| Rejoinder to Abati's "Revolt of the South-South" |
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| Sunday, 26 June 2005 | |||||||||||||
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Whenever i read articles or papers and other literary work on issues concerning Nigeria i have always ended up asking myself : what is the objective of the writer, what benefits will the people derive, what are the suggestions for either improving the lot of the masses or advancing the Nigerian dream. Apart from Chief Awolowo most other writers leave one with more questions than answers. The most common objective that one can see is consistency in either attacking government or supporting it. The end product which is the plight of the common people are always left unattended to. But one will enjoy good grammar and prose. It is like having a feel of the aroma of a good meal and being denied actual intake of the food.I feel very constrained, in view of my respect for Dr. Abati to say that this piece is another of such efforts. A few examples:(1)“The Niger Delta is not just an endangered region, since the days of the Royal Niger Company, its people have grown from poverty to poverty; and throughout this history, they have resisted this marginalisation, this injustice: it is the refusal to listen to them that has now radicalised the entire region fully and irretrievably.” If this is true, what has happened to the resources poured into the region by the federal government, oil companies, etc either in the form of direct investments, or monthly allocations. If those factors which are responsible for the backwardness (corruption, violence, etc) are still in existence, the frustrations will be magnified with 100% control. (2)"The only solution is for Nigeria to return to its pre-1969 position on revenue allocation, whereby every state shall be entitled to 50 per cent derivation" Dr. Abati sounded like a soldier here. We are not under military rule anymore. There are laws in existence with regards to the exploitation of mineral resources (not just oil) in Nigeria and the suspension of 50% was not as a result of the discovery of oil. The necessary amendments should be sought through the national assembly for this to happen; it requires constitutional amendment. Not executive fiat as presented by Dr. Abati. (3)"If states control their resources, then the Federal Government would become weaker, Abuja would become less attractive and there would be a greater emphasis on productivity and development as each state would have to start thinking more creatively about how to manage its own resources" This has become a refrain in most of the arguments concerning this matter. Apart from the promised achievement of the goal of development across the nation, I cant see why this should be a strong point for resource control or derivation. As I said in my article "Do not recreate Aburi", derivation and resource control are elitist. The people are marginalised even by their own representatives in government. Their sons and daughters have administered the states for so long yet there is little to show for it. The elites are the oppressors and are just looking for a way to increase their bank balances, harems, fleet of cars and overseas investments. Let us think of a plan to develop the land and the people for once.And who says the states are not developing their own natural as opposed to mineral resources right now - the north has metamorphosised into the food basket, the west has continued to develop manpower and infrastructure, while the south south has been turned to Nigeri's Iraq by the elites who will not think of a progressive and articulate development plan for the region that will benefit the masses. They prefer to arm them and misrepresent issues so that under a no-peace regime they can continue to cheat and cheat and cheat, what the yorubas call "arije ni idi madaru" My heart is with the people of south south and I salute the efforts of the present government via NDDC, 13% derivation etc, but what is more important is a masses oriented programme of rehabilitation of the south south and not these high sounding tongue twisting terminologies. Let me ask you if Western Region had refused to admit such respectable Nigerians as David West, Tekina Tamunoh, etc into their institutions of learning and given them opportunities to hold positions of authority in the West (if we are to go by the principle of everyone to himself) what would have been their lot. We are brothers and sisters in this country and we will not allow opportunists to divide us just to feather their own nests! Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria
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Posted by Robot| 10.11.2005 09:31