SIR: The future of Nigeria as a single sovereign state has been a subject of debate in our recent national discourse. The debate has become so interesting with the use semantics that have dominated the political literature.
The latest of such was the postulate of Chief Bisi Akande that the APC as a political party never promised restructuring but power devolution from the centre to states. In a similar vein, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III in his characteristic unrepentance for true federalism in a recent interview said that whether you call it restructuring, power devolution or whatever, it is still two sides of the same coin.
The ambivalence of President Buhari and his political foot soldiers in the Arewa Consultative Forum ACF is quite understandable. To them, restructuring is another word for the country’s breakup through whatever form including referendum if it is possible.
This is more so when the cry of marginalization and infrastructural neglect in both the South-east and South-south is more than a wolf cry. To them, it is real. What cannot be denied is that the Yoruba have always been the moderating or balancing factor in Nigeria’s politics especially when it comes to crisis of confidence and ethnic suspicion. The Yoruba or the South-west have always played the Big Daddy role. That has been the case since the days of Obafemi Awolowo in his popular advocacy for true federalism.
If there is anything to allay fears that Yoruba advocacy in recent time does not have any secession undertone, it is the support of the Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi. This is because even at the most critical and vulnerable time of the country’s survival as one indivisible country, he stood by One Nigeria through true federalism.
Particular reference should be made of the Second Republic when most Yoruba people felt robbed of Awolowo Presidency at that time by powers that be. To Alaafin at that time, whatever the political injury inflicted by that election could still be healed within the context of One Nigeria. Because of that, the Alaafin remained a suspect in any Yoruba political polemics for a long time.
The interest of the Alaafin in an indivisible Nigeria is quite understood. To him and especially between the Yoruba and the Hausa, their relationship transcends politics. It has to be seen through commerce when the Alaafin spearheaded the opening of the Kolanut Market to the Hausa long before the amalgamation. That inter-trade relationship has led to the opening of Sabo quarters in both Yoruba in the West and the Hausa in the North. That architectural arrangement has lasted for about a century before amalgamation.
At the same time, that cultural arrangement between the two communities has led to intermarriages and all sorts. That both the Yoruba and the Hausa communities have benefitted from that age-long relationship needs not be overemphasized. Apart from the Alaafin too, the core Yoruba political class has always believed in a united Nigeria. When I say the core Yoruba political class, I refer to the Afenifere Group most of whose members have rendered selfless service to the country since the Awolowo days.
Like their political mentor and role model, Chief Awolowo, they believe in justice and equity where none of the federating units will play second fiddle to another. There is no better way to ensure that than a return to true federalism.
However, the truth must be said that the cry of marginalization across board has never been so vociferous as under President Buhari. It has reached such a situation that the World Bank had to be specifically directed to look towards the old Northern Region for its development projects. That coming from no other person than the President himself is unfortunate.
Similarly, all key appointments into the federal service and its agencies are in favour of a section of the North. That does not exclude the NNPC whose product – oil is in the Niger Delta and where the indigenes are being discriminated against in executive appointments.
The onus is therefore on President Buhari to look inwards and tackle the issue of restructuring or power devolution with the maximum urgency it deserves.
- Dr Michael Adebiyi,
Ikeja, Lagos.
