One thought has been in my mind for years. It is the need to create a law that makes it mandatory for every state to appoint a non-indigene as commissioner in all 36 states of Nigeria. Below are the modalities and the reasons for such a proposal.
The commissioner will be in charge of a ministry called national integration. Each state governor will not just appoint a non-indigene as the commissioner for national integration, but the non-indigene must also not be from the same zone, region or ethnicity as that of the state in question. The commissioner must also be appointed across the North-South divide.
Let us give practical examples to make it clearer. Anambra State is in the South-East. It is of the same ethnicity with indigenous Igbo in Delta and Rivers states, which are in the South-South, as well as indigenous Igbo in Benue State, which is in the North-Central. Therefore, an Igbo from Delta or Benue cannot be appointed as commissioner for national integration in Anambra.
Ondo State can be used as another example. Even though Ondo State is in the South-West zone, there are indigenous Ijaws in Ondo State. An Ijaw from Ondo State, for example, should not be qualified to be appointed the commissioner for national integration in Bayelsa State, which is predominantly Ijaw. Similarly, even though Kogi State is in the North-Central zone, an Okun Yoruba from Kogi should not be appointed the commissioner for national integration in Ogun State.
I have studied Nigeria and have seen that there is something innately contradictory about Nigerians. Nigerians speak so glowingly about oneness but their actions are against oneness. The issue of ethnic difference and suspicion has been so ingrained in Nigerians that little children of less than 10 are very conscious of it. There is a non-thawing mindset that people from outside the state or ethnicity are permanent strangers who can reside in the state but should never see themselves as full stakeholders in their states of residence. Ironically, the same Nigerians who feel this way assert themselves fully in other countries where they reside. They have citizenship rights or residency rights. They vote in elections. They stand for elections. They win elections and hold office proudly in other continents. They shout “racism” anytime someone tries to treat them differently in the country of their residence. But somehow, they argue strongly with a safe conscience that it is alright to treat their compatriots differently and deny them certain rights in their own country. Yet, if you ask such people that Nigeria should break up into different countries, so that non-indigenes can become foreigners in their place of residence, they will fight against the idea ferociously.
Most Nigerians don’t understand clearly what federalism means. The country has also not done much to make the citizens understand what federalism means. The Nigerian Constitution still recognises citizens from their state of origin rather than their state of residence. The citizens pay taxes and contribute to the growth of their state of residence. Their population is used during census to get a high population figure that helps to determine the amount of allocation the state receives every month. But when it comes to rights, they are reminded that they are not “indigenes”.
Anytime a non-indigene is given an appointment or wins an election within an area dominated by the candidate’s kinsmen and kinswomen, there is some grumbling. It is obvious that this is seen as an aberration by many people. Non-indigenes are perennially reminded that they should be grateful to be allowed to reside outside their state of origin. Therefore, they should just live quietly, earn their living, pay their taxes, but should never think of being voted for or appointed into office.
National integration does not happen by chance, especially among people of different ethnicity or races living in the same country. Conscious steps are taken to break barriers and prejudices, unite people and make them feel like true compatriots. There have been decades of tales handed down from one generation to another about other ethnic groups within Nigeria. Each ethnic group is usually portrayed as bad by the other ethnic group. On the micro person-to-person basis, Nigerians have wonderful relationships. They love one another. They are willing to help even total strangers. But once it shifts to the macro level of ethnic groups, everything changes. Logic takes flight. Reason evaporates. Tribalism takes over. Friends become demons. The person who used to understand simple issues no longer understands. Stereotypes resurface. Rivalry emerges. Unkind words are exchanged. 1920 stories of acts of betrayal or callousness are regurgitated in embellished formats to make the other ethnic group look worse than Lucifer.
This is a regular scene that is replayed anytime Nigerians relate with one another on ethnic levels. This is what the ministry of national integration will seek to change.
Specific functions will be created for each state ministry of national integration. The ministry will be in charge of all issues relating to non-indigenes in every state. It will ensure that the views and desires of non-indigenes are represented and protected in the state. It will ensure that there is harmony and peace between the indigenes and non-indigenes.
The positive thing the existence of a commissioner of national integration will do in every state is that it will make the indigenes of every state get used to seeing the face and name of a non-indigene at the highest level of governance in their state. That will help to create that feeling that non-indigenes are not “outsiders” but fellow stakeholders in the state. A non-indigene who has a company that employs 50 people, for example, adds more value to that state than an indigene who does not have a company. It is the aggregate of such companies that makes one state more viable than the other.
There is a reason some countries like Canada, the USA, and Australia have a policy of giving people from across the world the opportunity of coming in to reside and work in their countries. They know that people with skills add a great value to their place of residence. They also know that diversity of backgrounds in a city helps the city to be more cosmopolitan. When diverse people live in a city, they bring in their diverse personalities, intelligence and skills to make the city more competitive, creative, and productive.
If Nigerian rulers truly want Nigeria to be great, there are certain actions they will be continuously taking to make that happen. But it is doubtful if Nigerian leaders and most citizens genuinely want Nigeria to be great. The greatness of a nation does not happen by chance. It occurs through conscious efforts. Before a nation can be great, its citizens will first believe in their country and share feelings of comradeship. But that is not seen among Nigerians.
When one looks at today’s Nigeria, one wonders if it is the same country where Alhaji Umaru Altine from the North beat Igbo contestants to emerge the first Mayor of Enugu in Eastern Nigeria. So, what happened to that Nigeria? Any country whose best era always exists in the past is dying. The present should be better than the past for progress to be said to have been made.
– Twitter @BrandAzuka
Credit: Punch
