NIGERIA: ARE WE A COUNTRY ON A DEMOCRATIC JOURNEY OR JUST A COUNTRY OF DRIFTERS?

In my discussions with a lot of informed analysts and commentators, one thing always seem to stand out – THE PAST ALWAYS SEEM BETTER THAN THE PRESENT. On the other end, it always seems like the future is vague and given that scenario, we usually walk back to the past.
NIGERIA’S POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT FROM SELF GOVERNMENT IN THE 1950″S TO INDEPENDENCE AND THE 2 COUPS OF 1966:
Following the argument over self-government in the build-up to Nigeria’s independence, it was clear that crisis was brewing as the political class in the then 3 regions had discovered the route to earning and keeping political power through THE MANIPULATION OF ETHNIC IDENTITY. This played out in the 1951 as the Yoruba members of the NCNC cross-carpeted to the Action Group in a bid to forestall the emergence of Nnamdi Azikiwe as the leader of government business in the Western Region and NCNC was soon to do same as Eyo Ita, a minority South Easterner was soon displaced by Nnamdi Azikiwe. a majority Igbo in the South East. The Coup of January 1966 also came under the Ethnic Identity periscope as 5 Majors – 4 of them from the South East – were accused of killing political gladiators from the North and South West, leading to the reappraisal Coup of July 1966, led by Northern Officers and the Pogrom which followed mainly in the North against South Easterners; leading to a civil war. In all of these instances, it was the manipulation of ethnic identity, by political / military players, that was at play here and not religious identity.
THE MANIPULATION OF RELIGIOUS IDENTITY – FROM THE 49 WISE-MEN AND THE SHARIA DEBATE OF THE 1970’S TO THE PRESENT BOKO HARAM INSURGENCY:
In 1976, when the Murtala/Obasanjo regime put together a Constitution Drafting Committee led by Chief Frederick Rotimi Alade Williams – dubbed the 49 wise-men, little did we know that trouble was soon to brew, until the status of Sharia in the soon to be delivered 1979 Presidential Constitution, came up for debate. While those largely from the Christian dominated South felt that the Penal Code in the Independence Constitution which recognised the role of Sharia in dealing with Civil cases and not criminal cases should be adopted, others, largely from the Muslim dominated Northern Nigeria felt that Sharia should be extended even for criminal prosecutions. The absence of a win-win resolution of this stormy argument was soon to lead to the Maitasine riots of 1980 – 81. Although, these riots were quelled, a new phase in Nigeria’s political development had emerged – THE MANIPULATION OF RELIGIOUS IDENTITY FOR POLITICAL ADVANTAGE. This soon led to several religious riots across decades, leading to the Boko Haram insurgence which started in 2009 and continues to rage till date.
GOING FORWARD WITHOUT MOVING BACKWARD: 2015 ON MY MIND
As earlier stated, what has tended to happen in Nigeria’s political development, is that, rather than address issues which affect Nigeria’s diversity, politicians always play up differences in Ethnic and Religious Identity to gain advantage and by so doing, politicians have surreptitiously socialised Nigerians into the evil of ethnic mistrust, hatred and violence. As we go into the 2015 Presidential debate, Nigerian’s need to ask the two major players what their plans for inclusion and integration is. Inclusion and integration need not necessarily involve turning Nigeria into a MELTING-POT, as Ethnic and Religious identities cannot be wished away as the Bolsheviks did in the old Soviet Union following the revolution led by Lenin. Nigeria’s must on the flip-side, look out for policies which recognises and leverages Nigeria’s SALAD BOWL status, where Lettuce is different from Carrot and Carrot is different from Cabbage and Cabbage is different from Cream but they all come together, in a symphony to build the salad bowl.