DUMP YAHOO! DUMP HOTMAIL! Get Nigeria's own NAIJANET.COM FreeMAIL! It's Fast, Private, No Junk Mails. Brought to you by Odili.NET and Nigeriaworld  SIGN UP   NEWSTALK   GENERAL MESSAGES   DIASPORA ISSUES   REUNIONCENTRAL   SCIENTIFIC NIGERIAN   BUSINESSLINK   FUNNIES   SPORTSTALK NIGERIA   ANNOUNCEMENTS   CHATROOM

To fully understand the present crisis in Nigeria, one has to take a look at the political leadership of Nigeria since independence. The objective of this piece is to show clearly the real motive behind the present crisis, the masquerades behind the crisis and the challenge before the south and middle belt Nigeria if Nigeria is to remain one.

The control of the government had been in the hands of the north since independence and with the failed coup and counter coup,the north remained in control of government. The counter coup and hostilities that followed against Nigerians of Igbo origin culminated in a 30 month civil war which cost the Igbos millions of lives, and loss of property and economic power. At the end of the war,the Military President of Nigeria, General Gowon had pledged that there was no victor and no vanquished and pledged to begin reconciliation,reahabilitation and reconstruction and in simple terms national healing. President Gowon himself is a Christian and hailed from the north. He was not however part of the ruling hausa/fulani oligarchy which had dominated and controlled the apparatus of government. Gowon had pledged also to return the country to democratic rule but later reneged on his pledge.This followed massive corruption in Government at a time Nigeria was savoring it's new found oil money spinning machine. Obafemi Awolowo the Vice President of the Federal Executive council was the first to quit and later in 1975,a group of army officers overthrew General Gowon on grounds of principle and the massive corruption that pervaded government. The coup was announced by one of his kinsman who is a Christian and was commander of the brigade of guards, Colonel Joseph Garba. A core northerner and Moslem, Brigadier-General Murtala Rufai Mohammed became President and pledged to rid the nation of corruption and indiscipline and set a four-year transition timetable for his government.. Unfortunately, about six months later, he was assassinated in a failed coup by a group of soldiers also from the north. The Vice-President at the time was Olusegun Obasanjo who became President and ruled Nigeria for the balance of the four-year term. However,Olusegun Obasanjo being a southerner was not well received by the north, which had hitherto controlled government. In order to appease the core north, which had maintained monopoly over the rulership of Nigeria, a relatively junior army officer, Shehu Yar' Adua was appointed Vice President. One unique thing about this military government then was that they had a mission, which they genuinely tried to accomplish, and Obasanjo himself followed religiously the program originally set out.

OBASANJO'S FIRST MISTAKE

The ban on politics was lifted in1978 and five political parties were registered namely the NPN controlled by the core north, the UPN controlled by the south west, the NPP controlled by the south east in association with the middle belt, the GNPP and PRP controlled by the common folks from the north. The constitutional requirements for a candidate to be duly elected were two and at the elections, none of the two leading candidates fulfilled both conditions. The constitution provided for an Electoral College in the event none of the candidates fulfilled both conditions. The first candidate was Shehu Shagari of the NPN and from the Hausa/Fulani dominant group and the next was Obafemi Awolowo from the southwest. The other parties had entered a political alliance known as the Progressive Parties Alliance. These parties had more votes in the Electoral College and naturally Awolowo would have been the choice of the college made up of the north, southwest, southeast and south- south Nigeria. Awolowo himself was a Christian, an accomplished businessman, lawyer, very disciplined, and principled. The hausa/fulani group was not comfortable with this and Obasanjo himself from the same region as Awolowo decided to interfere with the electoral process. Behind the scene,Obasanjo came up of with a ridiculous interpretation of the constitution to thwart the will of the majority Nigerian electorate and appease this Hausa dominant group.. Of course this was litigated up to the Supreme Court which unfortunately gave its blessing to this constitutional fraud. With this, the core north now saw Obasanjo as their favored southern stooge. Shehu Shagari, a relatively obscure Politician with minimal exposure, experience and education thus became Nigeria's first executive President.

