Mar. 9, 2014
NewsRescue
by Dr. S. Okechukwu Mezu
Abstract:
The Igbos of the Lower Niger River, like the Hausas in the Upper Niger stretching to Niger, Chad and Sudan, Fula in Guinea, the Yoruba in the West of the River Niger extending to Benin Republic, like other ethnic nationalities, existed and had a structure and governance system before the Berlin Conference of 1884-1885, where Europeans, in a scramble for Africa, partitioned and destroyed African nations’ respective self-governance and autonomy leading in 1914 to the Amalgamation by Britain of the Southern and Northern Protectorates to create an unstable entity that is called today Nigeria.
Independence in 1960 added political instability to the centrifugal forces of geography and ethnicity. Rather than wish away one hundred years of an acrimonious marriage blessed with children, even if they are quarrelsome, Nigeria needs decolonization. To realize this, we start from the known and generally accepted to the unknown – the entrenchment of the Six Zone structure as a basis for a confederation and a transformation and renaming of “Nigeria” to create federating units based on the Zonal structure, with the Southeast Zone for example, transforming itself following a referendum to Ala Igbo (Igbo Nation). Other zones will have the right to exercise similar options. Nigeria, thus decolonized, ceases to exist, becomes transformed into the United Nations of Africa.
This leaves open the possibility of other African nations joining the Union. This paper attempts to provide a structure and governance system for such an Igbo Nation (Ala Igbo) and further postulates that with a similar decolonization of other amalgams created by Europeans as perpetually warring states in Africa and their unending internal squabbles and civil wars, a real United Nations of Africa will be created that respects individual freedom and ethnic sensibilities while laying the groundwork – the vision of Kwame Nkrumah, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Sekou Toure, Patrice Lumumba, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Emperor Haile Selassie, Marcus Garvey, William Du Bois, etc. – for a United Nations of Africa for the glory of Africa at home and the diaspora.– Dr. S. Okechukwu Mezu
The Federal Republic of Nigeria
The Federal Republic of Nigeria as presently constituted has been an albatross equally inimical to the interest of the majority tribes or nations of Nigeria as it has been unfair and detrimental to the development and self-realization of the aspirations of many of the minority tribes or nations within the country. One out of every five Africans is a Nigerian. This has led also to sometimes unwarranted distrust of Nigeria in pan-African affairs from the time of the mild-mannered Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa through the rightfully anti-Western and anti-segregationist pan-Africanist stands taken by General Murtala Mohammed and General Sani Abacha. Just as the sheer size and population of Nigeria has impeded African unity, the sheer size and population of the three major dominant tribes of Nigeria (Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba) have not only negatively affected the coherence and integration of Nigeria but retarded the desired sprint to a new world of some of the more pushful and progressive elements in Nigeria. This problem is unfortunately compounded in practically every country in Africa that was created, amalgamated, ceded, forced into a union following the Congress of Berlin in 1885 and the change of the fortunes of European colonial powers following the First (1914 – 1918) and Second (1940 – 1945) World Wars – Nigeria, Camerouns, Ghana, Mali, Morocco, Senegal, Liberia, Nigeria, Chad, etc.
Forced to “abandon” their colonies, following the Second World War at the same time that the United States was forced to “abandon” segregation, the colonial powers constitutionally entrenched centrifugal forces and bipolarity in the emerging nations of Africa as if they deliberately programmed them to fail. Sir Ahmadu Bello and his people were set against Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and his people and and Chief Obafemi Awolowo and his people in Nigeria. In Ghana it was Kwameh Nkrumah against Busia, in Senegal, Senghor against Mamadou Dia, in Mali Modibo Keita against Fily Dabo Sissoko, in the Congo, Patrice Lumumba against Kassavubu and Moise Tshombe, Algeria Bouteflika against Ben Bella, in Kenya Tom Mboya against Oginga Odinga.
The dictatorship of the majority, like the unjustified anarchism of the minority has never been the norm in traditional Africa, definitely not in Igboland (Ala Igbo). Government was by consensus; government was communalistic and reduced to the lowest common denominator. How do we then incorporate this governmental DNA into the new agglomeration necessitated by modern exigencies imposed by globalization, international communications and cross-border interactions that now defy land, sea, air and space demarcations?
Some would say that the dissolution of the largest agglomeration of tribes and/or nations in Africa (Nigeria) would constitute the greatest set-back to the development of the black continent and the full realization of the aspirations of black world, continental and diaspora, in a world greatly and speedily becoming a global village while at the same time reasserting unacceptable racial and national disparities based on color and race. The fact remains that this agglomeration Nigeria has not facilitated but rather impeded the unification of Africa during the past fifty years of independence.
