By Political Animal.
The Secessionists threats and wild conducts may be condemnable,unconscionable,
hollow and may be called nothing but infantile misadventures.Some may think and rightly too.
Breaking a country is not as seamless as cutting a cake.It is not like knifing a birthday cake.
However,their grievances should be listened to and addressed;And they shouldn’t be persecuted, hunted and harrased for whatever reason.
Before the white man came,there were tribes in existence.Then regions in existence after.
If we refuse to revert back to true federalism and allow each nation (region not states) within the contraption called Nigeria to develop at their own pace , simply because it is benefitting a section of the country or some politicians across geopolitical zones, you may wake up one morning to find out that there is no nation again.We must stop postponing the evil day.
Nigeria is presently in tumoil and risky to think of breaking up.Things have to settle,then we can think of breakup,if we all agree.As it is now,it is going to be at great risk.
Just as it was in the sixties,no one ethnic group can embark on such a venture alone based on so many issues.
We have more intertribal marriages across ethnic lines than it was before the civil war.
We have investments across ethnic and regional boundaries ,more than what we had before the civil war.
Some people may not want to go into the issue of abandoned property again.
There shall be a lot of saboteurs and sabotage,based on personal and economic interests ,that may shock many and more blood shed.Presently,there is no red in the Nigerian flag,but if we fail to do the right thing,all beakaway states may have red in their flags as a token of remembrance for lives lost.
These things must be factored into whatever considerations we are making.
Sabotage was one of the things that ruined Biafra.This much I can say because I was a witness as a teenager.
Kosovo and South Sudan are two breakaway nations, and are presently in turmoil with each group for what they can grab.Sudan was in crises before the split . Experience is the best teacher.
When you fail to put your house in order before splitting there will be further crises.
Though we have successful breakup in Yugoslavia into Crotia, Macedonia,Serbia and Slovenia.Same with Ethiopia and Eriteria, but we must put our house in order before we begin.If we want to.
If at over 60 years of independence and there is still so much hatred and agitation everywhere ,the best option remains a loose federation before giving breakup a chance.
If we don’t get our Acts right before breakup,
how are you sure that the same thing will not happen between the Igbos and the South-South as oil producing States?
What about the Ijaws,Urhobos,
Itshekiris,Ishans,
Benins etc.
What happens within the South-west, amongst the Yorubas and their blocks including Kwara and Kogi.
What happens to those who are claiming to be in the middle belt.?What about the religious sentiments in both north and south?
The idea of turn by turn ,and zone by zone, and local government by local government, has been planted in the heart of Nigerians, no matter what part of the country they belong to.It can never be erased over night even if we break into villages.That is legacy we have from bad political leadership.
The problem is that we have been fooled by political elites, both in the South and North for a long time.It has been a matter of political interest.
If not , can you please tell me,what is the justification for an Ex-Governor in one of the richest states in the SouthWest, donating the sum of N50m to the Government of a state in the north recently, as his own contribution,for them to rebuild a very local “cow” market,when bigger markets of more economic value have been burning in the Southwest,in Lagos,Oyo,Ogun,Osun,Ekiti and Ondo ,without his visiting or giving a token,knowing his networth, just because of his presidential ambition.
It is all a matter of political ambitions and interest.If you look closely at this Government, you will find out that, those who were out of Government years ago who were ,shouting and screaming about resource control, are now very,very silent because ,they are now in Government.
They have seen what me and you have never seen and may never see.
My counsel is,let everything be done decently and in order before splitting if we have to.
Remember that splitting the nation is not like splitting a birthday day cake.
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The Political Animal 