Introduction
The so-called nascent democracy of Nigeria since 1999 is not
only a watershed in political geography but provides important threshold on the
question of her viability as a state. As the majority carry on with their
victimhood, the elite have sustained and extended their grip on flagrant abuse
of natural resources in the period. The ongoing exposure and dissemination of corruption
allegations at the Federal level by the current administration opens a new
phase conclusively rubbishing ethnicity as the primary cause of instability.
This is the attention of this piece.
Multi-Ethnic Hierarchical State
Nigeria’s political geography was crafted by the British Empire
within a strategic (inter-generational) geopolitical framework driven by
economic expediency. This design was installed in 1914 and remains to all
intents and purposes consolidated to the present day. Within the framework
which remains unquestioned by subsequent generations of Nigerian elite and intelligentsia,
the peoples of the territory were balkanised between majority and minority with
the minorities nested in a regressive hierarchical structure to the majorities.
On this ill-fated diet of political potion many Nigerians have
been fed permitting majority of them to appropriate pathological ethnic
superiority over the rest. However underneath such unquestioned psychological
template is the usual divide and rule installed
by Pax Britannica. Sadly the elite including the current President and
administration will not question it. Nevertheless the validity and veracity of
this thesis remains undermined and inconclusive for many reasons since 1960.
There is no solid evidence that majorities of each ethnic
nation benefit from abuse of national resources by any of their members. What obtained and continues is the elevation
and securitisation of elites for a single reason that transfer of power at
Independence simply consolidated exclusion of the commons. Democracy in an essence
is a mask/vehicle for controlling majority by a few. Unfortunately many
citizens have died and properties lost in the ignorant zeal towards
implementing ethnic superiority.
National Spread of Corruption Defying Ethnicity
The current phase of the political history is projects a reconfiguration
process which is truly amazing in that it is gradually unmasking the lie of
ethnicity as a serious driver of national instability whatever it means. Given
that in Nigeria questions are not asked of seating and previous administration
performance, anything goes. The unserious and meandering attempt to fix the
economy has resulted in a minor unavoidable consequence. What elites do in
government covertly is seeing the light of day; of course no serious person
expects prosecution nay conviction in a court of law.
However the expose of very senior officials from various
ethnic nations allegedly involved in misappropriating national budget at the
Federal level is instructive. The former National Security Adviser to President
Goodluck Jonathan (Ijaw), Alhaji Sambo Dasuki (Hausa/Fulani) is alleged to have
mislaid and misused billions of naira. Parallel recipients of misappropriated
Federal funds include Chief Olu Falae (Yoruba), Alhaji Yankassi (Hausa), Dr Ray
Dokpesi (minority), Chief Tony Anineh (Edo State minority), Mr Nduka Obaigbena (?)and
many others.
There are tens and probably hundred of names from various ethnic
nations to be made public from various allegations not just from the immediate
past administration but from previous administrations if need be. Despite that
this is an exercise in exploration, the immediate impact should be on the
relationship ethnicity plays. The underlying pattern is the interlocking relationship
of the privileged elite across ethnic nations rather than on weak correlation between
ethnicity and national instability.
Summary
There is little to be expected from the current administration
in terms of using legal means to meet the peoples’ expectation. This is not based
on doubting its credibility and ability rather in the face of long complex
process of national destruction, rather an admission that coherence and pace of
policy implementation time is limited, average 6 months per policy a la Federal Cabinet selection. However
evidence is mounting for those who regard Nigeria as their origin to start
reconfiguring their erstwhile political educational foundation. It is crucial
for them to start reconscientising their worldviews that other ethnic peoples
are not the enemy, that conclusion is and has always been false.
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