Nigeria is made up of various ethnic nationalities. None of the various nationalities should dissolve into the other or lose its specificity, whether cultural or religious, for the sake of a Nigerian nation. In the words of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu:
“I am a Nigerian. But I am also an Igbo. It is my being Igbo that guarantees my Nigerianness as long as I live. Consequently, my Nigerianness shall not be at the expense of my Igboness. The Nigerian nation must therefore work for all ethnic nationalities in Nigeria” http://nigeriaworld.com/articles/2009/dec/161.html.
This is not far removed from the words of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, [L’Energie Humaine (1962)] who wrote in his book Human Energy
“Why do we hesitate to open our hearts wide to the call of the world within us, to the sense of the earth?…Men suffer and vegetate in their isolation; they need the intervention of a higher impulse, to force them beyond the dead point at which they are halted and propel them into the region of their deep affinity. The sense of the earth is the irresistible pressure which comes at a given moment to unite them in a common enthusiasm…The age of nations has passed. Now unless we wish to perish we must shake off our old prejudices and build the earth.” To those who would like to see this as racism or tribalism, Leopold Sedar Senghor, apostle of Negritude would counter: “Négritude… is neither racialism nor self-negation. Yet it is not just affirmation; it is rooting oneself in oneself, and self-confirmation: confirmation of one’s being. It is nothing more or less than what some English-speaking Africans have called the African personality.”
For Senghor, Négritude (Black or African Personality) must take its place in contemporary humanism in order to enable black Africa to make its contribution to the “Civilization of the Universal,” which is so necessary in our divided but interdependent world.
This is true equally of the Nigerian nation. Igboness is neither racist nor tribalistic. It is neither racialism nor self-negation. It is an affirmation of a being, confirmation of oneself as a being. Igbo personality must take its place in contemporary humanism and Nigerian nationhood just like the individual personalities of other nation groups in Nigeria. The 50 million Igbos of Africa and the diaspora must bring their quiddity, to the collective called United Nations of Africa (Nigeria) and super-collective called Africa. The Igbo person, like any other ethnic person, is neither a beast nor an angel. The defeat of Biafra can partly be attributed to the same centrifugal forces that vitiated Nigeria – suspicion from Biafran minority tribes and fear of Igbo domination. Of course minority ethnic groups within a Biafra nation have as much right to self determination as the Igbos of Biafra and Nigeria.
Missed Opportunities for South Eastern States
What efforts have the South Eastern States (Ala Igbo) made to even maintain the educational, industrial and agricultural legacies our political forebears (Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, (Governor General, Nigeria), Dr. Michael Okpara (Premier, Eastern Nigeria) Dr. Akanu Ibiam (Governor, Eastern Nigeria), Jaja Wachukwu (Federal Minister, Foreign Affairs), Raymond Amanze Njoku (Federal Minister, Transportation), Aja Nwachukwu (Federal Minister, Education), Dr. K.O. Mbadiwe (Federal Minister, Commerce), left behind. What is the fate today of Golden Guinea Industries, Premier Breweries, Nkalagu Cement Industry, Asbestos Industries, Glass Industries, Modern Ceramics Industry, Shoe Industry, Adapalm, Cashew Industries, Concorde Hotel, Hotel Presidential, the Universities, the Government Secondary School System, the quality of elementary education? What is the state of peace, tranquility, decorum and respect for human life, for core Igbo values of hard work and service to the people and the race? What is the state of Town Union cooperation and leadership that collectively sent the first generation of African scholars to America and Europe? What efforts have we made to work within the existing structure and foster interstate cooperation, intrastate economic policies, road and transport development, rail development, joint projects in the area of electricity generation and distribution, harmonized educational and technological development under a Regional Higher Education Commission and inter-parliamentary associations? Do the Igbo states have to wait on the Federal Government to construct within a year the Enugu-Umuahia-Aba-Port-Harcourt Expressway and turn it into an eight-lane Super Highway?
Agglomeration or Disintegration
It was Dr. Kwameh Nkrumah who in 1966 asserted following the overthrow of the Government of Tafawa Balewa that the tragedy of Sir Abubakar was his failure to recognize that the choice was between Africa’s immediate integration or the disintegration of Nigeria itself. Barely six weeks later, Ghana was on the verge of disintegration, Kwameh Nkrumah was sent into exile in Egypt and it took Ghana over twenty-five years to strive to find its bearing again. How do we then maintain a balance or equilibrium between agglomeration and disintegration, self-realization, individuation, and black nationalism and ethnic identity in Nigeria or Africa?
