Social-cultural organizations like the Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, and Former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo have discussed why Nigeria is becoming a failed state.
The organizations recently organised a consultative dialogue held at the Shehu Yar’Adua Center, Abuja.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo who spoke at the event, declared that Nigeria “is becoming a basket case and poverty capital of the world.”
“And socially, we are firming up as an unwholesome and insecure country,” he added.
He attributed the situation to what he called “recent mismanagement of diversity and socio-economic development of our country.”
Obasanjo said, ‘“It would appear that anybody not dancing to the drumbeat nor joining in chorus singing would be earmarked as ethnically unpatriotic or enemy of its tribe or geographical area. In short, the country is fast moving to the precipice.
“But happily, I observed that the five socio-cultural political groups gathered here have been getting together to find common ground, areas of agreement or accord for moving Nigeria away from tipping over,” he said.
The former president further warned those pushing for disintegration in Nigeria. He said, “if even Nigeria is broken up, the separated parts will still be neighbours. And they will have to find accommodation as neighbours or they will be ever at war.
“And those who prevent justice to be done invite violence to reign.”
However, he said “I see a ray of hope that Nigeria can be saved from disintegration. If we are ready to live together in understanding, mutual respect, and love with equity, justice, inclusiveness while engendering a sense of belonging and unity of purpose and all hands on deck, we can deal with internal issues of terrorism, organised crimes, banditry, kidnapping, human trafficking, drug, money laundering, and corruption.
“We will then be able to deal successfully with any incoming attack of terrorism, organised crimes, etc, from outside.
“Today, that is a sure threat dangling over the heads of all of us, no matter our tribe, religion, geographical location, social standing, age, or gender.
“That ray of hope was somewhat manifested in the last ten days or so when the Northern Elders Forum and Yoruba Summit Group complemented each other in their separate press releases on the Senate idea of inviting submissions from the Nigerian public for Constitution amendment which had been regular money-gulping activity by every National Assembly Session since 1999, a veritable source of waste without end.
“I believe one of our major problems in the past was that we did not dialogue enough, we talk at ourselves and selfishly keep old prejudices and biases. If we show understanding, give-and-take, love of one another, and commitment and love of the country, we will do what is right and stand firmly together for the good of all.
“In the process of consultation and informing people about this initiative, in spite of general disenchantment with what is going on as far as the performance of the present administration is concerned, most people still give Nigeria a chance of pulling through to a united and wholesome, fast-developing and progress-making country provided we take care of what some term as restructuring and others term as devolution of power, responsibilities, and resources.
“And even those that may be called hardliners maintain that self-determination, disintegration, separation is a last resort when other measures have been prevented or other measures have failed to materialise.
“Frustration leads to desperation and nobody can be sure of what desperation can lead to. We are here to start the process of putting those other measures together and to continue to enlarge the circle from this mini-dialogue group bit by bit until a national dialogue that can save Nigeria from disintegration is reached and when that is done, this initiative will come to an end.
”I believe Nigeria is worth saving on the basis of mutuality and reciprocity and I also believe it can be done through the process of dialogues rather than talking at each other or resorting to violence. It will amount to dangerous and destructive self-delusion for anybody to claim that all is well in Nigeria today.”
In attendance at the dialogue were Chief Ayo Adebanjo who represented Afenifere, Chief John Nwodo, President of Onanaeze Ndigbo, and a representative of Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark.
