SIR: Geographically, Nigeria is divided into six geo-political zones that have become the hubs of power and influence. Those erudite scholars who propounded the theory of six geo-political zones for the country are great thinkers, and have to a great extent, solve one of Nigeria’s major national questions, especially as regards federal appointments.
Faced with national exigencies, the Yakubu Gowon military administration collapsed the existing four regions into 12 states, based, not on tribal or ethnic congruence, but on geographical congruity.
The present 36 states of the federation followed this vogue. And even current agitators for creation of more states seem to be guided by this indubitable wise counsel. Protagonists of geo-political zones seem to have taken a step further by grouping a minimum of five states that share affinity, historical and geographical affinity to form a geo-political zone.
Under this current political arrangement, Kwara State falls into the north-central and Kwarans irrespective of ethnic and tribal leaning have their loyalty and allegiance to this political zone.
Ditto for the other five zones of the federation; thus when a Kwaran is given a federal appointment, it is politically wrong to regard such appointment as a southerner because the person involved is a Yoruba. There is no zone in the country that has solely one tribal or ethnic group. Rather, all the zones are composed of multiplicity of tribal and ethnic groups. Moreover, those ethnic and tribal groups have been born, bred and have their roots and those of their forebears there.
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Before the creation of Kogi State out of Kwara State, the late Chief Sunday Awoniyi was the leader of the apex northern socio-cultural group – the Arewa Consultative Forum and his leadership was overwhelmingly accepted and respected. He could not have been regarded as a southerner and be so appointed or accepted to lead the group. Even when the British colonialists created 24 provinces 12 at par, Ilorin Province was one of the 12 provinces in the North.
This perhaps is the context to see the recent appointment of Bayo Ojulari as CEO of NNPC after the exit of Mele Kyari. Ojulari is from north-central while Kyari belongs to the northeast. It is a gross negation of state and geo-political creation to see any tribe or ethnic group in Kwara State as belonging to anywhere else other than north-central geo-political zone. Using geo-political zones as basis for federal appointments seems to carry more merit than the federal character that has unduly been enmeshed in controversies as a result of poor performance.
- Sunday Olagunju, Ibadan, Oyo State.