STRIKER: A Federal Republic
The events of the last few weeks in Lagos, Osun and presently Rivers State have shown clearly that the majority of our politicians and statesmen either don’t know the meaning of democracy and federalism or are opposed to it, being truly imperial and monarchical at heart themselves – they love to enjoy kingly might and have their way irrespective of what the law says! We will come back in another instalment to analyse developing stories in these 3 states viz-a-viz the topic but let us first and foremost shed light on what a FEDERAL REPUBLIC means!
Nigeria’s former colonial master, as well as its “founding fathers” clearly appreciated the diversities of its people: politically, economically, culturally, religious wise and ethnically. Within a Pan-African recognition of the cultural and historical unity of Africa, they realised that for the “mere geographical expression” to forge ahead as a country and become a nation, the best form of coexistence politically is a FEDERAL REPUBLIC.
On the FOUNDATION of this, it was granted independence and self-government in 1960 and became a republic in 1963, with an appropriate Constitution. However, the mismanagement of its freedom by its disoriented political elites led to military intervention in 1966, to civil war that lasted till 1970, and to military staying in government till 1979. That chain of event destroyed the foundation of the Federal Republic completely.
The return to democratic rule was then supervised by the very architect of the destruction of the Federal and Republic foundation – the military, which bequeathed a centralised dictatorship to their civilian colleagues in the garb of a democracy via the 1979 Constitution. The civilians stayed only 4 years before the military again came back uninvited, stayed till 1999, and bequeathed a repacked 1979 Constitution as 1999 Constitution, much more anti-Federal, anti-Republic, dictatorial and anti-people, to their civilian prodigal partners, and Nigeria has been perambulating in the wilderness nike lunar gato 2 hyper blue volt , Украина #179264456 , Снижка! футбольные бутсы nike air zoom mercurial 43 + подарок — цена 2100 грн в каталоге Бутсы ✓ Купить мужские вещи по доступной цене на Шафе since then till date; far away from its father’s home though still bearing its father’s name – Federal Republic of Nigeria.
A Republic “is a state in which supreme power is held by the people,” modern republic being founded on the idea that sovereignty rests with the people, who have equal rights and responsibilities before the law, without any person, class or group having any special privileges by birth or association.
A Federation is “a group of states with a central government but independence in internal affairs.” It is “the formation of a political unity, with a central government, by a number of separate states, each of which retains control of its own internal affairs.” The economic and political concerns, especially territorial defence, that motivate the formation of political unity in a central government are always clearly defined, asides those, every federating entity is independent in the conduct of its internal affairs.
Long years of military in government left a negative legacy of centralism, arbitrariness, subversion of rule of law, abuse of human rights, abuse of power, impunity and corruption of the public service. It bred nepotism, non-accountability, the sole dependency on oil rent revenue while travis scott air jordan 1 retro low og black olive release date fall 2024 neglecting all other forms of productivity, and promoted favouritism and sectional oppressions along ethnic and religious fault lines.
All these were bequeathed to the civilian political elites who were mostly co-travellers of the military and whose greed, indolence, lack of imagination and sustained fixation on oil rent revenue sharing conditioned against rethinking the non sustainability of the present operating system and a return to genuine federalism. The sharing of oil rent accruals into the “federation account” and its unaccountable spending as the executives deem fit became the do-or-die objectives of politics and of “governance.”
The federating units at inception were the regions, which were balkanised into states by the military. However, each state still knows its regional origin. Therefore, truthfully reconfiguring the “federating units” without actually returning to the old regions (which is no sin or crime or an impossibility anyway) is no big deal and the argument that the currents states are no federating units (being creations of federal military governments is mere lame excuse.
If Nigeria is to ever make any progress (however many years we spend electing politicians into offices and whichever be the names of the Parties or the quality of persons assembled there), no progress will be made as per democracy, rule of law, sustainable development or dividends of good government until we uninstall the current “unitary” operating system and re-install a true federalism operating system. Indeed, the swansong going forwards should be “Return to True Federalism – A Task That Must Be Done!” The sooner begun, the sooner done.
The opinions expressed in this publication are solely those of the author. It does not represent the editorial position or opinion of OSUN DEFENDER.
