“There can be no justice without peace, and there can be no peace without justice.” — Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., chanted this statement outside a California prison, which was holding Vietnam War protesters on December 14, 1967.
Since the end of the 30-month fratricidal civil war in Nigeria (Jul 6, 1967 – Jan 15, 1970), there have been continued calls for dismemberment over pertinent issues of discontents.
Pathetically, some 52 years after the end of that civil war declared “No Victor, No Vanquished,” the Mutual Suspicions, Social Injustices, Political and Economic Marginalization, Oppression, Mass Killings, Misgovernance among other vices, that led to the war, subsist till date.
Flashback: Ugly Issues That Led To The Civil War
Among other things, they included:
1. Mutual suspicion between Igbos & Northernerns pre-dating independence.
2. 1945 and 1953 premeditated pogroms on Igbos in Jos and Kano in opposition to Igbos’ role towards the struggle for Nigeria’s independence.
3. The January 15, 1966 Kaduna Nzeogwu-led coup, tagged “Igbo Coup,” against corruption, anarchy in the Western Region- Operation Wetie (soak him with petrol and set him ablaze), etc.
4. Head of State, Gen. Aguiyi Ironsi’s failure to punish the coup plotters and promulgation of Decree No. 34, which gave birth to Unitary and Over-Centralised Government. Nigeria’s Achilles heel till date.
5. The July 29, 1966 Northern Counter Coup spearheaded by Theophilus Danjuma, et al.
6. Anti-Igbo pogrom in the North from May 21, 1966, reaching its peak Sept 29, 1966. Between 8,000 & 30,000 Igbos were estimated killed. A further 1 million Igbos fled Northern Region to the East.
7. Counter killings of some northernerns in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, etc.
8. Yakubu Gowon’s emergence as Head of State, instead of the Most Senior military officer, Brig-Gen. Babafemi Ogundipe. He feared for his life, as northern soldiers were unwilling to take orders from a Christian southernern.
9. Chukwuemeka Ojukwu’s angst against insurbordination in the military that forced Ogundipe to United Kingdom, and Yakubu Gowon’s emergence as Head of State on August 1, 1966.
10. Gowon’s noncompliance to the letters of the Aburi Accord reached with Ojukwu, in Aburi, Ghana, Jan 4-5, 1967.
The above mentioned events, not excluding nepotism, cronyism, lack of meritocracy in the military and civil service, as well as international influence, particularly from Great Britain, sparked the 30 months fratricidal civil war in Nigeria, with the Gowon-led Nigerian National government firing the first salvo.
January 15, 2022, made it exactly 52 years a civil war was fought in Nigeria. May 30, 2022 will make it exactly 55 years that a budding Republic named BIAFRA, was birthed in the African continent.
After over five decades of that debacle, the pertinent question remains, for Nigeria and her peoples, so far, how well?
Sadly, after over five decades of palpable peace, the ugly issues that sparked the Biafra/Nigeria Civil War still rear their ugly heads in today’s Nigeria.
Social Injustices, Mass Killings, Ethnic Cleansings, Corruption, Nepotism, Mutual Suspicion among the ethnic nationalities have worsened.
These worrying issues have conspicuously gone South under the present President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.
Historically, from 1953 to the last in 2014 under former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, successive leaderships in Nigeria have continued to convene and convoke National Constitutional Conferences, National Conferences, Political and Academic Conferences. Yet, zilch.
Nigeria is about the only country, the world over, that fought a civil war, without learning no lessons.
In the immortal words of the great Spanish writer and philosopher, Jorge Agustín Nicolás Ruiz de Santayana y Borrás (George Santayana), he wrote, “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”
It is highly imperative at this moment of Nigeria’s chequered history to critically examine where we are coming and where we are headed to.
Before it is too late, Nigeria’s ruling political elites in Aso Villa, the National Assembly, the Governor Kayode Fayemi-led Governors Forum, State lawmakers, local council leaders, the Media, the academic community, the business community, Nigeria’s intelligentsia community, et al, should converge to allow for the Restructuring of Nigeria, to allow for a True Representative Democracy (Compound Republicanism) based on government by the consent of the governed.
Ahead of #NigeriaDecides2023, such a government can only be guaranteed through a Peoples Constitution (not the 1999 military dictatorship-framed constitution), to among other things give the Nigerian people, a Free, Fair and Transparent elections.
The world over, the primary purpose of a legitimate government is to secure and protect inalienable natural rights, among which are Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness.
Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of the above ends, it’s people’s right to alter or abolish it through the Ballot.
Nigeria’s founding fathers foresaw today’s disarrayed Nigeria, thus, why they opted for a Loosed Federation (Parliamentary Regionalism), at Independence, on October 1, 1960. Such government system encouraged inward thinking, healthy competitions, rapid growth and development within the regions, and across Nigeria. Far from the obtainables today.
That era (1960-1966) had very brilliant minds like: The Nnamdi Azikiwes of this world, Tafawa Balewas, Ahmadu Bellos, Obafemi Awolowos, Anthony Enahoros, Jaja Wachukus, Jerome Udojis, Festus Okotie-Ebohs, Raymond Njokus, Matthew Mbus, Aja Nwachukwus, K.O. Mbadiwes, Samuel Akintolas, Remilekun Fani-Kayodes, Adegoke Adelabus, J.M. Johnsons, Kola Baloguns, Ayo Rosijis, Muhammadu Ribadus, Zanna Bukar Dipcharimas, Taslim Olawale Elias, Muhammadu Ribadus, Inua Wadas, Maitama Sules, Shehu Shagaris, Olu Akinfosiles, Usman Sarkis, T.O.S. Bensons, Waziri Ibrahims, Yisa Yar’Aduas, Adeniran Ogunsanyas, Adeleke Adedoyins, Richard Akinjides, Alade Lamuyes, Ayo Rosijis, Moses Majekodunmis, Jacob Obandes, among many others.
Before the 1994/1995 Constitutional Conference put up by the Gen. Sanni Abacha’s regime, Chief Alex Ekiotenne of RIERPO, had argued: “The first question we must answer is if the diverse groups feel this federation (Nigeria) is no longer beneficial, then, we should dissolve peacefully without bloodshed like Czechoslovakia & Soviet Union.”
Howbeit, giving today’s prevalent socio-political and economic circumstances in Nigeria, and amid the steep calls for secession within the South East and South West geo-political zones, I’ve some fundamental concerns. Concerns on:
1. Ethnic altercations over overlapping national borders?
2. Larger market?
3. International recognition?
4. Passport and visa requisites to travel to say from Anambra State to Delta State; Anambra State to Kogi State; Edo State to Ondo State; Enugu State to Benue State; Abia State to Rivers State; Abia State to Cross Rivers State?
5. National ideals of the Declaration of Independence/Secession?
6. National ideals of the Independence Constitution such as the form of government and its mechanisms among which are separation of powers, checks and balances, government branches and tiers, an independent Judiciary, Press Freedom, Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion and Worship, among others?
That said, me thinks, our own Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, as well as Sunday Igboho, et al, should restrategise and transmogriphy their causes into gigantic social movements for the restoration of Justice, Egalitarianism, Public Accountability and Good Governance across their regions, and Nigeria in general.
Their movements can be morphed into watch-dogs for guaranteeing quality leaders emerge through the ballots across all tiers and branches of government, especially within their geo-political zones.
Me thinks, doing so would among other things, buy for their movements, the requisite local, national and international emancipation sympathies necessary for the securing and protection of inalienable natural rights of their people, among which are Right to Life, Personal Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness.
Ikenna Asomba is a Journalist and student of Compound Republicanism, he writes from Charleston Illinois, United States.
