One Nigeria: To Be or Not To Be? (Part 6)

THE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS OF CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT FOR THE SOUTH.

HEAD WE LOSS, TAIL WE ALSO LOSS.

Let us hypothetically assume that the Senate and House of Representatives consist of competent legislators whose election does not raise any questions. Should the South consent to a CA? If I may seek your indulgence to first answer this question before providing an explanation, then definitely my answer is NO. The CA is another economic and political trap that the North in conjunction with the British have set for us in order to maintain the North’s political domination in Nigeria which automatically allows them to continue exploiting us and stealing the resources of the South. Therefore, it will be a fatal mistake on our part to fall into this trap called CA. What we need to understand is that with CA, head or tail, the North, definitely, is going to emerge the BIG winner, while the south will emerge the loser, under any scenario. It’s going to be a WIN-LOSS outcome, and not a WIN-WIN for the South. There won’t be any other outcome. This is another bitter truth which we must equally understand and come to terms with. The CA is supposed to look like a sort of compromise, but in actual fact, it will still be lopsided and ‘substantially’ in favour of the North from whatever scenario. Basically, the CA means that we (south) will continue to compromise our political, cultural, military, most especially economic interests in order to reach agreement and live in peace and harmony with the North. We don’t need such an agreement! We will be much better off on our own without the North and their CA!

The CA is supposed to create the impression that Yaradua and the North as a whole are really sensitive to the plights of the Niger deltans and the South in general, and are doing something not only to change the situations for the better, but are equally after justice which will lead to peace, harmony and development in Nigeria. But in actual fact, this is an illusion. There will only be a cosmetic change. In actual fact, nothing, absolutely nothing is going to change! The CA is just a camouflage. It’s still going to be a lopsided relationship. It’s still going to be the same monkey dey work, baboon dey chop relationship that has been operating since independence. It’s still going to be a colonial relationship, and not a sincere and equal partnership. The North will continue taking hundreds of billions of dollars of our money absolutely for free in the name of building one Nigeria that we never subscribed to, and don’t need at all. The North will still continue to treat the South like its colony. The North is just looking for a legal way to continue robbing and enslaving the South. No more, no less!

Some concrete analysis is necessary for a better understanding. CA involves discussing and voting for amendments for it to be passed as a law, as is the norm in any democratic setting. Taking into consideration the undisputed fact that PDP and the North have an overwhelming majority in the Senate and House of Representatives respectively, therefore, when it comes to voting for a proposal or amendment, PDP legislators will vote strictly in accordance with party stipulation. In addition, all Northern legislators including those from PDP and other parties will definitely cast their votes only for laws or amendments that are in the interest of the North, and not in the interest of the South. They will NEVER vote for laws or amendments that will not favour or are against the interests of the North. It’s a well known fact that when it comes to politics, especially when the interests of the North is at stake, they forget their differences and unite together to form a common front in order to defend their interest even if it means achieving their aims at the expense of other ethnic gfroups. They are not fazed by that. As has already been mentioned earlier, the 2007 presidential election is a very good example of how the North can forget about their differences and unite in order to defend their interests. To them, it really does not matter which party or person becomes the president as far as he is a Northerner.

In essence, what CA mean is that even if some senators or members of the House of Representatives from the South are not happy or against a proposal or amendment, they are ‘powerless’ to do anything about it simply because they don’t have the majority to veto. The South does NOT have the number or majority to counter any move or domination from Northern legislators. They are just their to make up statistics or as spectators to a well rehearsed drama called CA.

