July 23, 2014
NewsRescue
by Samuel Olanrewaju
Hundred years ago! There was young promising damsel with great potential in the forest of west Africa and young energetic man with a bright future in the savannah of Africa above the river Niger, they have being living separately until
the arrival of white men. These foreigners drags both to alter, put rings to their fingers and ask them to live as a couple! what a fraudulent, forceful, colonial and fruitless wedding?
Before the arrival of the british/colonial master in late 18th century, we have established Benin Kingdom, Borgu Kingdom, Fulani Empire, Hausa Kingdoms, Kanem Bornu Empire, Kwararafa Kingdom, Ibibio Kingdom, Nri Kingdom, Nupe Kingdom, Oyo Kingdom, Songhai Empire and Warri Kingdom. These kingdoms and empires stand as a different nations. But In 1880 southern Nigeria was conquest by British, in 1900 Sokoto caliphate was established through Jihad, in 1901 Christian missionary actually began in southern Nigeria, in 1903 British conquered most of northern Nigeria include Sokoto caliphate, in 1905 British
conquest of southern Nigeria ended, in 1912 Lord Lugard governor of northern Nigeria established a system of indirect
rule and in 1914 northern Nigeria and southern Nigeria were amalgamated to Nigeria.
We got independent on October 1960, seven years later the flames of fire set by the British began to manifest, the civil war started. Since this time things has not been well with this false union and it has never produce a single fruit. But our leaders keep deceiving us that all is well. Why nothing is well!
On March 29, 2010 Late Colonel Muammer Gaddafi said on BBC that Nigeria need to divides along ethnic line, that Nigeria should follow the model of Yugoslavia that is Yoruba, Hausa, Ibo and Ijaw should stand as a different nation, he was saying this to back his earlier call which he says Nigeria should divide into two like India and Pakistan, that is Northern and southern Nigeria. Nigerian call this man different names for saying this bitter truth and telling us the obvious and real problem of Nigeria! Gaddafi was attacked from many Nigeria elite and our legislators call him a mad man while Nigeria Foreign minister call him irresponsible, Libya ambassador was send back to Tripoli, he was call dog, goat and so on by some Nigeria leader which none of them has never and can never achieve just 5% of Gaddafi achievement! Of a truth Gaddafi is more than a prophet, since 1960 ethnicity has been the mother of all Nigeria problems.
But what remain a mystery to me is that, what is the reason why our leaders keep on deceiving us one Nigeria while they
know Nigeria is a country of many nations? Why are they postponing the separation of this un fruitful and forceful
marriage? I’m sure they knew the union is not working? Why our leaders hiding the truth for us? Why can’t we find a lasting solution to our problem instead of managing it? Why are we busy cutting the leaf of a tree while we leave the root
uprooted? Why do we comforting ourselves with a lie? And many why?
I salute the courage of Arewa youth for hitting the nail on the head! What a courageous youth! last week at the Emir of Kano palace this group of Arewa youth demanded disintegration of Nigeria, which I see as a welcome idea. Before this bombshell some group in Naija delta has call on their warriors to resume back to creeks and demanded 100% total control of resources in their domain. Last week a Yoruba group called O’dua Nationality Coalition(ONAC) says they demanded and support Oduduwa republic, some Yoruba leaders has also been calling for Yoruba regional autonomy for a long time. it will be a things of joy for Igbo’s to achieve their long time dream of Biafra! What else again?
Latest treats by a group of concerned Arewa citizens on Monday 21 July, submitted a bill to the Kaduna house of
assembly seeking a law for the registration of southern in Kaduna state and other part of northern Nigeria. With this no southerners wishing to enter the boundary of the north shall be permitted to do so unless such is duly register with the appointed authority.
I supported National conference at the beginning but I was surprised and disappointed when Federal government later said ‘the unity of Nigeria is not negotiable’ what then the purpose of this important gathering? As we celebrate our
centenary I thing all we need to do is to evaluate the past hundred year and ask ourselves some critical and logical
questions, such as; did we we benefited as a result of our coming together? Is there a reason to continue together? If
yes, what do we need to do as a nation to utilised our coming together? How do we get rid of ethnicity and tribalism? What
do we need to do to make every tribe/region happy and give them sense of belonging? How do we wish to strength inter-tribe, inter-region relationship? What do we need to do that will make every Nigerian see themselves as a Nigerian
and not as Hausa, Ibo or Yoruba? some leaders came with the ideal of NYSC in 1973 after the civil war to strength the
inter-tribal/ethnic relationship, what do we need to do to curb the ethnicity and tribalism-Which is the mother of major
Nigeria problem include corruption? And many more question and if the answer to the question can we continue to live together as a nation is no then the conference should discuss how to separate amicably without war or fight.
I strongly support Nigeria disintegration, to me that will be the best things ever happen to Nigeria, just imaging how
great Republic of Oduduwa will be in the next 50 years with Yoruba exposure, education, hard working, tolerance,
accommodation, liberty, natural and human resources etc we have all it take to become USA or Canada of Africa. Just
Imagine the propose Republic of Naija deltas with their oil they have all it take to become Dubai(UAE) or Russia of Africa
in next 20 years. Imagine the Igbo’s having their dream Republic of Biafra with their intelligent, business and entrepreneur acumen, knowledge of science, hard working, natural and human resources they have all it take to become
China or Israel of Africa in the next few years. look at Republic of Arewa, with their livestock, agriculture, population, land mass, hard working, mineral resources that have all is needed to be greater than Brazil or India in term
of agriculture in the next couple of years. Imagine Republic of Middle belt with their varieties of mineral resources, agriculture, tourism, amongst others they have all it take to become France or Netherlands of Africa.
Some one says is not easy to separate without blood I say is very easy since we have all agree to go! Someone will say we are going to loose a lot of things I says no! what we will only lose is the population and land mass that we have never utilised, Mind you we have some great nation that is not up to a state in Nigeria both in population and land mass, examples were; Israel, Luxembourg, Hong Kong, Singapore, Monaco, Seychelles and many others. Seychelles is the smallest Africa country yet they are better than Algeria who has the largest land mass or Nigeria who have highest population, this country is far better in term of standard of
living, education, tourism and other things! Some one say our Military strength! This is not determined by number of personnel alone, Israel as a nation is just 8 million plus which is not up to many states in Nigeria yet Israel alone face 13 countries in 1967 during the six days war and she won the war! So what else again?
Let take a clue from former USSR in 1991 that breaks into 15 nations, namely Russia, Ukraine, Meldova, Estonia, Latvia,
Belerus, Lithuania, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Azerbaijan. We need to follow the path of Yugoslavia in 1992 that breaks into Slovenia, Macedonia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenego, Bosnia, Herzegovina and Kosovo. On 14th August 1947 Pakistan separated from India. In 2011 south Sudan separated into independent country. So what are we still waiting for? Why postponement? They can never be a better time the best time is now! Good bye Nigeria! Welcome Federal Republic of Odua, Federal Republic of Biafra, Federal
Republic of Arewa, Federal Republic of Naija Delta and Federal Republic of Middle belt!!! God bless you all!
Samuel Olanrewaju Bill(STAR).
samolabill@gmail.com.