I wish to submit that the Nigerian State reshapes its type of existence to have the 1914 amalgamated regions and the Mid-Western region which came into being in 1963, together, making four regions and the present states within them can continue or even increase within their precinct, while the Governors select one of them to be the Chairman of the governing authority for the respective regions.
INTRODUCTION:
Since Nigeria is being vandalized by people trusted with the well-being of its occupants especially by those we elected, we must now look for fairness, goodness, rights to life, freedom of expression, assistance to have meals and the provision of necessary infrastructure as well as a fair existence of judgment in our law courts as well as ordinary protection which are all a luxury to those in the country. There is honestly a need to simply divest from the high-handedness of the military-like federation which makes it impossible for a normal human coexistence in a country where every part has contributed to build.
2. Firstly let us accept that there can be a Nigeria where everybody is comfortable and able to live without being discriminated against because of the simple fact of tribe, geographical location, availability of one product or other in ones areas, or the onerous of being a leader of the government and therefore the alpha and omega of the treasury of the state which is being used without proper rules or regulations. We are tired of claims of all sorts and use of trivial excuses to give jobs to kith and kins despite the Federal Character Commission’s existence.
If Nigeria could go back to its former regions, there may be some semblance of reality and consideration to those that are not well to do, and lives may be cherished the more and living will be more conducive.
If there are those who are of the same mind set with us, then let us sit and ponder how every region will be taken care of in the heavy investments that every region had made, provide a mechanism that the shareable can be shared in the natural deposits that have been established and are in existence. Let the future of same deposits be planned, and let each region after sorting out of the funds for the army, navy, air force and police as well as foreign affairs and customs and immigration are taken care of.
ISSUES FOR DETERMINATION:
Issues that are to be determined include those of Local Government Police, State Police, and Regional Police. The Prisons as well as the SSS must also be decentralized so that each L/Government can have its own Prisons/SSS, State too should have SSS/Prisons in order to make sure that justice in all facets are brought to the door steps of the common man. The Judiciary is already in existence in the Local Governments and States, and they should work. Other essentials are the Federal Police, while the Civil Defense should become the regional Police. Modalities for customs, immigration as well as federally owned institutions must be distributed fairly to the regions so that every part of the country in accordance with te Federal Character Commission.
This is not something that can be done within a twinkle of an eye, there must be professionals and high caliber people who will sit and discuss the modalities of fitting Nigeria with a new constitution, revenue sharing formula, workings of the various police and armed forces of Nigeria as well as regional and national electoral commissions.
Now that everyone in the North is not being given the appropriate recognition in terms of all opportunities, then the North must have such flexibility as to take care of its own citizens without fear or favour. If we have a common ground share of our citizenship, we can all go about our normal activities without being molested or denied our rights.
Main problems facing Nigeria and Nigerians is insincerity, greed, corruption, wrong political calculations using religion and ethnicity to achieve personal goals. Our being alienated and ill-treated will only grow into a bigger problem if not treated in good time to ensure that life is worth living for everybody.
A conference like this will make little progress despite the huge amounts of money being expended on it while some people can hardly eat once a day, some are losing their lives, others are at the mercy of the authorities whereas others have no roof over their heads. There is therefore no justification for such a jamboree unless some relief will be made available for Nigerians who are in destitution pad.
SUPPORT FOR ISSUES:
We the People of Northern Nigeria would like to see the end of the expensive and extraordinary pattern of governance called Presidential System. We are in need of a neater constitution which is more of a parliamentary type but with some modifications to allow for regional control by the regions internally and a bit of external independence. Once our economic and administrative set up is in place it will make living more interesting for the generality of the common people. We just hope that those in authority will not take advantage of this independence to plan more chaos in the region because of some other adjoining interests.
Our greatest trauma is security of our people and once we feel secure, and justice is done in making sure that what is ours goes to us in the investments we have made in the developments made in minerals, industry, health and education, then every region should be prepared to be more independent of the horrendous Nigeria where there is no discipline, and crimes of all kinds including ritualistic activities are carried out unabated.
When the country is saddled with people who are uniquely squanderers of moneys that belong to the government and do not care about the welfare of anybody at all, and have sold all the assets of Nigeria to themselves, leaving the poor to be poor forever, and the rich, rich forever, then there is a big blank space which should ordinarily not exist. May be some of the sold assets may have to be reverted, shared, and then those regions that want to trade their own for cash, do so, while those that want to maintain such assets are left to maintain them.
For Nigeria to make progress, there must be a high standard of responsibility, honesty and belief in fairness in whatever is done unto the people of the nation regardless of their economic or political standards.
PRAYERS:
1. We want Nigeria to go back to the FOUR regions which existed during the first republic.
2. Let there be a Nigeria tied to Army, Air Force, Navy, Customs and Immigration while the Police , SSS and Prisons and Judiciary are in concurrent list for Federal, Regions, States and Local Governments.
3. Let the Regions have Offices and Officers in the Nigerian Embassies.
4. Let there be freedom of residence, movement, employment, business activities, and let each region legislate on its own what is the position of indigenes and non-indigenes.
5. There should be access to borders and sea and air ports.
6. Each region to set up its own laws.
7. Apart from Nigerian Flag, let there be flags, anthems, coat of arms for each region.
8. The Army, Air Force, Navy must not attack Nigerians within the borders of the nation, Nigeria. Their duty is to defend the nation and its nationals from external aggression.
Thank you very much for calling for memorandum and I wish you well in your entire deliberations.
–
Alhaji Umaru Dembo,mni
2X Member Constitutional Conferences, former Minister of State, Petroleum Resources.
writes from Unguwar Kwarbai Zaria City
Kaduna State