PRESENT SHARIA CRISIS

My purpose of discussing briefly the past political power structure in Nigeria is an attempt to bring to focus the histogenesis so to speak of the present crisis. It is obvious from the brief account why the north gave General Obasanjo total support in the last elections. Obasanjo did not get the support of his southwest group because he betrayed them in the past and he was not trusted. However, on being elected he faced the bitter truth, which was the fact that he did not have a political base. His kinsmen rejected him and in a bid to strike an accord as a truly national leader, he failed to succumb to the blackmail of the north that had given him political support. Obasanjo broke the control, which the north had over the economy and the Political set up in the country. In the process, the Igbos of the southeast origin lost out in the political power sharing process. One thing that must be noted however is that since the end of the civil war thirty years ago, the Igbos have always lost out both in terms of economic and political power. For instance, in the government of General Muhammed, only one Igbo officer was appointed into the ruling Supreme Military Council. Nigeria is a very unique country because of its diversity;up to 250 ethnic groups each struggling to have equal opportunities within the Nigerian family. In an effort to satisfy all these diverse groups,President Obasanjo assembled a bloated cabinet in the face of hard financial times. Inspite of the policy of all inclusiveness, President Obasanjo failed to meet the expectations of most of these groups. The all inclusiveness incorporated mediocrity in Government and is probably why the Government has not made any meaningful impact in the economy. A look at some of the government appointees will probably help explain Obasanjo's predicament in being free to act as he deems fit.

Chief of Staff, Presidency Major-General Abdullahi Mohammed (retired) core north Moslem
National Security Adviser Lt.-General Muhammad Aliyu Gasau (retired) core north Moslem
Defense Minister Lt.-General Theophilus Danjuma (retired) middle belt Christian
Chief of Defense Staff Vice-Admiral Ibrahim Ogohi core north Moslem
Chief of Army Staff Major-General Victor Malu middle belt Christian
Chief of Air Staff AVM Alfa core north Moslem
Chief of Naval Staff Rear Admiral Ombu south Christian
Inspector General of Police Musliu Smith south west Moslem

The core north controls all the Foreign Affairs and Finance ministries, while the southwest produced the governor of the Central Bank. Curiously enough, no Igbo from the southeast were considered for any plum position in the executive.

One of the causes of the collapse in the infrastructure in the economy is the massive corruption and indisciplne that characterized previous military regimes. President Obasanjo had at his inauguration promised to fight corruption and naturally those involved happen to also be those who controlled government and economic power. Most of them belong to the core northern group so the anti corruption crusade seems to be directed at them. These powerful political leaders from the north in a bid to keep government off their back have been lobbying behind the scene to assemble the northern majority in the national assembly to impeach the President. So far, the President has committed no impeachable offense and as if that failed, these political leaders set the SHARIA FIRE by willfully violating the secular nature of Nigeria. The real motive is to cause confusion and destabilize the government of President Obasanjo.

THE WAKU CONTROVERSY

A few months ago, a senator of the federal republic, Joseph Waku, was alleged to have called for the over throw of the Government.The senator is from the north middle belt axis and a Christian. His alleged statement was seen as part of the northern conspiracy against the President. There were many criticisms, many of which included a call for the senator's expulsion and trial for treason. Many commentators including myself had called for caution in condemning the senator.Those writers argued that the senator had exercised his right to freedom of expression by expressing his disappointment with the performance of the President. In the end, the senate cleared Senator Waku of all charges.

