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Nigeria : The smouldering ground

By Ajose-Adeogun
27 July 2016   |   3:36 am
Nigeria, as in the period between 1964-70, appears to have entered another convulsive period in its history. A potential existential threat, greater than that posed to the country by the Civil War of 1967-70 ...

Nigeria

“Peoples and governments never have learned anything from history, or acted on the principles deduced from it.” – G.F.W. Hegel, Philosophy of History (1832).

Nigeria, as in the period between 1964-70, appears to have entered another convulsive period in its history. A potential existential threat, greater than that posed to the country by the Civil War of 1967-70, appears to be emerging as a deep chasm opens up between the South, on the one hand, and the North-West and North-East geopolitical regions, on the other hand, over the question of the future direction of the country’s constitutional development. There is a very definite undercurrent of dissatisfaction and frustration among most in the South, including the South-West which voted for President Muhammadu Buhari, at the nature of our federalism and the way the country has been governed since independence.

The general cry across the South – particularly in the South-East and South-South geopolitical regions, where the people, stirred by ethnic pride, are very bitter that an overbearing federal government has ridden roughshod over their legitimate aspirations – is for a devolution of the greater share of governmental powers and authority to the component units of the Federation in order to end the encroachments of a marauding Federal Government that neither shares their values nor recognises their aspirations, and, thereby, once again, take control of their destinies.

This struggle for the devolution of power and authority is unlikely to abate; it can only escalate, as it is simply in the natural order of things for man to aspire to ever greater freedoms. Hegel (1770-1831), the great 19th century German philosopher, affirmed this in his major work, Philosophy of History, in the following terms : “The history of the world is none other than the progress of the consciousness of freedom.” Of particular relevance to Nigeria is the history of Canada, where the same struggle occurred in the early days of their Federation.

Then, eminent political leaders such as John A. MacDonald (the chief architect of the creation, in 1867, of the Federation of Canada from Britain’s North American colonies, and its first prime minister), George Brown, Charles Tupper, George-Etienne Cartier, etc., championed the cause of a strong central government – because it was their view that “states rights” contributed much to sparking the American Civil War – while strong provincial leaders such as Premier Oliver Mowat in Ontario, and Premier Honoré Mercier in Quebec, made it indelibly clear that, no matter how the Constitution was worded, they were going to exercise their provincial strength. Neither is the struggle for a greater devolution of the powers and authority of government new in Nigeria : Northern Nigeria, amidst unprecedented violence, demanded an end to the centralising policies of the Ironsi administration in May, 1966.

It was unto this smouldering ground that President Buhari, a disciplined, professional soldier with a distinguished war record, ascetic lifestyle, and a reputation for integrity, stepped when he assumed office in 2015. Unfortunately, he entered into the presidency with his mind made up and a scheme in his pocket for addressing the increasingly strident calls in the South for a renegotiation of the terms of association of the Nigerian union, the defining issue of the times on which the future of the country turns. The President’s response is to ignore all such calls ; place the report of the last national constitutional conference in the icebox ; offer a series of ineffective palliatives – including cleaning up the environmental pollution in the Niger Delta ; and, as the ultimate sanction, crush by the application of military force the restive communities who are fighting for nothing more than the adherence to the letter and spirit of the constitutional arrangements that were the bases upon which Nigeria was granted independence as one united country, but which, tragically, was unilaterally abrogated.

John Dryden, the 17th century English poet, dramatist, and critic, wrote in prologue to All for Love (1678), that “Errors, like straws, upon the surface flow. He who would search for pearls must dive below.” The threat posed to the country by this dangerous divergence of opinion on the question of constitutional reform does not readily lend itself to any facile solutions. Yet, much could have been achieved had the President only tried first to ascertain what was wrong by enquiry from those who are qualified to enlighten him ; co-opted those who truly represent the wishes of their peoples as partners in working out a reform scheme ; diligently prepared himself for constitutional reform by studying the great principles on which other successful multi-ethnic entities and federations had been founded ; familiarised himself with the works of previous Nigerian constitutional reform proposals.

