(Published by THE VANGUARD Newspapers of 29 November, 2016)
By Carl Umegboro
The emblazoned preamble
of the Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution along with Section 2(1) which rhetorically provides
“Nigeria is one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign state to be known by the
name of the Federal Republic of Nigeria” is clearly symptomatic of oneness. In
reflection to a maxim, ‘unity is strength’, the aforementioned section is apt, regrettably,
events have continued to reduce the assertion to mere slogan or a deliberate
sham. Based on the perception, President Muhammadu Buhari recently reechoed the
indissolubleness of the nation in reaction to a sectional agitation for
cessation.
Disappointedly, the nation has continued to be measured by multiple
legal systems; Criminal and Penal Codes applicable in the south and north respectively,
and the Sharia law. This blooper itself clearly underscored aggregate disunity,
solecism and disaster. In addition, the incessant homicides perpetrated against
the southern indigenes particularly Igbos on account of religious extremism are
inconsistent with nationhood. A population with such orchestrated, egoistic and
unrealistic legal systems bombastically running against each other had ab
initio lost its fundamentals on nationality.
In a recent time, some Muslim
extremists brutally murdered a businesswoman, Mrs. Bridget Aghahime in front of
her shop of several years in the north for alleged blasphemy. As reported, the five
man-gang suspects arrested by the Police, in aberration were discharged by a
Kano Magistrate on the directives of the state’s Attorney General upon Director
of Public Prosecution (DPP)’s legal advice invoking Sec 211 which vests powers
of nolle prosequie, but expected to meet certain prerequisites; on public
interest, interest of justice and to prevent abuse of legal processes. Similarly,
an evangelist, Eunice Elijah was few months ago mercilessly hacked to death in
Kubwa during an early hour’s evangelism in sync with her belief and fundamental
right to religion. The litany of menfolk from the south resident in the north that
were sent to early graves remains innumerable, in fact routinely witnessed as common
incidents. If indeed the suspects were released for whatever reasons, succinctly,
a misnomer, condemnable, a gross pervasion of justice and obviously indicative
the one-Nigeria project is a myth. By releasing the culprits even when the
mourners are emotionally down, a strong message is communicated assuring of intimidating
backups to unleash more terrors to their innocent southern victims. These incongruities,
absurdities and unruliness attest to the weakness of the project.
Pro-Biafra activist and
Director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kalu who was arrested by the State Security
Service, (DSS) in October 2015 over his activities alongside his Independent
People of Biafra, IPOB initiative, over agitation for a sovereign state of
Biafra, was earlier charged on conspiracy and terrorism. He was later granted
bail by the Federal High Court, Abuja but rearrested on other charges.
Consequently, Kalu has since then remained in the custody while applications and
rejoinders by defense and prosecution counsels respectively have continued with
the charades in the court. The perceived Kalu’s abandonment by the elites, I
believe, was on account of his miscalculation by prematurely embarking on the
project at a wrong time. IPOB was launched immediately after the misconstrued
tribesman, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan lost out in an election massively contested
and participated by all the ethnic nationalities. Had it been the mêlée
kicked-off as a result of the Fulani herdsmen’s brutal invasions, massacres and
other intimidations of the Igbos, certainly, his support base would have recorded
stronger forces in the geopolitical zone. Or had it resulted from the arbitrary
killings of southern Christians in the north, undoubtedly, his arrest would
have met a total resistance or anarchy. Thus, timing is pivotal in all
adventures.
Democracy is largely
moored on give and take. And certainly, a winner and loser must emerge. To keenly,
unreservedly and liberally participate in the electoral process but refused to
accept its outcomes on account of preference of a particular candidate as
witnessed among Hillary Clinton’s supporters in the United States of America is
weird, uncivilized and awkward. To freely participate attests to willingness to
accept its outcomes provided in a free and fair contest. Nevertheless, matters
of this nature are better resolved politically with the leaders of the
geopolitical zone. This would certainly address the issues amicably as one of the
political tumults that usually occurs in any multi-ethnic society in a
developing society, and above all, strategically used as opportunity to
attentively thwart such agitations in the future. Imperatively, to untiringly file fresh cases could
amount to further marginalization of the south-east geopolitical zone putting
into consideration that similar actions had taken place in the past in other
geopolitical zones that never encountered the rate of imbalances the zone is
subjected.
Fulani herdsmen had
unleashed unprecedented, gigantic and excruciating mayhems that are offensive
to entire humanity. Innocent citizens had been invaded while asleep at
mid-nights right in their homes and brutally woke up in pains by punctures of
machetes, daggers, axes and hits of bullets leading to untimely deaths in
cold-blood and massive injuries. What crime is greater than such heartless,
barbarous and spiteful bestiality? Yet, no arrests talk less of detention or
prosecution. Similar incidents had also severally occurred in the north through
Arewa Youths and others in the north. Despite the nature of criminality, political
resolution was adopted and all charges against them withdrawn. Suffice to say
the federal government owes a duty to equitably extend the olive branch to the
south-east geopolitical zone by releasing and dropping all charges against Kalu
and all the political detainees rather than re-filing criminal charges.
Government, at the same time ought to unveil its plans towards redressing some
of the injustices and imbalances in the polity that could justify such agitations
in the future for enduring peace and stability. Undeniably, federal
government’s presence is visibly, ineffably and unbearably absent in the
southeast.
Umegboro is a public affairs analyst and
publisher.
- To trace in THE VANGUARD Newspapers,click here:http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/11/biafra-one-nigeria-project/
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