United Nations of Africa (UNA)
What we propose is a peaceful decolonization of the entity called The Federal Republic of Nigeria and its immediate replacement with United Nations of Africa (UNA). Presently, Nigeria is divided into thirty-six (36) states and the Federal Capital Territory.
|
State |
HASC |
FIPS |
Population |
Area(km.²) |
Area(mi.²) |
Capital |
| Abia | NG.AB |
NI45 |
2,833,999 |
4,857 |
1,875 |
Umuahia |
| Adamawa | NG.AD |
NI35 |
3,168,101 |
37,957 |
14,655 |
Yola |
| Akwa Ibom | NG.AK |
NI21 |
3,920,208 |
6,788 |
2,621 |
Uyo |
| Anambra | NG.AN |
NI25 |
4,182,032 |
4,761 |
1,838 |
Awka |
| Bauchi | NG.BA |
NI46 |
4,676,465 |
48,197 |
18,609 |
Bauchi |
| Bayelsa | NG.BY |
NI52 |
1,703,358 |
9,363 |
3,615 |
Yenagoa |
| Benue | NG.BE |
NI26 |
4,219,244 |
30,755 |
11,875 |
Makurdi |
| Borno | NG.BO |
NI27 |
4,151,193 |
72,767 |
28,095 |
Maiduguri |
| Cross River | NG.CR |
NI22 |
2,888,966 |
22,112 |
8,537 |
Calabar |
| Delta | NG.DE |
NI36 |
4,098,391 |
17,095 |
6,600 |
Asaba |
| Ebonyi | NG.EB |
NI53 |
2,173,501 |
6,342 |
2,449 |
Abakaliki |
| Edo | NG.ED |
NI37 |
3,218,332 |
19,584 |
7,562 |
Benin City |
| Ekiti | NG.EK |
NI54 |
2,384,212 |
5,797 |
2,238 |
Ado-Ekiti |
| Enugu | NG.EN |
NI47 |
3,257,298 |
7,560 |
2,919 |
Enugu |
| Federal Capital Territory | NG.FC |
NI11 |
1,405,201 |
7,569 |
2,922 |
Abuja |
| Gombe | NG.GO |
NI55 |
2,353,879 |
17,428 |
6,729 |
Gombe |
| Imo | NG.IM |
NI28 |
3,934,899 |
5,135 |
1,982 |
Owerri |
| Jigawa | NG.JI |
NI39 |
4,348,649 |
23,415 |
9,041 |
Dutse |
| Kaduna | NG.KD |
NI23 |
6,066,562 |
44,217 |
17,072 |
Kaduna |
| Kano | NG.KN |
NI29 |
9,383,682 |
20,389 |
7,872 |
Kano |
| Katsina | NG.KT |
NI24 |
5,792,578 |
23,822 |
9,198 |
Katsina |
| Kebbi | NG.KE |
NI40 |
3,238,628 |
36,320 |
14,023 |
Birnin Kebbi |
| Kogi | NG.KO |
NI41 |
3,278,487 |
29,063 |
11,221 |
Lokoja |
| Kwara | NG.KW |
NI30 |
2,371,089 |
33,792 |
13,047 |
Ilorin |
| Lagos | NG.LA |
NI05 |
9,013,534 |
3,475 |
1,342 |
Ikeja |
| Nasarawa | NG.NA |
NI56 |
1,863,275 |
26,633 |
10,283 |
Lafia |
| Niger | NG.NI |
NI31 |
3,950,249 |
72,065 |
27,824 |
Minna |
| Ogun | NG.OG |
NI16 |
3,728,098 |
16,850 |
6,506 |
Abeokuta |
| Ondo | NG.ON |
NI48 |
3,441,024 |
15,019 |
5,799 |
Akure |
| Osun | NG.OS |
NI42 |
3,423,535 |
8,585 |
3,315 |
Oshogbo |
| Oyo | NG.OY |
NI32 |
5,591,589 |
27,036 |
10,438 |
Ibadan |
| Plateau | NG.PL |
NI49 |
3,178,712 |
26,539 |
10,247 |
Jos |
| Rivers | NG.RI |
NI50 |
5,185,400 |
10,361 |
4,000 |
Port Harcourt |
| Sokoto | NG.SO |
NI51 |
3,696,999 |
32,146 |
12,412 |
Sokoto |
| Taraba | NG.TA |
NI43 |
2,300,736 |
59,180 |
22,850 |
Jalingo |
| Yobe | NG.YO |
NI44 |
2,321,591 |
44,880 |
17,328 |
Damaturu |
| Zamfara | NG.ZA |
NI57 |
3,259,846 |
33,667 |
12,999 |
Gusau |
| Total |
140,003,542 |
911,519 |
351,938 |
|||
|
||||||
http://www.statoids.com/ung.html
The Federal Republic of Nigeria presently made up of thirty-six states and the capital Abuja will metamorphose into a “United Nations of Africa (UNA),” with a six-zone regional structure composed of the present North-Central (Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, and Federal Capital Territory, Abuja), North-Eastern (Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe), North-Western (Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara), South-Eastern (Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo), South-South (Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Rivers), South-Western (Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo) with possible capitals in Ibadan, Enugu, Port-Harcourt, Kaduna, Jos and Maiduguri.
