CHUKS OGBONNA
Nigeria, the amalgam of Northern and Southern Protectorates in 1914 by the colonialists, is still pussy-footing over the grave issue of balanced structure of the federating units. The fusion of people of diverse ethnic, cultural, religious, political and economic orientations for the ease of colonial administration plunged the country into the quagmire that has kept her making motions without movement.
Regionalism aided by imperial subterfuge prevailed as a modal of colonial administration till a few years after independence in 1960; but, the military incursion into the body politic of the nation brought the restructuring saga to the front burner. In 1967, General Yakubu Gowon spilt the regions into 12 States; in 1976, General Murtala Mohammed upped the States to 19 with a Federal Capital Territory; General Ibrahim Babangida in 1987 restructured the country into 21 States and 30 States in 1991. In 1996, General Sani Abacha deemed the present 36 – State structure expedient for the country.
Has the structuring and re-structuring of the country thus far proved wholesome? The answer is NO! While the North-West geopolitical zone has whopping 7 States with 187 Local Government Areas and the other geopolitical zones of North-East 6 States with 112 Local Government Areas, North Central 6 States with 115 Local Government Areas, South West 6 States with 138 Local Government Areas, the South-South 6 States with 126 Local Government Areas, the South East has 5 States with 95 Local Government Areas all enshrined in the constitution of the country.
Obviously, the protracted occupancy of the military in the body politic of the nation gave undue advantage to a section of the country as seen in the combined 37-year rulership of the country by the Northern geopolitical zones and still ruling. While the South West geopolitical zone ruled for almost 12 years and the South South geopolitical zone ruled for no less than 5 years, the South East geopolitical zone ruled just 6 months and 13 days and hopeless going by the present structural imbalance.
The hue and cry for restructuring is primarily to equalize the States, provide a level playing field for all the constituents, equal opportunity to share in the commonwealth and promote sense of belonging in accord with the slogan of “no victor no vanquished” of the yester years.
In 2014, President Goodluck Jonathan made a laudable move from previous administrations’ stance by convoking a National Political Conference with the mandate of unraveling and proffering solutions to political issues of immense concern to Nigerians. However, the ray of hope from that action dimmed as his well of luck jaundiced causing his defeat in the Presidential election of 2015. Colossal sum of money, psychic and mental energies invested wasted since the report of that exercise appear shelved.
While every progressive mind ought to join the bandwagon demanding for restructuring the country in the interest of peace, equity, justice and fair play, restructuring per se will not throw up the divinely ordained messiah Nigeria needs.
Any opinion that Ndigbo should wait until the country is restructured before trying their mettle on the Nigeria project borders on spiritual insensitivity; and, any organizing of structures throughout Igboland for aspirants of other ethnic groups against 2023 election in consideration of enticing inducements is self-anathematizing. Divine intervention in our political situation is the need of Ndigbo and Nigeria at large. “…the Lord will work for us: for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many (States and Local Government Areas) or by few (States and Local Government Areas)” I Samuel 14:6.
Spotting one out of the cerebral minds abounding in the South East geopolitical divide known to be imbued with the fear of God and essential ingredients for holding public office namely: character, integrity, moral vision, and political will; one whose penchant to involving the people in the struggle for transformation of their societal and economic lives can be attested to; one not given to self-aggrandizement and kleptomania; and, bull dozing the human and structural goliaths within the polity though the intimidating challenges before Ndigbo, such one is waiting in the wings restructuring or no restructuring.
Situations may not be exactly same; hurdles are always there to be crossed and have been crossed by determined people in different climes in actualizing dreams. No cross no crown! Barack Obama surmounted obstacles of immense proportions to become the first black president of the United States of America. Law Professor Kais Saied, a political neophyte surmounted handicaps to win media-mogul opponent in Tunisia’s presidential election recently. The Jews faced extermination during the days of Queen Esther but were able to reverse the plot through prayers.
Ndigbo following suit is not an impossibility if only they will in unison dedicate their situation to God through public outcry for His intervention. With all the mind-boggling testimonies of miracles through ministries of servants of God of Ndigbo extraction, how can Ndigbo be marooned under prevailing circumstances? Contributing immensely to the comatose socio-politico-economic milieu of the country is the modal of leadership choices for the country’s plum office. It has been ethnic-based and on human political wisdom fraught with ulterior motives and permutations.
Therefore, a paradigm shift through well planned and determined invocation of divine involvement in the choice of Nigeria’s next leader at the time of Ndigbo will move God to intervene on their behalf in particular and Nigeria at large. Ndigbo producing Nigeria’s president come 2023 shall be an eloquent testimony of wonderful act of God.
Ndigbo servants of God to be in the vanguard calling on God rather than exhibiting non-challance, standing akimbo watching the emergence and installation of the country’s leadership through sheer human political wisdom to later condemn and traduce such leader from pulpits and in prayer meetings. “Knowing what is right to do and then not doing is sin”. Who, therefore, are the servants of God of Ndigbo extraction across the South East geopolitical divide determined to see Ndigbo take their turn in the scheme of events in the country, ready to band together for the noble cause in the Nigeria project?
Who are Ndigbo servants of God that acknowledge the rulership of God in the kingdom of men, and His sovereignty in giving the kingdom to whomsoever he wills?
God is looking, the world is watching and Nigeria is waiting.
Ogbonna writes via honchuksogbonna@yahoo.com
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