In order to understand the economic implication of the CA being proposed by Yaradua led Northern government, imagine a situation whereby a robber has been stealing $20 billion from you every year. Then one day, he invited you to his mansion, which he also built with your money but without your consent, for a talk. When you arrived at the mansion for talks, you were surrounded by his heavily armed body guards. Then the robber told you, “Mr. S, I have a good proposal for you.” When you asked him what the proposal was, then he said, “Mr. S let’s sign an agreement that I will be giving you $200 million every year for your up keep, but if you turn down the offer I am going to blow up your head and nobody will ever find you again.” You looked to your right, left, front and back all his body guards were everywhere armed to the teeth. You looked up and down and thought to yourself, “Well, 100th of a loaf of bread is better than nothing at all, or it’s much better to get some money than have my head blown up.” Then with a shivering hand, you quickly signed the document that had been prepared before your arrival. There is only one document showing that Mr. N. will be giving you $200 million every year, but there is no document showing that in actual fact that $200 million is your money and that Mr. N steals 100 times more from you every year! After you have signed the document, Mr. N calls a World Press Conference with broad smile beaming on his face, with you sitting by his side, Mr. N. tells the whole world that he is a very generous, righteous and considerate man. He goes on to tell the whole world that after a very ‘tense,’ ‘long’ but ‘frank’ negotiations you both ‘amicably’ and ‘mutually’ agreed that he will be giving you $200 million for your up keep and development. Everybody claps for Mr. N. He was showered with praises. Mr. N, with a very long and broad smile on his face, poses for pictures with you. Everybody hugs one another. Mr. N. is more than satisfied. The next day the front pages of all national and international newspapers are full of Mr. N’s pictures smiling and shaking hands with you. The whole media is talking about a ‘breakthrough.’ They call the signing ceremony an historical event. At last, Mr. N. has finally succeeded in legalising his loots! With that document that you have signed, he is not only completely free not to continue robbing you but to steal as much as he wants from you legally and do whatever he wants with you! You, your land and all the resources underneath now belong to him completely and legally! Now, nothing can stop him again! His dream has been fulfilled at last!

The above actually depicts the plan of the North as far as CA is concerned. The North has been stealing hundreds of billions of dollars of the oil revenues at the expense of the South. When the Niger deltans and the south as a whole got fed up and started to revolt with the aim of putting a stop to this legalised robbery and colonial relationship in the name of building one Nigeria, the North quickly offered a CA to ameliorate its colony, the South. At the CA, a motion to add 5% or 7% or 10% to the oil revenues of the Niger deltans and the South will be moved and supported by the North. It will all look as if Yaradua is doing the Niger deltans and the South a big favour for agreeing to add some percentages of their own money to their yearly budget. Yaradua will present himself to the South and the whole world as a president who really believes in the ‘rule of law.’ Yaradua will present himself to the South and the whole world as a president who believes in justice. Yaradua will present himself to the South and the world as a very caring president, unlike his predecessors. Yaradua will present himself to the South and the whole world as a president who is very concerned about the welfare of the down-trodden Niger deltans and the South. Yaradua will present himself to the South and the world as a president who really believes in democracy. Yaradua will present himself to the South and the world as a great statesman.

But, there will be no more mention of how many hundreds of billions of dollars the North is taking free of charge from the South to develop its territory. There will be no more questions or/and explanation as regards to why the oil, gas and other mineral resources and man-power of the south must go into the development of the North for free when the South ‘equally’ need this money for their own development. There will be no more questions and/or explanation as regards to why the South must give even ‘a kobo’ to the North, with whom they have absolutely nothing in common with, for free. There will be no more questions and/or explanation as regards to why the South must remain in a lopsided and colonial relationship with the North. There will be no more questions or/and explanation as regards to why a substantial part of revenues from the South should continue to be squandered on Abuja, the capital of the Northern Nigeria. There will be no more questions or/and explanation as regards to why the South must continue its unsubscribed membership in Nigeria. There will be no more questions and/or explanation as regards to the illegality of the emergence of Nigeria as a country. There will be no more questions or/and answers as regards to the fact that Nigeria was formed by the British in order to serve its selfish economic interests at the expense of the South. There will be no more questions and/or explanation as regards to why the South has to compromise its political, military and economic interests for the sake of the North and keeping Nigeria one. There will be no more questions and/or explanation as regards to why the South must remain in an unprofitable venture called One Nigeria with the North, when it has much better options. There will be no more questions or/and explanation as regards to why the Yorubas must abandon their fellow brothers and sisters in Benin republic and pitch their tents with the descendants of Othman Dan Fodio, who are complete strangers.