Such an approach, of course, demands a statesmanship that recognises the multiplicity of interests, and respects the diversity of perspectives, inherent in a multi-ethnic country such as Nigeria is. It calls for a profundity of thought, objectivity, and sincerity. Anthonio Machado (1875-1939), the Spanish poet, put it rather well in his book, Juan de Mairena (1943) : “There is no way of seeing things without first taking leave of them.” One can only hope that President Buhari, too, like President Lyndon Johnson [who, in spite of being a Southerner, achieved truly revolutionary breakthroughs with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which have improved the lives of African-Americans], will take leave of the old, settled complex of predilections, prejudices, instincts, emotions, habits, and convictions, many of which have never served Nigeria well, and, instead, “learn from history and act on the principles deduced from it.”

According to Hegel, “To him who looks upon the world rationally, the world in turn presents a rational aspect.” I believe that if the Buhari administration learns the lessons of history, and acts on the principles to be deduced from them, the “smouldering ground” in Nigeria today will not become a raging bushfire tomorrow.

Ajose-Adeogun is a legal practitioner in Lagos, (akin71258@yahoo.com).

11 Comments

  • Author’s gravatar

    When real patriots speak, you do not need any hearing aid to understand the content of their speech. What Mr. Ajose-Adeogun has done is to let our leaders in on the truth and nothing but the truth. To let them know the seriousness of his advice, he demonstrated his vast knowledge with illustrations from all parts of the globe. He has eaten the corn, as my people say, and exposed his teeth. Our leaders should equally be patriotic by heeding the clarion call to do the needful, and douse the tension in the land. The recalcitrant fly joins the corpse to the grave. Do not say, nobody told me.

  • Author’s gravatar

    Well stated. Let me quote Virgil the Roman: hoc opus hic labor est. And we are paying our dues to this enigmatic nation

  • Author’s gravatar

    I commend the writer Mr Ajose-Adeogun for an excellent piece. The intelligence of mind is clear for all to see in the form and essence of the story. Buhari, get off your high horse, show humility, acknowledge that you were voted into power, you didnt conquer the electorate, and do the needful.

    Nigerians are fed up of the status quo and fed up od the old political and constitutional nomenclature which favours you, your clan and fellow northern hegemonists.

    We, the people of Southern Nigeria want a fairer and different system from what exists in Nigeria today. We want it now. We are not pleading or begging for it. We are telling you.

  • Author’s gravatar

    Mr Ajose-Adeogun I highly commend you for your highly enlightened world historical background.
    GEJ conceded to defeat to save shedding of innocent bloods of Nigerians.
    The present constitution has aided and abated the high corruption in the country and there is very
    strong need to correct the anomalies and inequalities in the constitution that have been impeding
    the development and meaningful progress of our country since independence in 1960.
    The Nigeria of 1967-1970 war was a child’s play for those who experienced it.
    Any war now will be far more devastating to our country than that of the 1967-1970 war and all
    efforts must be geared to avoid it ever happening.
    Weapons are now far more sophisticated than then.
    Those now in-charge should read the writing on the WALL to save selfish Nigerians shedding of the
    innocent bloods of Nigerians.

  • Author’s gravatar

    my son…i must congratulate you…you have read many books…but nigerias unitarism and unity was forged on the battlefield…anyone who says otherwise should meet us on the battlefield…

    • Author’s gravatar

      I do not agree that Nigeria’s “unitarism and unity,” as you put it, was “forged” on the battlefield. Unity, in the crucial period between 1967-70, was maintained because the rest of the country – Mid-West, West, Central Nigeria, and even the vast majority of the Eastern minorities – rallied to the Federal Government’s cause. The highly-centralized federalism we have today was also similarly due to the resigned indifference of the these same geopolitical regions of the country. Neither was due to your implied military invincibility of the North. But the attitude of these crucial segments of the country has changed. And only time will tell whether your hubris is justified

      • Author’s gravatar

        hubris?…attitude does not change the law…and ‘resigned indifference’ is brought about knowing the facts on ground…ajose adeogun my child…i have a feeling i knew your grand dad…go home, spray your flat with shelltox and listen to the news…so that you would live long…

        • Author’s gravatar

          Your comments, in content and style, succinctly explain the tragedy of Africa.

          • Author’s gravatar

            tragedy?…that is your opinion…what we have, we hold – is my opinion…and if you disagree with me, come and wrest it from me…i believe that is how mankind has always been…you should read a little bit more, my son…

          • Author’s gravatar

            As I’m no believer in answering a fool – particularly one who hides behind a pseudonym whilst incessantly talking about the “battlefield” – according to his folly, I have nothing further to say. So long, old-timer!

          • Author’s gravatar

            thanks for the compliment o wise one…