Chief Femi Fani-Kayode in ‘The Square’

Part 1: EFCC Charge is Political Witch-hunt - FFK

Part 2: You Cannot Suppress People Within a Federation - FFK

Part 3: Boko Haram Must Be Crushed Like Odi, No Negotiations - FFK

Now What Podcasts: The NOW WHAT podcasts Series are initiated by a desire to chart a way forward for Nigeria following the January occupy protests, Boko Haram and other security challenges and the seeming slide to anarchy in Nigeria. Each week, members of the NVS forum will exchange ideas in a round-table and will also invite high profile guests to offer ideas

On Saturday February 19, 2012, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode was our guest. Chief Fani-Kayode spoke on his EFCC arraignment, Sovereign National Conference, Boko Haram, Security, the history of our country and what lies ahead, why Nigeria may break up, ethnic nationalities, religious tensions, genocide, the way forward and so much more in a very frank manner.

The following is transcript of the second part of the interview, with focus on Sovereign National COnference.

Click here to download Audio (mp3)

FEMI FANI-KAYODE INTERVIEW (Part 2)

NVS: One of the reasons that really spurred our interest in inviting you to this was your letter to IBB, the doctrine of settled issues and your new stance on Sovereign National Conference.

You said, in reaction to that comment that Nigeria is the last of the 3 incompatible British colonial creation, and that you are of the opinion that Nigeria as presently constituted is unworkable. The question basically is that do you believe that Nigeria as it is, is almost impossible to co-exist together as a nation? or do you think that there’s any reason for us to try to still work Nigeria? Is there any reason for trying to make Nigeria work for us or you just believe this nation is not going to work? And in your answer to that question, about that Nigeria is not working, how do you address the concern of minorities in Nigeria, lets take for instance the Christians of the north, am sure you know that this people are afraid of a potentially Islamized northern Nigeria. So we have to look at that as well, you have to look at certain other germane issue. Let me have your take on this.

Fani-Kayode: First of all let me start by saying that my views on the Sovereign National Conference are nothing new to me. I’ve had those views for the last almost 20 years or so, because I was deeply involved with NADECO, I was a foot soldier for NADECO, ever since June 12, 1993 I’ve always maintained that this is the answer to the problems of Nigeria. So for me it is nothing new, even when I joined Obasanjo’s government from within we fought for that; there were 3 of us- Akin Ositeku, Julius … and myself, we were known as Nadeco Ministers and Presidential aides; we fought for Sovereign National Conference, and Obasanjo resisted it because basically the man is a conservative. In any case I always have those views.

Now, in terms of...let me start with the issue of Nigeria being unworkable. I never ever said that, I believe in Nigeria, I believe that Nigeria is a great country, I believe that Nigeria is workable and I believe that Nigeria can sustain its unity provided we do the right thing to make everybody feel parts and parcel of the country. I mean I want this country to continue as one.

The problem that I have is where people see that things are just not right, things are not going very well, things are falling apart and the situation is getting worse and worse and worse. Basic logic tell you that if we keep applying the same solution to the same problem over a period of time, we’ll keep getting the same result and that’s what we are doing, we are putting our heads in the ground like Ostriches and behaving as if all is well.

The situation today is far more pronounced than it was even during the June 12 issue in terms of the very, very sour and bitter and suspicious relationship between Christians and Muslims in our country, I mean we are just pretending when we say all is well. It is also far more bitter the relationship between Northerners and Southerners and indeed the suspicion between the various ethnic nationals in the country, its just, I mean it’s unprecedented. It’s almost as bad as it was just before the civil war, because as we speak today northerners are leaving the East and the South South and many Ibos are leaving the north, that is a fact, it’s a fact, it’s a fact.

As it is today, we have Boko Haram killing people all over the place in the name of their own brand of Islam, and terrorizing everybody both Christians and Muslims alike. As it is today, you have MEND in the South South still bombing and still saying the struggle continues. As it is today, you have MASSOB in the east, as it is today you have OPC, a resurgent of OPC in the South West, and as it is today you have…you know I saw a video today of Berom Christians killing and eating Hausa/Fulani Muslims, just as Hausa/Fulanis in Plateau state slaughtering Christians. I mean, the situation is not very good, and I’m saying its about time we try to understand the fact that right from the start, right from the onset, Nigeria was simply an amalgamation of incompatible people.
That’s the starting point, now over the years we’d tried to fix that and it hasn’t gone too well, and I’m saying that if we don’t hard at that, we are going to have a major problem in the future, and it’s a historical fact. There were 3 major amalgamations that the British put in place, three, only three, the rest were quite compatible even though they were also complex. Out of the empires there were three major amalgamations of incompatible people ie they were different in terms of their history, their culture and religious faith and they always had a traditional enmity between themselves.
You look to India you will find the Muslim, the Christian and the Hindu put together in an artificial entity; that broke into 3 parts having fought 2 civil wars. You look into Sudan, many years later, wedlock, where you put Christians Africans and Animist Africans together with Arabs Muslims, you gave the Arab Muslims the power to torment the Black Christians and Black Animists there. After some time things fall apart, Sudan has now broken into two.

