It will be hypocritical to assert that, the decision to appoint the next Army chief is a miltary decision, on the the contrary, it is a political decision that may help in dousing the tension in the Eastern region and Nigeria writ large; by so doing, giving a marginalized part of the country a sense of belonging. It will also be a rallying point for those in the East who still believe in the inevitability of Nigeria. It will also be a valuable lever in encouraging an honest and intelligent conversation from the citizens of the south East – who constitute a sizeable part of the people of the population of the country – who ironically feel confined to the margin of the Nigerian society.
Political statement can’t solve this problem, but, on the contrary, political action will help ameliorate the situation. I read Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his cohorts from the south west yesterday disassociating themselves from the secessionist movement in their region of the country and, I consider it as a dismissively stubborn and in contradiction of the reality of that part of the country. The agitators don’t need Tinubu permission as the awareness is gaining ground daily just as it’s now in south East- all thanks to President Buhari lackadaisical approach to governance.
Nigerians seem not to believe in the current existing structure as Buhari impunity and incompetence has made things worst. The 1999 constitution by all indication appears to be a curse rather than a blessing to the country and there is need for restructuring of the spin of the country.
To keep the country as one, some sense of belonging must be given to the constituent units of the federation; and most importantly, a president governing such a cosmopolitan country like Nigeria must have or either develop a federal mentality.
Countries world over are evolving and developing strategic ideas on how to maintain social cohesion in a heterogeneous country – and Nigeria under Buhari should not be left out. The old idea of gunboat diplomacy is what it is – an old idea. Countries world over have come to appreciate dialogue and negotiation as the most effective tool in bridging the national divide. The idea that the militarization of the Southern part of the country will bring about peace in a region that has a history of marginalisation is what it is: an idea.
Reality has presented the president with a golden opportunity to heal the nation; and it begins with the realization that, whether a section of the Nigerian public voted massively for your or not, it doesn’t change the fact that you were elected to govern Nigeria. Appointing a chief of Army staff from the Eastern part of the country may not necessarily translate to peace in the East, but to a large extent, it would help positively influence the perception that, Nigeria is not an ethnic republic devoted towards achieving ethnic rather than a federal end under president Buhari.
Usman Okai Austin
Public Affairs Analyst
Writes from Abuja