Groping in the Dark 1914-2018

In view of the ongoing nightmarish partisan Political Election Rumblings for 2019, the demand for the Restructuring of Nigeria into a True Federation and the need for a speedy resolution of the acrimonious impasse in peace how, I forward herewith for the information and consideration of the Nigeria’s Elite particularly those in Politics and in Governance, my two well-researched Documents which may help of help in resolving the Situation. These Documents and writings are titled, (1) “Historic of Events that are a Cue for a National Dialogue of Nigeria’s constituent ethnic Nationalities for unity and peace to reign in Nigeria as a Nation State”, (2) “The Fate of Nigeria without a National Dialogue of the ethnic Nationalities comprised in Nigeria to address Nigeria’s continuing existence as a Nation State”, and (3) the serious message of the following Chapters of my recent 2017 Book, Second Edition, titled “Scientific and Technological Innovations in Biafra: The Ogbunigwe Fame , 1967-1970” namely, Chapter 2 dealing with Political Instability and Crisis of Good Governance in Nigeria from 1914-2018, Chapter 3, dealing with “The Making of Biafra:  Immediate Causes and Events, Chapter 8, dealing with Recommendations on how to resolve Nigeria’s Crises of Existence as a Nation State in peace, and Epilogue 2, which deals with the Audit of Military Intervention in Politics in Nigeria from 1966 and why Nigeria should NEVER AGAIN allow the Military in Governance of Nigeria.

What the above writings is telling Nigeria is to quickly Restructure Nigeria into a Consensus Terms of Union Federation as was the Case in Ibadan from 1952-1965, when Nigeria operated and witnessed relative unity, peace and economic progress as a Nation State of over 150 different / distinct ethnic Nationalities. What are these Terms of Union that guaranteed the relative Unity, Peace and fantastic Economic Progress in Nigeria? These Terms of Union of Nigeria’s over 200 distinct ethnic Nationalities domiciled along the length and breadth of the River Niger include the following, namely, (1) Each Federating Regional Government was totally independent of  each other and the Federal Government at the Centre, whose Responsibilities are primarily the mutually agreed Common Services by the Federating Regions or Units, (2) Each Federating Regional Government had its own Constitution and could legislate on the Concurrent List of Responsibilities as well as Regional matter (3) Before 15, 1966, the Regional  Governments had their own diplomatic relations in London and elsewhere to foster their economic and diplomatic engagements, (4) Each Federating Regional Government was free to develop at its own pace and factor endowments and was not held down by other Regions (5) That is why it was possible for Chief Awolowo of Western Region (now the 6 Western States and Edo and Delta States) to give free Scholarships for both free primary, Secondary and University to its Citizens and to achieve enormous economic progress in the Western Region and Dr. Azikiwe to build and establish the Regional University of Nigeria Nsukka and to give large number of Scholarships for University Education, Professional and Technical Education to the Citizens of Eastern Region of Nigeria (now 5 South East States and the Cross River State, AkwiIbom State, Rivers State and Bayelsa State), and made enormous economic achievements in Eastern Nigeria. This writer benefitted from this Scholarship largess in 1955/56 and that of Federal (Central) Government which enabled me to undertake Undergraduate Degree in Scotland (UK), and Postgraduate Research Degrees in Ontario Canada and in Manchester England (UK) which offered this writer to appreciate how Federal Nations work or function. That period, 1954-1965, was the glorious and peaceful Era in Nigeria. Alhaji Ahmadu Bello Leader of Northern Nigeria (now 19 States of the North) did not give such priority to Western Education and the consequence of that Policy is obvious in Northern Nigeria. (6)The important thing is that every Region or Federating Unit is free to adopt any economic and industrial policy without interfering with other Regions. (7)  There was healthy competition for development then throughout the country and no Federating Regional Government was worrying about who became the Executive Federal Prime Minister or Executive President of Nigeria. (8) There were no Crises of Marginalization, Religious Islamization or Christianization, no turn by turn battle to control the Federal (central) Government, no Admission Quota and even the Political Leaders stayed in their respective Regions and sent their Deputies to operate the Federal (Central) Government as nobody cared who was Nigeria President just like UK of Great Britain nobody cares who is the Prime Minister whether English, Scottish or Welsh of UK of Great Britain.

The above Federal Structure Arrangement is what is required to return Nigeria to its glorious past.  Certainly not the kind of thing that happened in Abuja in 2014 which was called National Conference to restructure Nigeria, which Recommendations made things even worse for Nigeria as a Nation State.

                          How to restructure Nigeria in Harmony and Peace.

The Exercise for the critical Restructuring for a True sustainable Federation should be as follows namely (1) those involved should be true Representatives of the ethnic Nationalities comprised in Nigeria, elected by the ethnic Nationalities themselves and not selected or imposed by the Governors or President of Nigeria. See the case of UK of Great Britain of England, Scotland and Wales as Indicated in the Treaty of Union of 1707, which is a must read, in which the Monarchs of England, Scotland and Wales respectively led their respective Citizens to the Union Restructuring Conference, at that time there was no Parliament but the Rule of the Monarchs, (2) Now that a Representative Parliament is in place in Nigeria, the Decisions on the Restructuring Conference should be passed on to the National Assembly and the 36 States Assembly for Legislative Action (3) If 2/3 of National Assembly and 2/3 of the 36 State Assembly approve the Terms of the Union then by virtue of our current Constitution their Decisions will be sent to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for Assent and once he assents then Nigeria is automatically restructured (4) If in the unlikely Event of refusal by the President to assent the Decisions of the Assemblies, the matter will be sent back to the Assemblies for further action and if the Assemblies repass their Decisions, then the President Veto is over turned and the Decisions of the Assemblies become Law and Nigeria is automatically restructured into a Nation State of Nigeria. So, all these recriminations and battering of one ethnic Nationality against one or the other ethnic Nationality (Hausa – Fulani, Igbo, Yoruba, Kanuri, Tiv, Nupe, Ijaw and what have you, are misplaced and a wasteful effort and energy in futility. So there should be no more abuses, hatred, demonization of one ethnic Nationality or the other as responsible for the failure to Restructure Nigeria for real Unity, Peace and Economic Progress to reign in Nigeria as a Nation State. It is now the responsibility of Nigeria’s ethnic Nationalities in Nigeria not that of President and nor Governors and not even that of Nigeria’s self-serving Politicians. It is a collective responsibility and if it fails, it is a collective failure. Therefore, the on-going “Street Fighting” or blame Game on the vexed question on Restructuring should stop.    

More details on what to do to return Nigeria to its glorious past in peace are contained in the Attached Documents and my recent Book of 2017 on the matter titled “Scientific and Technological Innovations in Biafra: The Ogbunigwe Fame, 1967-1970” Second Edition 2017. This I believe will stop Nigeria from continuing to grope perilously and dangerously in the Dark. It is now the Responsibility of all ethnic Nationalities comprised in Nigeria to set in motion a process outlined above and to decide whether we want to continue to be one Country or go our separate ways in Peace. The partisan Political Parties now obsessed with 2019 have very little or no Role in the outlined process.

Felix N.C. Oragwu, FSAN, MInstP (IOP) London

Former Senior Academic in Physics, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, (UNN), from 1960s,
Head of Research and Development (R&D)  Planning Division / Coordinator of  Technological Services of the Industrial War Machine that operated in the defunct State of Biafra, 1967-1970.
Retired Senior Director in Charge of the Department of Science and Technology (S&T) Policy, Planning and Development of the Federal Government Ministry of Science and Technology (FMST) 1979-1987
Former Technology Development Consultant to UNECA, UNDP and UNIDO