http://en.wikipedia.org
Each zone will then on its own reserve the right to rename its Region subject to a plebiscite or an Act of their respective Zonal Houses of Assembly. The Southeast zone comprising Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states will be transformed into Ala Igbo (Igbo Nation).
I. Structure and Governance of Ala Igbo
1. There shall be established a Legislative House of Assembly for Ala Igbo.
2. The Ala Igbo Assembly shall have thirty-six elected Members, three from each of the twelve Provinces in Ala Igbo.
3. The Members of Ala Igbo Assembly shall elect one of their Members as the Premier who shall also serve as Head of Government and Chief Executive Officer.
4. The Chief Executive Officer shall head the Executive Branch of Government and shall nominate for approval by the Assembly twelve Commissioners to head various branches of government run by career civil servants.
5. The Members of the House of Assembly shall be elected for a term of two years and may only serve two consecutive terms.
- II. Provincial or Local Government
1. There shall be established Local or Provincial Government Councils in Ala Igbo based on the former administrative divisions which were in use in colonial and immediate post-independence Nigeria, namely; Abakiliki, Afikpo, Awka, Awgu, Onitsha, Nsukka, Udi, Aba, Bende, Okigwe, Orlu, Owerri. Each Metropolitan area within a Local or Provincial Government shall have the right to establish subject to a referendum and approval by the Provincial Government a Mayoral Government for the said Metropolis which shall share power, infrastructure and resources as determined by the Provincial Assembly. The Provincial Assembly shall have the right to establish further autonomous divisions and sub-divisions for the good and effective government of the people.
2. The Ala Igbo Provincial and Local Government Councils like all Mayoral Councils, shall have ten (10) Councilors elected for a term of two years and may only serve for two consecutive terms.
3. The Members of Ala Igbo Provincial, Mayoral or Local Government Councils shall elect one of their Members as the Premier/Mayor who shall also serve as Chairman of the Council and Chief Executive Officer.
4. The Local Government Council Chairman shall head the Executive Branch of the Local Government and shall nominate for approval by the Council five Directors who will head various branches of the Local Government which shall otherwise be run by career civil servants.
5. The Local Government shall make harmonized laws binding on all the citizens in the LGA and shall apply and implement such laws uniformly among and within the Local Government.
6. Each tier of government within Ala Igbo shall:
- ensure uniform citizenship rights of each and every citizen across and within its jurisdiction;
- construct and maintain physical and functional systems facilitating communication, education, healthcare, energy supply, trade, transportation and National culture among all the citizens in its jurisdiction;
- have complete control of its natural resources subject to Ala Igbo Assembly Taxes and other laws passed by the Ala Igbo Assembly.
- ensure that citizenship and membership of a Province shall be automatic for all native peoples and other residents of the Provincial community at the time of creation of the Province;
- ensure that residence within an LGA, Province or Mayoralty for at least one year shall confer on a resident who so desires membership of that jurisdiction with all citizenships rights including the right to vote or be voted for in elections;
- ensure that all rights of citizenship of Ala Igbo shall be respected and enjoyed by all and the Laws of Ala Igbo Assembly shall take precedence over the laws of its constituent elements.
III. Ala Igbo and the United Nations of Africa (UNA):
1. The United Nations of Africa shall be responsible for and act on behalf of participating and constituent nations and entities in the following areas subject to the customary practice of modern sovereign and independent nations.
a) Defense and National Security
b) National Air Space and International Waters definition and management
c) International Trade and Foreign Exchange Management
d) International Relationships and Diplomacy
e) International Borders, Boundary Definition and Management
f) Citizenship and related issues, including Passport and Visas
g) Currency
h) Census
2. The United Nations of Africa (UNA) shall make harmonized laws binding on all the Zones and shall apply and implement such laws uniformly among and within the Zones;
3. The United Nations of Africa shall ensure uniform citizenship rights of each and every citizen across and within the constituent nations.
