IPOB, 2023 ELECTIONS & NIGERIA
IPOB, 2023 ELECTIONS & NIGERIA
By:
Nurudeen Dauda
June 1, 2021
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To begin with, Nigeria as country doesn't work for the greater majority of its people, but only works for the few. The country needs surgical operation to enable its works for all. Hardly any ethnic group or region or religious group is comfortable with the state of affairs. All hands must be on deck towards making our country better for all.
The proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB must be told that it is better to pursue their cause with "civility" rather than "cruelty". No one has a monopoly of violence . The government must be alive to its responsibility. IPOB must be reminded that the people said to be struggling for are in every part of the country doing their businesses with neither intimidation nor harassment. Let's continue to maintain peace!
Beyond the issue of self-determination, there are a lot of hypotheses ahead of 2023 General Elections. For instance, some people have once alleged that the ENSARS protests which were predominant in the South-West Geo-political Zone was a political bargain towards a Yoruba presidency.
Accordingly too, In view of the response of the Igbo political leaders/elite some people are now alleging that the renewed agitation by the proscribed IPOB is a political bargain towards Igbo presidency. It had once been alleged that the Niger Deltans got the presidency through militancy just as it was alleged that the North used Boko Haram to return to power although Boko Haram still persists six years after power returns to the North.
It is apt to note that, in a Democratic setting, power is "gotten" through "belonging" to the political process not just being"given". Anybody who wants to govern from whatever ethnic group or region must "belong"to the political process. To acquire power is to "belong" through political participation.
However, permit me to correct some "misconception" about the concept of "majority" in Democracy. The true meaning of majority in Democracy is not about "ones" ethnic or religious or regional "strength", but about the ability of a candidate to convince majority of the electorate to vote for him based on his manifestos irrespective of his background.
In my thought, ethnic or religious homogeneity is not a guarantee for peace or progress and or development. Virtually all the Hausa states were in constant civil wars before the arrival of Uthman Danfodio. The Yoruba states too witnessed years of civil wars in the pre-colonial era. The case of Ife and Mudakeke is still fresh in our memory. The Igbos too were not left out. The case of Omulari and Ogulari is still very fresh in our memory. South- Sudan which is about the newest country in the world still battles for stability after independence from Sudan in 2011.
Some people believe that because of our “ethnic” and “religious” diversities” we cannot co-exist peacefully. India has over 1,000 ethnic groups and India is the most multi-religious nation in the world but the country is progressing rapidly.
Adibe argued that : “Ethnic Homogeneity is no guarantee that any nation will work as the experiences of Somalia, Burundi and Rwanda show. Similarly we have had countries break up after co-existing for nearly a century .We have also seen countries that started as agglomeration of different ethnic nationalities such as Germany, France and China succeeds as nation-state.”On the same note he added, “Being endowed with abundant national resources is no guarantee that a country will thrive as the cases of Democratic Republic of Congo and Liberia illustrate.”(Daily Trust of October 10, 2013).
No ethnic group or zone in the federation is in an Island of milk and honey or bread and butter. We are all in its together! The Socio-economic challenges are everywhere. Let's insist on social justice within the context of Nigeria. Let's continue to demand for good governance.
May God Bless Nigeria!