IN these times of clamour for structural re-alignment of state boundaries and fiscal federalism, there is a dire need for profitable regional integration amongst nations within the Nigerian state. Groups must begin to leverage on their strengths and advantages and bring what they have to the table. If we all agree on the way forward, there will be progress. United we stand, divided we fall.
The Holy Bible says that if we are united on a thing, there is no height that we cannot attain; Genesis 11:6 “And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language, and this they begin to do; and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined.” kjv The whole north was united in the decision to vote out President Goodluck Jonathan, there was not one dissenting state. By the time Jonathan was effectively removed, everyone reverted to his/her own tent.
It is time for the South south region to realise that without a collaborative effort, issues that are common to their survival and progress will never be addressed. The term “divide and rule” did not start today. By circumstances of providence, the region has been blessed with abundant natural resources.
I am not talking about the crude oil here, I am talking about aqua culture, agriculture – rubber, cassava, palm oil, timber and many others. Because of these resources, the region has always attracted foreign traders and businessmen. The English and Portuguese merchants were regular visitors to the region, and what a kill they made out of it. – huge rubber, timber and palm oil exports. While doing this, they plotted to take over governmental control from the indigenes and they succeeded by setting tribes against one another. Hardly will you see two South south neighbours behave like true brothers and sisters.
At the glorious height of the Warri city in the sixties and seventies, we still witnessed skirmishes amongst the Urhobos, Itsekiris and Ijaws. The same situation existed amongst the Ikwerres and Okrikas, Ogonis and Andonis and many other areas of the region. They were either fighting for control of the commercial sources or for land. The colonial masters ensured that this situation remained until they departed and when Nigeria got independence, successive federal governments continued in that path.
It is not uncommon to find betrayers and saboteurs amongst the ethnic groups, struggling to win the support of the federal government to the detriment of others. At the discovery of crude oil, the fight was taken to another level and the federal government felt contented enough to sit and watch while the people kill themselves, like it happened with the Ijaws and Itsekiris. While people from outside the region were coming to take dominance of the oil businesses, allocating oil blocks to friends and cronies, the South south tribes were busy fighting themselves, and remained contented with the crumbs. Now things have turned around, the people are more conscious of their rights to the resources in their land and want more participation and control. But, unless they unite as one in their pursuit of the common objective, this dream will remain utopian.
Look at the ease with which the PIB (petroleum industry bill) was killed in the last administration, despite the presence of a South south man as President of the nation. The late reggae artist Peter Tosh sang; “Everyone wants to go to heaven but no one wants to die”. Every South south tribe wants to reap and control the resources but not one is ready to make the necessary sacrifice. We must begin with a clear understanding that sticking together will benefit the whole than for individual ethnic groups to pursue the cause.
We must be ready to respect the rights, culture and privileges of the other groups. There must be no superior airs, no nation is more superior than the other. In the United Nations, it does not matter the land mass or the population size, every nation is equal and entitled to only one vote. Let us come to rapprochement and come with a common goal for the region. The capacity of man is elastic, therefore, instead of spending valuable time thinking, planning and executing the suppression of neighbours, we should concentrate on our self development of race and tribe.
It is time for the sleeping giant inherent in the South south to wake up. To attain this, we must accord equal rights to all, not be greedy, recognize each other’s boundaries and be open and truthful in all issues of common concern. That is the way forward for the Nigerian south south region. Mr. Sunny Ikhioya, a public affairs commentator, wrote from Lagos.www.southsouthecho.com
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