4. The United Nations of Africa shall construct and maintain physical and functional systems facilitating communication, education, healthcare, energy supply, trade, transportation and National culture among all the constituent nations.
5. The United Nations of Africa guarantees that each constituent nation or entity shall have complete control of its natural resources subject to any laws passed by the UNA National Assembly.
| Region |
Pop-1953 |
Pop-1931 |
Area(km.²) |
Area(mi.²) |
Capital |
| Eastern |
7,217,829 |
4,315,695 |
76,363 |
29,484 |
Enugu |
| Northern |
16,153,333 |
11,434,924 |
684,487 |
264,282 |
Kaduna |
| Western |
6,359,717 |
3,802,680 |
117,593 |
45,403 |
Ibadan |
|
Province |
Pop-1953 |
Pop-1931 |
Area(km.²) |
Area(mi.²) |
Capital |
Reg |
| Abeokuta |
630,000 |
434,526 |
11,049 |
4,266 |
Abeokuta | W |
| Adamawa |
3,558,000 |
652,361 |
53,926 |
20,821 |
Yola | N |
| Bauchi |
1,424,000 |
1,025,310 |
67,650 |
26,120 |
Bauchi | N |
| Benin |
901,000 |
493,215 |
21,968 |
8,482 |
Benin | W |
| Benue |
987,358 |
72,344 |
27,932 |
Makurdi | N | |
| Bornu |
1,118,360 |
105,112 |
40,584 |
Maiduguri | N | |
| Calabar |
1,541,000 |
899,503 |
16,174 |
6,245 |
Calabar | E |
| Colony |
510,000 |
325,020 |
3,577 |
1,381 |
Lagos | W |
| Delta |
591,000 |
444,533 |
16,680 |
6,440 |
Warri | W |
| Ibadan |
1,651,000 |
11,709 |
4,521 |
W | ||
| Ijebu |
348,000 |
305,898 |
6,361 |
2,456 |
Ijebu-Ode | W |
| Ilorin |
531,000 |
537,559 |
45,892 |
17,719 |
Ilorin | N |
| Kabba |
664,000 |
462,726 |
28,368 |
10,953 |
Lokoja | N |
| Kano |
3,398,000 |
2,436,844 |
43,072 |
16,630 |
Kano | N |
| Katsina |
1,483,000 |
24,517 |
9,466 |
N | ||
| Niger |
716,000 |
473,067 |
74,245 |
28,666 |
Minna | N |
| Ogoja |
1,082,000 |
708,538 |
19,386 |
7,485 |
Ogoja | E |
| Ondo |
945,000 |
462,560 |
21,139 |
8,162 |
Akure | W |
| Onitsha |
1,769,000 |
1,107,745 |
12,631 |
4,877 |
Onitsha | E |
| Owerri |
2,078,000 |
1,599,909 |
10,021 |
3,869 |
Port Harcourt | E |
| Oyo |
783,000 |
1,336,928 |
25,110 |
9,695 |
Oyo | W |
| Plateau |
892,000 |
568,738 |
32,183 |
12,426 |
Jos | N |
| Rivers |
748,000 |
18,151 |
7,008 |
E | ||
| Sokoto |
2,681,000 |
1,815,178 |
94,475 |
36,477 |
Sokoto | N |
| Zaria |
806,000 |
1,357,423 |
42,704 |
16,488 |
Zaria | N |
| Total |
29,730,879 |
19,553,299 |
878,444 |
339,169 |
||
|
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http://www.statoids.com/ung.html
IV. Directive Principles
1. Ala Igbo constitution shall guarantee the freedom of religion and the nation shall not create or promote one religion over another;
2. Ala Igbo shall maintain and uphold the tradition Igbo land tenure system. Land shall belong to individuals and communities as enshrined in their custom and may only be conveyed by them to the government for public and collective use only and after adequate and appropriate compensation. Government shall the power to acquire land for eminent domain with compensation after due process hearing and approval by the respective jurisdiction or Council. All such Government Land Acquisition shall solely be for public purposes with no power or authority to alienate such acquisitions;
3. All governmental units at all levels shall encourage the speedy survey and registration in the name of the owner or community all land within its jurisdiction.
