abuja and demand from both the president, who is heading the executive and Senator David Mark, who is heading the legislature, on the need to convoke a national conference.
Prof. Mark Odu, in a paper presented at the occasion, titled: ‘Ndigbo: Identity crisis has ended,” said “only people who are relevant to a people will lead them from here on, just as the era of cash and carry politics is at an end and our identity, born of our history, should dictate our trajectory.
‘Ndigbo should have no other identity crisis to move on in Nigeria. They should just make up their minds about what is right, proper and in the general good of Nigeria and use their population to move Nigeria there,” he said.
Other eminent Nigerians in attendance, included Chief Guy Ikoku and Prof. Felix Oragwu.
