A SMART MOVE TO ENHANCE NIGERIAN UNITY

The intention of the Senate Committee on Federal Character to appraise the level of compliance with the Federal Character Principle is welcomed, provided it is intended to identify sections of the Constitution that might require amendments. Senator Smart Adeyemi, collaborating with the Federal Character Commission, currently chaired by Professor Oba Abdulraheem, the former Chancellor of University of Ilorin, is to organize a public hearing so that Nigerians could present their perceived marginalization to the public.

This is going to be an uphill task for Senator Smart Adeyemi and the Federal Character Commission (FCC). Is Smart saying that the FCC of 37 Commissioners is not smart enough in discharging their responsibilities? Smart has to be very stylish indeed in his crusade to 'control' marginalization in Nigeria.

Possibly his findings would compliment the bill at the House of Representatives seeking for the establishment of a commission to monitor the implementation of true federalism and harmonization of local government structures in Nigeria. The title of the House Bill is, "A Bill for Act to Provide for the Establishment of National Commission for Inter-governmental Relations and Federalism."

Part of the marginalization Nigerians could be complaining about is the revenue sharing formula. The House bill addresses the sharing of revenue among the three tiers of government so that no level of government maltreats the other. This aspect of marginalization might have resulted in under-development, with high rate of poverty in rural areas.

Nigeria is a country where every single community claims marginalization. The Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa, cried during Chief Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo's administration for marginalization. The World Igbo Congress would blame the division within the Organization on marginalization, which they have been crying for ages. The Niger Delta Region only known word is marginalization.

Unfortunately in Nigeria, ethnic bias was heavily promoted by the Military. The Military came into politics to discourage "nepotism, tribalism" if I may borrow the military coup plotters' slogans of those days. Ironically, regionalism, tribalism, nepotism went through all past administrations in Nigeria, regardless who was at the helm of Nigerian affairs.

The Military regimes picked up the slogan with no solutions; from Nzeogwu to Ojukwu, Gowon, Murtala/Obasanjo, Shagari, and Buhari/Idiagbon. Babangida invented religious polarization, as an added variable; perfected by Abacha.

Unfortunately in some parts of Nigeria today (2008), religion and ethnicity are credentials for employment, contracts, and admissions to higher institutions. These are some of the variables Smart Adeyemi has to examine in his Marginalization adventure.

Adeyemi, the 'smart', is ready to right the ethnic and religious wrongs in Nigeria. It will be a heroic accomplishment for Smart Adeyemi if he comes with the magic formula for preventing marginalization in Nigeria.

According to Senator Adeyemi,

"It is only the governors that are guilty of this and are violating the Constitution in respect of the principle of federal character. They pick people from their villages, Local Governments into sensitive positions against the provisions of the Constitution."

I thought Senator Smart Adeyemi, who is a former President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), who spits words like Sango, is smart enough before concluding that "it is only the Governors that are guilty of this {Marginalization}." As a Journalist, he should know better.

Could this be the situation in Kogi State where the political players pick their people into sensitive positions against the provisions of the Constitution? It could be more than marginalization, possibly some retribution for disloyalty. How is he going to address the excision of his group from the old Kwara State believing that they would get better deals in the new Kogi? He has to probe the marginalization with the Igalas. Nigerians are really waiting for the outcome of Smart Adeyemi's adventure on marginalization.

He should realize that it is not limited to eleven States in Nigeria as he alleged, but practiced in all segments of the country's private and public services. Your cousins, uncles, nieces, religious members are all inclusive in the practice. Ironically marginalization has been imbedded in the veins of most Nigerians. It would take a genius to successfully probe the invisible marginalization policies in Nigeria.

Appointments and removals from office in Nigeria would always be coined as discriminatory. That is very obvious in a country where there is no trust among many 'nations' within the country. Even within each 'nation' there is no faith, just like what is going on in the Gateway State, where the issue of who would be the next Governor has degenerated into making lawmakers sworn to the oracle. The World Igbo Congress just concluded a convention in Florida (August 2008) that ended up with two factions.

Smart Adeyemi might have to get modish to understand how he would process marginalization 'policies' through over 70 million illiterate Nigerians, according to Dr. Kutara Elisha, Director of Inspectorate Division of Federal Ministry of Education. In addition to that, he has to deal with educated illiterates, who are the players in the marginalization game. How his Committee would go through Nigerians who have been hypnotized away from their basic life needs for lack of water, power supply, inadequate nutrition, and no job could be a challenge.

