“Very little in history is inevitable”- Margaret Macmillan

IT is not the norm that a country at peace with itself should be so diligently assailed from all sides mostly by its own supposedly enlightened classes of people. This is the unhappy case with regards to governance and politics in Nigeria today. It has become a habit and a bad one at that, with some Nigerians to ascribe to themselves the roles of critics and opposition activists with the sole mission of questioning the legitimacy of the Nigerian nation and the validity of its legal and political arrangements.

This diligent oppositional posture has now transcended into questioning the validity and legitimacy of the country’s fundamental law which is its Constitution. The immediate and remote ramifications of this disposition are that the basis or foundations on which Nigeria exists as a nation and its sovereign attributes are not substantive realities, but fictional notions and inconsequential considerations. Therefore, at the whims and caprices of every discontented element with an axe to grind or a score to settle, the structure and foundation of the country can be dismantled as an exercise in righteous redressing of past “mistakes” and other subjective, emotive and irrational justifications.

What the authors of such tendencies fail to realise or appreciate is the fact that by their questioning the existence of the country through the denigration of its laws, institutions and other attributes, they are merely hastening the downfall of their own very essences which are coalesced around the identity and unity of the country called Nigeria, and without which they have no other claim to a collective posterity.

Therefore, it is the duty of all patriots with the consciousness of their nation and proud of their identity, to raise up to the defense of their fatherland and the legal foundations of their country as reflected in its constitutional arrangements and governmental superstructures. Those who wish to pull these down can do whatever they think is expedient and useful to their purposes, but it has to be made clear to them that the sovereignty of Nigeria is a sacrosanct trust that has been bestowed upon all patriotic citizens by history and the circumstances of the creation of this noble country.

While no one should claim to be more patriotic than other Nigerians, the fact remains that the idea of patriotism today transcends mere proclamation and empty rhetoric and consists of respecting the laws and institutions of the state and the government of the day. Oppositional politics and the standpoints of antagonisms driven by regional, ethnic and religious rivalries and competitions can no longer avail this nation with the direction and substantial efforts that are needed to carry it forward to its destined position of greatness. Only a concerted effort at nation-building guided by the collective wisdom and industry of the people and our leaders, can take us to the promised land and make us overcome all the obstacles that are strewn along our path by internal adversities and external malice.

Calling the constitution of a country into question on the flimsiest of excuses is an exercise in negation of that country’s history and evolution as a viable and substantive political organ with sovereign attributes and independent inclinations. The events that unfolded in Nigeria from 1959 to 1973, should serve as pointers to those who engage in such wanton acts to the dangers of their antics and the negative roles that they are playing in stoking the embers of disunity and instability in our country. Their actions and utterances merely aid and abet the belief that Nigeria should not be seen as nation but as a collection of “nationalities” with no common purpose or destiny attached to their being. Such a disposition only helps those who wish to see the diminution of Nigeria into enclaves to justify their actions and claims, and to give vent to ethnic irredentism that is today manifested in the calls for secession from the larger Nigerian state.

More than that, their antics present a serious dilemma to both foreign governments as well as the Nigerian government about how to justify the belief and trust that they have in the unity, viability and integrity of Nigeria within the scheme of global politics and conduct of diplomatic relations. No sane foreign government today will give absolute trust and credence to another country whose very existence is being questioned constantly at every opportunity by its leading citizens, while denigrating the foundations upon which the government of that country is established. The fact of the matter is that when any leader is confronted by a segment of the country with the demand that he should abrogate the constitution upon whose legitimacy and integrity he came into office, the logical conclusion is that his position and the government that he leads are illegitimate and invalid and should be dissolved.

Beyond that, it is to be supposed also that all other acts of state conducted during the existence or lifetime of that Constitution by all previous governments should be deemed illegal and consigned to the dustbin of irrelevance. This means that all their policies, programmes, proclamations, actions, declarations and other sovereign endeavours, including diplomatic actions, should be declared as illegal and therefore, to be reversed where possible, and discarded if necessary.

Proceeding from this myopic consideration, the acts of the immediate past government in conducting general elections under the tutelage of the national Constitution that brought the present state and federal governments into existence, should be declared illegal and called into question. Such a sweeping judgement can only occur where rationality has escaped a people or an overpowering sentiment of antagonism towards the country and the state have taken over the thinking of the actors in this drama of abnegation and denigration of constituted authority and order.

This attitude and behaviour also places the country’s government in a situation whereby it has to constantly justify its existence and prove its “legitimacy” to outside powers and partners, while conducting all types of engagements with them. This places the government at a disadvantage and embarrasses the country’s leaders while engaged in the duties of governing the country. Putting the leadership in a straight-jacket should not be allowed to be a de facto issue because of the dilemma and problems it presents. The mere act of declaring the Constitution of the country as “illegitimate” by a segment of the country raises some fundamental questions around the issues of sovereign existence of the country and its viability as a nation-state.

The liberal dispensation that we are operating and the misguided notions that we have attached to democracy and freedom, have given rise to situations of abuse of privileges and egregious disdain for law and order. This is especially so with the tendency of disregarding basic civic duties by Nigerians in terms of conducting themselves appropriately and in accordance with the laws of the land. Actions and utterances by many Nigerians are providing the fuel for incendiary actions, particular in the forms of agitations and discontents that are being exhibited at various occasions that tend to corrode the substance as well as the spirit of our national cohesion, thereby introducing fissures and cleavages that could lead to the break-up of the country.

The so-called elites of the country, who by virtue of their situation and endowments, ought to be the beacons of good citizenship and patriotism, should endeavour to rise above ethnic sentiments and sectional considerations and instead, should present a united front to lead our country to prosperity and greatness. By constantly endeavouring to create mental association between personal grudges or group discontents with the way the country is configured or structured, our habitual agitators are actually making it possible for some Nigerians to see an easy way out of the country’s problems and consider such options that are placed before them as the only truth. But seeking easy ways out of situations normally end up creating more problems rather than providing any lasting solutions. These enclave agitations, especially those driven by ethno-religious tendencies are the manifestations of the general bewilderment that has gripped the population in the wake of egregious challenges of poverty, widespread alienation and disconnection with reality.

All aspects of development of societies are the products of history and every generation interprets them according to its peculiar and particular circumstances. Those interpreting events from their ethnic, religious or regional perspectives are entitled to do so, even if this is done at the risk of placing history upside down and presenting distorted pictures of realities. Others who are desirous of straightening the record and putting things in their proper perspectives are also entitled to do so. I am firmly inclined towards the latter class of Nigerians, therefore; I feel beholden to the truth and posterity to provide my candid opinion on the general trend now unfolding in our country.

Nigerians of goodwill should and must not remain silent when history is falsified and situations are manipulated to agree with certain preconceived premises that are not in keeping with the truth or the reality of our situation. It is for this reason that I took up this moment to reflect on our current situation and made the above observations about the way we are running down our country. The juxtaposition of facts and fancy and the transportation of such volatile mixtures to our contemporary situation, seems to be the general drift of the agitation for restructuring of Nigeria, and the increasingly vociferous calls for the dismemberment of the country.

Romanticising the past or bemoaning the present do not make for a better country. It is far more constructive that we confront the realities facing us today with courage and intelligence rather than seeking avenues to escape from our responsibilities as citizens with a calling to do the right things by our country. After all, wisdom supported by intelligence are the building blocks of societies and nations, and the nurturing of the two are the surest guarantees towards the sustainability and solidification of the ideals of nationhood and the sovereignty of Nigeria.