Rethinking the national conference

Also published in Daily Trust

Though last week I argued that, the ongoing National Conference would simply end the same way the previous National Conferences ended, I had to rethink my stand when I learned that this Conference recommendations would be subjected to a national referendum, as confirmed by President Jonathan who also called on the National Assembly to expedite the process of the ongoing constitution review as it relates to the provision of  the necessary clause, which would allow for conducting a referendum on this Conference recommendations.

That development also vindicated some observers particularly from the northern part of Nigeria who had suspected government’s motives for convening the Conference. Besides, though in his speech during the Conference inauguration, President Jonathan advised the delegates to work for strengthening the country’s unity, I wonder how could that be possible in the light of some of the focus areas he listed on which the delegates can deliberate and possibly come up with recommendations to be subjected to a referendum.

For instance, the focus areas include resource control under the pretext of which the oil-producing states in the Niger-Delta region have reportedly already resolved to demand 100% ownership and control of the entire oil resources in their region. Likewise, the pro-secession vested interests in the South-east among the delegates would push for their secessionist agenda in various disguises, which undermines Nigeria’s survival as a corporate entity. While the South-west regionalists among them would equally work towards undermining the country’s current already fragile federal structure.

Interestingly enough, these tribal and regional vested interests are not serious in reality with regards to their purported clamour for dividing the country along regional or tribal lines. The reality is that, no sitting Nigerian president, no matter where he comes from, would ever agree to preside over a process that will lead to dividing the country, for it will necessarily entail sacrificing his position as President hence probably ending up with little or no political relevance whatsoever in the ensuing political structure in his region.

Likewise, no state governor, senator, member of the House of Representatives, minister or any high-ranking public officer holder would actually endorse the idea of dividing the country knowing fully that this will definitely mean the end of his stay in office.

President Jonathan, before anybody else among the incumbents, realizes and indeed lives with this dilemma even though he comes from a region that has over the past few decades pursued a secessionist agenda. Just like his predecessors from the region and elsewhere, once he loses power he would pretend to turn into a prominent Niger-Delta pro-secession advocate, so as to maintain his political relevance in the region and the country.

After all, perhaps it is only in Nigeria that a very high-ranking public office holder at the national level e.g. President would, after leaving office, relegate himself to a mere regional hero or local tribal champion pursuing a narrow regional agenda, instead of becoming a true and inspiring statesman who commands respect across the country, throughout Africa and perhaps in the whole world.

Anyway, there is reasonable cause for alarm under these circumstances, because the delegates representing the vested interests behind convening the Conference who have always disguised as regional and tribal leaders to pursue their personal agendas, would passionately but cleverly push for the adoption of their subversive agendas elegantly coated with stylish English literary expressions.

This further underscores the duty of the patriotic among the delegates to remain alert enough to always detect any selfish agenda shrouded in regional or tribal cloak. Because once such vested interests manage to get their agendas recommended by the Conference, it would be much easier for them to equally get them “endorsed” in the referendum, either by rigging or manipulating people’s emotions, as they have always done during elections.

Moreover, now that the hidden and subversive motives behind the whole idea of sanctioning a referendum in the constitution have been exposed, it is the responsibility of   the patriotic among the National Assembly members working on the ongoing constitution review process, to reject the bill altogether, because it is basically designed to serve the selfish interests a few self-centred people at the expense of the average Nigerians. 
After all, despite all the challenges of mutual coexistence among various Nigeria’s regional and ethno-religious components, which are in any case the result of the actions and inactions of the successive civilian and military governments in the country, the average Nigerians are obviously against the idea of separation.

Also in spite of the huge influence of their respective purported regional and tribal elites who simply mislead them and exploit their gullibility in order to perpetuate the culture of corruption and impunity in the country, the interconnected historical and cultural ties and the shared socio-economic interests, which make the livelihoods of the average Nigerians inseparably interdependent, remain the actual dynamics that preserve Nigeria’s survival as a corporate entity.

Notwithstanding the sheer magnitude of the mess overwhelming the country, Nigeria’s hope for a change depends entirely on the average Nigerians’ ability to wise up enough to realize the extent of the game-changing power inherent in their common socio-economic, political and other interests.

Also even under the current inefficient electoral system, I believe that once the average Nigerians resolve to come to together and work accordingly, they will be able to create a better Nigeria where rule of law prevails, which will in turn bring about sustainable peace, economic prosperity and political stability.