4. Ala Igbo shall enshrine in the constitution the freedom of the fundamental right to information, knowledge and ideas, freedom of expression within the bounds of law and government shall have no right to abridge or restrict these rights.
5. English and Igbo shall be the recognized language of discourse in government and the Ala Igbo National Assembly. Government shall also make such laws as needed to promote the use and development of Igbo language and culture.
6. All powers not specifically vested on the government of Ala Igbo or its Assembly shall be deemed reserved for the Local and Provincial Government.
- V. The United Nations of Africa National Assembly
1. There shall be a Federal Unicameral Legislature made up of 30 Legislators from each Zone.
2. The Members of UNA Assembly shall elect one of their Members as the Premier who shall also serve as Head of Government and Chief Executive Officer.
3. The Chief Executive Officer shall head the Executive Branch of Government and shall nominate for approval by the UNA Assembly twelve Secretaries to head various branches of government run by career civil servants.
4. The Members of the UNA National Assembly shall be elected for a term of two years and may only serve two consecutive terms.
- VI. UNA Federal Government Power and Structure
The United Nations of Africa shall be responsible for and act on behalf of participating and constituent nations and entities in the following areas subject to the customary practice of modern sovereign and independent nations:
1. Defense and National Security
2. National Air Space and International Waters definition and management;
3. International Trade and Foreign Exchange Management
4. International Relationships and Diplomacy;
5. International Borders, Boundary Definition and Management;
6. Citizenship and related issues, including Passport and Visas;
7. Currency;
8. Census;
9. Legislative Functions which shall include the right:
a) to make harmonized laws binding on all the member components of the United Nations of Africa and to apply and implement such laws uniformly among and within the component nations;
b) to ensure uniform citizenship rights of each and every citizen across and within the United Nations of Africa;
c) to construct and maintain physical and functional systems facilitating communication, education, healthcare, energy supply, trade, transportation and National culture among all the constituent nations;
d) to ensure that each constituent nation or entity shall have complete control of its natural resources subject to any laws passed by the National Assembly of the United Nations of Africa.
- VII. The Police Force
1. There shall be a National Police force and a National Bureau of Investigation charged with Investigative powers throughout the Federation. All arrests shall be in coordination with the constituent nations’ police force.
2. The Prime Minister of the UNA shall appoint the Inspector General of Police subject to the confirmation of the UNA Assembly and such appointments shall be for a term of two years and shall not be renewable.
3. There shall be an autonomous Police Force for each constituent nation within the United Nations of Africa;
4. Each Federal, Zonal, Provincial and/or Local or Mayoral Government shall also have its own autonomous Police Force whose head shall be appointed by the respective Chief Executive Officer for a term not exceeding two (2) years from Serving Career Federal, Zonal, Provincial, Local or Mayoral Police Officers.
5. The UNA Police Force shall have power and authority over intra zonal and intra regional matters;
6. The Zonal Police Force (for example, Ala Igbo Police Force) shall have power of investigation across individual provinces and also the power of arrest in coordination with autonomous sub-zonal police units;
7. Each Police Force shall within its jurisdiction be autonomous, shall have the power of investigation within its area of jurisdiction and across sub-unit police formations, as well as the power of arrest within its jurisdiction and shall work in conjunction with neighboring police formations to effect service and arrest of fugitives under the law;
8. By and large, the respective Police Formations shall be recruited from citizens of the area including residents of the jurisdiction who are eligible to vote and be voted for;
- VIII. The Judiciary of the United Nations of Africa
1. The UNA shall have a Federal Supreme Court for the Federation, a Federal Court of Appeal in each of the constituent zones and a Federal High Court in each of the Provinces or agglomeration of Provinces within the Zonal structure;
2. The Supreme Court of the Federation shall be made up of twelve Senior Judges appointed two (2) from each of the present six (6) zonal governments, nominated by the Chief Executive Officer of the UNA and subject to confirmation by the National Assembly. The appointment shall be for life.
3. Ala Igbo National Assembly shall establish a Supreme Court for the State made up of six judges elected from a pool of twelve judges nominated one each from the twelve provinces of Ala Igbo, publicly screened by the Ala Igbo Assembly and elected by Ala Igbo universal suffrage. They hold office for a term of five years subject to a two-term limit.
4. Ala Igbo Assembly shall establish a Provincial High Court for each of the Provinces under its jurisdiction. Their appointment following recommendation by the Chief Executive of the Provincial Assembly and after public screening by the Assembly shall be for a term of four (4) years and renewable for another term of four (4) years after further screening and confirmation by Ala Igbo National Assembly.