After the CA, the North will announce that they have the full mandate of all Nigerians, including the Yorubas, Ndigbos, Ijaws, Efiks, Ibiobios and other ethnic groups in the South to protect the integrity of Nigeria. Therefore, after the CA, it will be out of place to ask those questions above. After the Ca, it will be politically not correct to ask those questions. After the CA, it will be illegal to ask those questions. After the CA, it will be treason to ask those questions. After the CA, it will be treachery to ask those questions. After the CA, it will be unpatriotism to ask those questions. After the CA, it will be terrorism to ask those questions. After the CA, asking those questions will tantamount to coup plotting. In a nutshell, after the CA, it will be a crime to even whisper those questions talk less of discussing them in the public. After the CA, the whole of the South including its land, mineral resources and the people will belong to the North completely and legally. After the CA, the North is free to take as much resources as they like from the South completely for free and legally. It will no more be regarded as legalised robbery. After the CA, the South becomes a colony or protectorate of the North legally. After the CA, the North will finally legalise its loots just like the robber or bandit that we talked about earlier. After the CA, WE CAN FORGET COMPLETELY ABOUT OUR FREEDOM because generations of Southerners will be born into slavery and the colony of the North called One Nigeria, One Nation! The only way out is to SHOUT ON TOP OF OUR VOICES NOW that CA is not the solution to the political impasse in Nigeria and we are NOT GOING TO ACCEPT THE OUTCOME! That’s just the least that we can do now as far as the CA is concerned.

If Yaradua and the rest of the North don’t consider themselves as burden, parasite and liability to the South and are really sincere in finding a lasting solution to the political impasse and unrest in the country, especially in the South, what they need to do is convey a Sovereign National Conference without any precondition immediately. It’s obvious even to a layman that the CA is far from providing solutions to the colonial relationship between the South and the North. Why is Yaradua and the North trying to manipulate with CA, Niger delta Summit and the Niger Delta Development Fund, NDDF? What if oil is discovered in Ibadan tomorrow, and the same problem in the Niger delta repeats itself? Will the North start organising another Ibadan Summit to appease Ibadan militant groups who don’t want the North to steal their oil in the name of building a fake and non-existing One Nigeria?

Before Yaradua and his Othman Dan Fodio brothers start embarking on unfruitful CA, they should first enquire from the South through a referendum if they (the South)are interested in the One Nigeria project, or to be more precise, if the South is interested in remaining in one country with the North. They should not put the cart before the horse. In case Yaradua does not know, this is what rule of law is all about. Yaradua and the rest of the North should know that IT IS A CRIME to force somebody to buy a product or take part in a joint venture if he is not interested or if he feels that it is not profitable for him. Forcing the South to take part in the One Nigeria project is like holding somebody to ransom or taking hostages. The North should engage in open and sincere discussions with the South. Why is the North afraid of a Sovereign National Conference? Are they afraid that Nigeria will break up and there will be nobody to feed them again? Are they afraid that nobody will allow them to take hundreds of billions of dollars for free again? Are the retired Northern criminal officers afraid of loosing their oil blocks in the Niger delta? Are the retired Northern criminal officers afraid that they won’t be able to engage in oil bunkering in the Niger delta again? Is the North afraid that nobody will give them free resources again? If the North is sure that they can feed and sustain themselves, then they should prove it by not trying to stop any ethnic group from ending its unsubscribed and unprofitable membership in Nigeria.

Today, only the North is ready to spill blood or go on another ‘killing rampage’ in order to keep Nigeria one. This is more than enough evidence to support the claim that the North can not sustain itself and relies completely on the resources of the South to survive. Only the North is ready to start another pogrom and ethnic cleansing in order to keep all the ethnic groups in the South within the boundaries drawn by the British in 1884. The North is nothing but a complete burden, parasite and liability to the South. The hidden motive of the North with the CA being proposed is to continue exploiting the South and legalise their enslavement. It’s obvious that the CA is not meant, can not and will not end the legalised robbery and the colonial relationship that the South has been subjected to since independence by the North. It will be business as usual for the North and its allies; the British, Americans and others. After this analysis, it will be an unforgivable crime on our part to fall into this trap called Constitutional Amendment – a pet project of the North, Britain and the United States of America!

TO BE CONTINUED…