By Mayowa Okekale, Abuja
The 2015 Nigerian general elections which reflected the census of each ethnic group in the country proved ethnic sovereignty over nationalism in Nigeria. Orubebe's outburst at the election result declaration ground enunciated sophistry of Nigerian nation. Should we continue with status quo or go for real change? Remaining with status quo means continuation of poverty, political instability, economic mismanagement, inequity, religious insurgency (Boko haram).
I've been hearing and reading some victorious incoming political actors saying that It is not the political structure that is wrong, but the political leadership. I quite disagree with this school of thought. I don’t know how a good sailor could sail to the coast with a bad ship engine or how a good cook would bring on the table palatable pounded yam made from water yam. Nigeria consists of many ethnic groups with different needs and desires that cannot be satisfied with general provisions.
The differences have to be respected. Let me state clearly that stateless religious status of Nigeria commonly referred to as secularism is not acceptable to the northern Muslims. A true Muslim's culture cannot be completed without monarchical government. I need to be informed of a Muslim dominated country that substitutes monarchy for democracy that is not plagued with Islamic insurgency .
Islamism and Democracy is abominable while Western culture and Islamic culture are water and fire that cannot remain together. Every time I watch obscenity emanating from the western culture on Nigerian Television, my mind feels for the Northern Muslims. The irony of it is that while the masses of the northern Nigeria desire to have full Islamic society, the few elites and power holders in the North are supportive of secularism because of their haramic indulgences.
I just want to know how long we shall continue to fuel carnage of Islamic insurgency in Nigeria because of haramic indulgences of few rich in the north and unworkable Political structure of Nigeria. Meanwhile, with understanding of repetition as concern and emphasis, I am saying it once again that the present political structure of Nigeria, which is Unitary system of government otherwise called centralism, is not appropriate for Nigeria and will continue to jeopardize progress for the country.
In this my self- engaged cerebral work, I researched into the political structures of developed democracy, searching for the most suitable one to recommend for my nation. In the course of my research, i came to disagreement with popular opinion that United States of America is a heterogeneous society. One should not be confused by the historical background of the citizens of United States of America, American citizens may be historically multiracial but contemporary America is homo-cultural and homo-lingual. Americans speak English and behave English, however with minor amendments.
Americans do not speak Ibibio, Swahili , Hebrew or Greek language. Americans are not racially nor ethnically segregated. The issue of religion has been successfully relegated to inconsequence. There is no factor of comparison of America with Nigeria. Nigeria must have a political structure, a structure that must work for her, political structure that must bring prosperity, Political structure that must endure forever. I gave a thought on Switzerland’s federalism, India’s kind of federalism and I found such political structure substantially applicable.
Nigeria can only survive on loose federation, the kind of political structure that will accommodate our ethnic and religious differences, kind of political structure that will make the northerners to practice their Islamism as in Saudi-Arabia. With this kind of political structure I am proposing, federation units would consist of homogeneous people, that is, people of the same ethnic and religious group. Each unit would be administratively and economically independent of each other. Each unit would have power to make laws suitable to the religion and culture of her own people. In this proposed political structure, the institutions that will exclusively be under the central government will be the Army, Immigration and external affairs.
Customs and excise is an economic bureau that should be federating unit’s affairs. It should be understood that labeling political structure is no longer in vogue as every nation’s political structure is assumed unique. However, this proposed political structure is proximal to what is known as con-federation. My fellow compatriots, we have no alternative than to return to the basics. We should not be sadistic to continue to ride on in the ditch. If we throw a hand fan up two hundred times, it would land on its’ side. Without a change at the base, there can’t be a change up there. Let us build an enduring political structure and not be expecting miracle from a sapped strength.