The United Stares of America could be phasing out the Affirmative Action program with Obama slogan "Yes We Can". Martin Luther King Jr., laid his life for humanity with "We Shall Overcome One Day". That song could be obsolete now in 2008 with Obama whacking it with McCain in the American Presidential election.

What is happening in the United States today does not mean that 'racism', as it is called in the United States, would fade away just like that. Nonetheless, the environment has matured to the path Obama is treading in 2008. Senator Smart should find ways to attain that level in Nigeria.

Nigerians that benefited from the Civil Rights Movement in America, most especially, at one time or the other should consider exporting their skills back to Nigeria helping Smart Adeyemi to get smarter. It would also make Nigeria a land of opportunities for the future generations, before Nigerians Abroad start loosing their teeth.

According to Smart Adeyemi,

"Now if that {Marginalization} is not addressed, the implication is that those who feel strongly marginalized and depressed will start thinking of being debased as human beings."

A timely warning for Smart Adeyemi, gays and lesbians in Nigeria would start requesting to be treated like any other Nigerians. Smart has to contend with the House of Rainbow Metropolitan Community Church in getting the gay community their rightful place in Nigeria. How smart would Smart Adeyemi approach religious organizations that accommodate the gays and lesbians, especially with the ordination of gays as priests in the Anglican Church?

Most Nigerians would frown at homosexuality and placed it as an infringement and a complete assault on Nigeria's core values. We could assume that the law on homosexuality is sloppy with lenient punishment for offenders. Nigeria classifies homosexuality as "unnatural offences" under Section 214 and "indecent practices between males" under Section 217 of the Criminal Code.

Smart Adeyemi went further to state that

"You know when somebody feels debased, it is as if the person is questioning the essence of his living and such a person is ready to go into internal terrorism that is when people start destroying government property."

Could this be the case with the Niger Delta Region people who felt marginalized from inception and now resolved into vandalizing Government properties, kidnapping individuals associated with the government, and now with oil war?

The movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) had launched an "oil war" in response to Saturday, September 13, 2008 aerial and massive bombardments on one of its positions by the military. Is this what Senator Smart is referring to as terrorism?

MEND in the statement signed by Jomo Gbomo stated:

"Following a previous warning that any attack on our positions will be tantamount to a declaration of an oil war, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has declared an oil war in response to the unprovoked aerial and marine attacks on a MEND position in Rivers State of Nigeria on September 13, 2008 by the armed forces of Nigeria. The operation will continue until the government of Nigeria appreciates that the solution to peace in the Niger Delta is justice, respect and dialogue. All international oil and gas loading vessels entering the region are warned to drop anchor in the high sea or divert elsewhere until further notice. Failure to comply is taking a foolhardy risk of attack and destruction of the vessel

." How Nigeria government handles the dividend of marginalization of the Niger Delta Region would be a challenge to Smart Adeyemi's Committee.

What about handling the rumor that Ibori might be considered a Minister and continue to marginalize his people at the expense of their needs. Nigerians might not believe much of the rumor, but the fact that he's been considered could be part of what Smart has to be smart about, when probing marginalization in Niger Delta Region.

It was rumored that Yar'Adua administration's effort to re-brand Ibori could have been tested during the recently concluded Beijing Olympics Games where Ibori as well as former Governor Lucky Igbinedion of Edo State were visible on the list of Nigeria's official delegation. Smart has to be very smart to come out with reliable results from his Marginalization probe.

That level of MARGINALIZATION of Obasanjo's regime to the Yorubas must be probed by Smart Adeyemi. He should extend same to the Servant-Leader with the allegation that he has stuffed his cabinet with people from the north.

What Nigerians should do presently is to appeal to the 'almighty PDP', to have mercy on poor innocent Nigerians, in spreading the 'honey' of democracy to every corners of Nigeria. Smart Adeyemi should get smart with this exercise. Nigerians are waiting the outcome of the marginalization probe.

If we may ask Senator Smart Adeyemi, what about the physically challenged Nigerians that have been stigmatized and marginalized? Honorable Yinka Ayefele, please advise Senator Smart Adeyemi on the wonderful work of God on physically challenged Nigerians most especially.

Courtesy DR. Femi Ajayi.
Culled from Nigerian world