5. Ala Igbo Assembly shall establish similar Magistrate and/or Provincial High Courts in Provincial sub-divisions and Mayoralties as deemed fit for the better service of the nation.
6. The Judiciary shall define and determine its rules of procedures.
IX. Elections and Electoral Commissions
1. There shall be established a UNA National Election Commission which shall be responsible for setting the date for national elections within the United Nations of Africa. The National Election Commission shall have no right to conduct elections of any kind in any of the constituent units of the Federation.
2. The conduct of all elections within the constituent nations of the United Nations of Africa shall be the sole responsibility of the Zones’ Electoral Commissions set up under the laws of each Zonal National Assembly.
3. The Zonal Electoral Commission shall forward the results of national elections in the Zone immediately to the National Election Commission. The results of all elections shall be announced subject to verification at the polling unit level and broadcast provincially, zonally and nationally as the case may be.
X. Government Structure of United Nations of Africa
XI. The Structure and Powers of the Government of Ala Igbo
1. There shall be an Ala Igbo National Assembly which shall have the powers as enumerated:
a) Levy Taxes
b) Originate a budget and Appropriate Revenues for the benefit Ala Igbo citizens;
c) Originate laws for good order and the conduct of civil society;
d) Raise an a structured Police Force;
e) Oversee the execution of laws;
f) Ala Igbo Assembly shall define and adopt its rules of procedure.
g) The remuneration of Ala Igbo Assembly Members shall not be more than 150% of the salary of the highest paid Career Civil Servant;
2. Appointment of Prime Ministers and Commissioners
a) There shall be a Council of Ministers under the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister shall be elected by a simple majority of the members of Ala Igbo Assembly and ceases to function as Prime Minister when he loses a confidence vote of a majority of the Members of Ala Igbo Assembly.
b) The Prime Minister shall exercise executive powers subject to the oversight of Ala Igbo Assembly. The Prime Minister shall have the power to veto legislative measures enacted by the Ala Igbo National Assembly but such a veto shall be overturned by a majority of two-thirds of Ala Igbo Assembly Members.
c) Secretaries of Ministerial Council of Ala Igbo
Members of the Ministerial Council known as Secretaries of Departments shall be nominated by the Prime Minister and shall after screening require a simple majority of votes of Members of the Ala Igbo National Assembly for ratification of their appointment.
XIII. Tiers of Government of Ala Igbo
Ala Igbo shall have the following tiers of Government:
- Ala Igbo National Government made up of the Ala Igbo National Assembly, Ala Igbo Judiciary and Ala Igbo Executive Government.
- Twelve Ala Igbo Provincial Governments (namely: Abakiliki, Afikpo, Awka, Awgu, Onitsha, Nsukka, Udi, Aba, Bende, Okigwe, Orlu, Owerri) made up of the Ala Igbo Provincial Assembly, Ala Igbo Provincial Judiciary and Ala Igbo Provincial Executive Government.
- Ala Igbo Local and Mayoral Government Councils as determined by the Provincial Assembly, Ala Igbo Local and Mayoral Government Judiciary and Ala Igbo Local Government and Mayoral Council Executive Government.
- Ala Igbo District Governments as determined by the Ala Igbo Local or Mayoral Government Council, Ala Igbo District Judiciary and Ala Igbo District Council Executive Government.
- Ala Igbo Town Unions after recognition by the District Government shall exist as non-for-profit autonomous social and developmental organizations.
- No tier of Government shall make laws contrary to the laws of the unit of government above it or the laws of Ala Igbo Constitution.
- All Elections on all levels of government, with the exception of bye-elections which should be conducted within ninety days of vacancy, shall be by secret ballot and conducted on the same day as determined by the law of Ala Igbo National Assembly and the voting age shall be eighteen (18) years with universal suffrage.
XI. Fundamental Rights
Fundamental Human Rights are enshrined in the Ala Igbo Constitution by law and by natural right and cannot be abridged by any government or by legislation. These rights shall include but are not limited to
a) Freedom of Liberty and freedom of association and movement;
b) The right to pursue freedom and happiness within the law;
c) The right to life and fulfillment;
d) The right to pursue knowledge and enlightenment and creativity;
e) The right to own and acquire property rights, physical, natural, intellectual within the law;
f) Freedom from discrimination on the basis of sex, race, national origin, ethnicity, etc.