HIDDEN AGENDA

Today, the sharia fire has burnt parts of Nigeria and many innocent Nigerians lost their lives as a result of the madness. It is clear that if in fact there was a northern conspiracy, the core north, that is, the hausa/fulani group have their own hidden agenda - the commencement of the second jihad. This certainly is not what Senator Joseph Waku was talking about. It is a matter of regret that two past presidents of Nigeria Shagari and Buhari have taken sides in the crisis,throwing to the gutters any semblance of statesmanship that could have been ascribed to them. They have made statements, which are not only inciting but threaten the peaceful resolution of the crisis. It is important to note that during their tenure, none tried to declare a state religion. Why now is sharia that important? Is it a smokescreen to dissuade the government from pursuing it's anti-corruption crusade which may eventually catch up with Buhari who was involved with the Petroleum Trust Fund or Babangida who is alleged to have massively enriched himself at the expense of the nation? Or is it a ploy by the north to take back the power which they consider as their divine right?Or is it a ploy to force Islamic religion on the Christian population of Nigeria? In my view, the sharia fire was set for all these multiple objectives. Certainly, the Joseph Wakus, Solomon Lars, David Marks, John Shagayas, Theophilus Danjumas, Victor Malus, Joshua Dogonyaros, John Madakis cannot be part of this grand conspiracy. They are now aware of this hidden agenda and they cannot play dumb as the masquerades torpedo this democracy. When Buhari and Idiagbon ruled Nigeria, both were Moslems and it was not an issue. Nigerians favored an Abiola/Kingibe ticket, both Moslems and religion was not an issue. Christians have wanted peace at all cost and so do the regular Moslems.

THE CHALLENGE TO SOUTHERN AND MIDDLE BELT NIGERIA

Although President Obasanjo has remained adamant on the question of seeking constitutional interpretation from the courts, his fears may not be totally unfounded. Chief Justice Mohammed Uwais recently made comments that suggest his inclination when he knew the matter was far from over. When referred by his questioner to an earlier statement made by his predecessor Justice Mohammed Bello, Justice Uwais stated that was Bello's opinion suggesting he disagreed with Bello. Having made such statement and given his position as CJ, it seems to me Uwais will not have any moral or ethical right to seat on the Supreme court panel if the matter were to get to that level. If Uwais has any honor, that is what he ought to do, decline from sitting on the panel.

The utterances of Shagari and Buhari seem very belligerent and it seems they are not ready for any conciliatory moves. It is clear the trio of Babangida,Shagari and Buhari have a hidden agenda-the total islamization of Nigeria or the second jihad. I know the middle belt and the south do not want a state religion. The declaration of sharia law in some northern states, and the follow up by other states after the council of states meeting shows they are not ready for peace. The grievance of these elements is not the perceived marginalization of the north. Rather it is a hidden agenda hitherto unknown by the middle belt axis of the north.It is a sad reminder of the unfinished business of Gideon Orkar.That unfinished business is the reason the Sharia fire is burning today and that is the challenge of southern and middle belt Nigeria.

There is mutual distrust of the Yorubas within this group; the south and the middle belt. The Igbos have been hurt before,and badly too. The south south has also suffered the side effects of all these,and it is this lack of total cohesion in the south that gives the core north the impetus to hold Nigeria to ransom. Inspite of this lack of cohesion,there is still hope within these regions. The southwest has a great stake in the struggle since the Mafia is bent on disrupting the southwest mandate. The southwest has to take the initiative in gaining the confidence within these regions. They must realize other Nigerians voted for Obasanjo and must necessarily have expectations of equal opportunity. The group called the Patriots is an example of how to begin to regroup. The group must be expanded to include Nigerians from the middle belt area,to be more national in outlook. Through tolerance,compromise,understanding,patience,fortrightness ,there could be a mutual understanding to face the challenge. The task to keep Nigeria secular is a collective one and all hands must be on deck.

Again on the other hand,those Igbos who have always advocated political association with the core north had better think twice. Any Igbo who refuses this challenge is a traitor and must be treated as a saboteur. Today,Dr Ekwueme ought to be counting his blessings for in every disappointment,there is a blessing. A new Igbo leadership ought to emerge and there are many good sons of Igbo land who are very capable. Former Vice President Ebitu Oko Ukiwe is a good example of a progressive Igbo leader. There are many other examples and it is not my intention to delve into that matter here.

Now is the time! Now the momentum is high! Don't let Sharia destroy Nigeria. Keep our ethnic egos in the back seat so that we can face the challenge squarely. To keep Nigeria secular is a task that must be accomplished.