XV. Amendment of the Constitution of Ala Igbo
The Constitution of Ala Igbo may be modified or amended when necessary by a two-thirds vote of Members of Ala Igbo National Assembly and further approved by a simple majority of the votes of two thirds of all Provincial Assemblies of Ala Igbo.
Dated this 20th day of February 2014
References:
Azikiwe, Nnamdi. “Address to the Ibo People”, 1949. http://www.blackpast.org/1949-nnamdi-azikiwe-address-ibo-people
Biafra Charter: The Charter Constituting The Government of the Federation of Biafra
http://www.biafraland.com/BGIE/Biafra%20Charter.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Africa_ethnic_groups_1996.jpg
http://www.statoids.com/ung.html
Mezu, S. Okechukwu. The Tropical Dawn, poems, Baltimore, Maryland, 1966; Buffalo, Black Academy Press, Inc., 1970, 60 p.
_____. Leopold Sdar Senghor et la dfense et illustration de la civilisation noire, S. Okechukwu Mezu. Paris, Marcel Didier, 1968, 232 p.
_____ . Black Leaders of the Centuries, S. Okechukwu Mezu, & Ram Desai, eds. Buffalo, Black Academy Press, Inc., 1970, 302 P.
_____ . Behind the Rising Sun, a novel about the Biafran war. S. Okechukwu Mezu. London, William Heinemann, Ltd., 1971, 242p; paper edition (African Writers Series, No. 113) London, Heinemann Educational Books, Ltd., 1972.
_____ . Modern Black Literature, S. Okechukwu Mezu. ed. Buffalo, Black Academy Press, Inc., 1971, 200 p.
_____ . The Literary Works of Senghor, S. Okechukwu Mezu. London,
Heinemann Educational Books, Ltd.,- 1972, 121 p.
_____ . Igbo Market Literature, S. Okechukwu Mezu. compiler. 5 vols., Buffalo, Black Academy Press, Inc., 1972, 4000 p.
_____ . The Meaning of Africa to Afro-Americans: A Comparative Study Of Race & Racism, S. Okechukwu Mezu. ed. Buffalo, Black Academy Press, Inc., 1972, 175 p.
_____ . Umu Ejima (The Twins), S. Okechukwu Mezu. An Igbo adaptation of the Latin play, Menaechmi by Plautus. Owerri, Black Academy Press, 1975, 60p.
_____ . Leopold Sedar Senghor, by S. Okechukwu Mezu. London: Heinemann, 1973.
_____ . Ken Saro-Wiwa: the life and times, S. Okechukwu Mezu. ed. Baltimore, Black Academy Press, Inc. 1996
_____ . Nigeria Ojukwu Azikiwe Biafra Beyond the Rising Sun. Baltimore. Black Academy Press, 2012, 162 p.
_____ . Contributions to other publications:
Das Junge Afrika, ed. Janheinz JAHN, Munich, Carl Hanser Verlag,1965.
Das Schlagenorakel, ed. by Janheinz JAHN, Munich, Carl Hanser Verlag, 1966.
Local Government in Africa Since Independence, Lincoln University Press, 1966.
Entflammte Rivalen, Munich, Verlag Kurt Desch, GMBH, 1970.
African Literature and the Arts, Vol. 1, ed. by J. Okpaku, New York, Thomas Y. Cromwell, 1970.
Topics in Afro-American Studies, ed. by Henry J. Richards, Buffalo, Black Academy Press, Inc., 1971.
African Writers on African Writing ed. by G. D. Killam, London, Heinemann Educational Books, Ltd., 1972.
Leadership, Culture and Racism, ed. By Rose Ure Mezu, Baltimore, Black Academy Press, Inc., 1999
Religion and Society, ed. By Rose Ure Mezu, Baltimore, Black Academy Press, Inc., 1999
Translations into French by Dr. S. Okechukwu Mezu
Le probleme de l’unite du Nigeria: Le Cas du Nigeria Oriental, 52 p.
Pogrom au Nigeria 27 p.
15 Janvier 1966: Avant et Apres, 86 p.
Nigeria et Biafra: Au carrefour des options, 76 p.
Allocution devant l’Assemble Consultative du Nigeria Oriental, 30 p.
Proclamation de la Republique du Biafra, 16 p.
Ojukwu, Chukwuemeka O. “ND’IGBO SHALL REGAIN POLITICAL RELEVANCE IN NIGERIA IN MY LIFETIME.” http://nigeriaworld.com/articles/2009/dec/161.html.
Copyright © 2014 by Dr. S. Okechukwu Mezu. All Rights reserved.