The only one left is Nigeria where you put what you described, that is Lugard described as the poor husband of the North in 1914, you amalgamated that poor husband of the north with what you describe as the rich wife of the South and then you now said may that union last forever, knowing full well that when you have a poor husband and you have a rich wife, by your own words, you’re going to have problems in the house. And of course the wife has suffered tremendously. We had a civil war in this country, 2 million people died. Since then we’ve been patching our differences, we’ve been acting as if…., you know you had…… which almost tattered the whole country.

Now you have Boko haram and you have a new generation of Nigerians are rising up to say we are questioning this idea that regardless of how much blood is shed, regardless of how much injustice there is, regardless of the fact that people particularly in the South-South feel as if it is their oil that is running the whole federation and nobody else is making much of an input; regardless of all these things, everything is settled and we cannot look at the situation again and say do we really want to be here, and even if we want to be here on what terms will we be here.

So what we are saying, those that believe in the Sovereign National Conference, is it’s about time that we sat down and recognize that we have almost 400 ethnic nationalities in this country, and we need to have a forum whereby each and every one of those ethnic nationalities, no matter how big and no matter how small, on the basis of equality of representation and basic equality, can voice their own view about how this country should move forward. And any resolution they come up with should be binding on the country and on the government, providing that those resolutions are subjected to a national referendum, approved by the………...

In this country we’ve never had and I hope we check this out, we’ve never had a constitution that has been borne and has come as consequence theory of the will of the people. It has always been a constitution that came after people had, you know, after the government of the day; whether the British colonialists or the military, has tampered with it, taking out what they want, putting in what they want, appointing people, elected officals to the various constitutional conferences and basically got what they wanted.

That is what we have today as our constitution, and it starts with a lie, it starts with a fraud by saying this is the will of the Nigerian people. This is not the will of the Nigerian people. The Nigerian people never agreed on these things. Some Nigerian people did, the military did but not the Nigerian people, and it’s time we had our own constitution, it’s time that we work out our differences, talk about these differences, and maybe if we do that we can now sustain our unity and hope that this country lasts into the distant future.

Without that, my view, it’s not something that I hope for or I wish for, but it saddens me to say that; My view is that things will get worse and eventually we’re going to have a set of circumstance unfolding which would lead to some form of armed conflict because you cannot hold or suppress people within a federation or any country by force of arm or in perpetuity. Eventually someone will get up, just as the Ibos did in 1967 and say listen we are going to exercise our right to self determination whether you like it or not united or not and we are leaving this...what they would describe as an equitable federation which does not do justice to their tomorrow and that’s what I’m trying to avoid.

NVS: Recently, I’m sure you’re aware, Dr. Ruben Abati was here on this very forum where you are sitting down, last weekend. We raised the issue of the National Summit Group, a part which you are a prominent member, and then we raised the issue of the Sovereign National Conference, listening to his body language what he did not say more than what he said, it would look like President Jonathan’s administration might not be all that willing to tread on that part. I think they are more concerned about amending that thing which they called constitution. Now, then listening to the comments that are coming from the National Assembly recently, I’m sure you’ve heard some of these people trying to protect their territory. They kept saying that Sovereignty belong to the National Assembly and stuffs like that. So you can foresee challenges along the line.

My question to you now is, the very big and formidable opponent of Sovereign National Conference are out there to challenge you. It is true that Dr. Ruben Abati said that the administration will be willing to look into your discussions and the outcome of it, but that tells me nothing. Now what are the strategies that you guys are putting together? Do you guys have a kind of road map into achieving...? If we believe this thing we have to keep pushing...we just want to know if you guys have a road map, the timeline for it and what strategies you have in place to ensure….

Fani-Kayode: Let me explain that. You see, first of all, I do not belong to the school of thought that believe that any government, particularly Nigerian government or rather any government in the history of the world, would concede power and say listen guys things are so bad we can’t handle the situation, you guys go and have a meeting, come up with a resolution, we would leave this place for you. I served in a government in which we fought hard to get a sovereign national conference convened, as a matter of fact, this are some of the things we discussed with Obasanjo and that he said he would consider, that made some of us to work for him.

And I know how hard it is for people in Government, people in power, particularly the President, to concede and say listen let us concede Sovereignty to another form, so am not under any illusion, I do not believe that any federal government in this country will seat down and say we approve of it, we are gonna fund it for you, we are gonna convene it for you and we’ll hand everything over to you. And neither do I believe that the national assembly would do so simply because politicians and people in power, particularly in Nigeria don’t like to concede power, don’t like to feel threatened, don’t like to be misplaced or displaced! and that is regardless of the fact that there’s fire burning under them, fire burning all around.

I mentioned the Obasanjo one, let me just go back to that one quickly before I go on to the answer to your question. When we were there what we did was we convinced Obasanjo to at least test the feeling for this in all the various zones; we have six zones in Nigeria, of those six, four said they wanted to have a national conference- the north central, the south-south, the south-west and south-east. It was only two that resisted the idea and said no- the north-west and north-east and we told them, we said listen, four against two, there’s a clear majority and you go with the majority…….. question of numbers, and he said no, he feels that they are concerned and therefore we have to carry them along so, it is not the time. So, he did what he did he went as far as he could go and I must commend him for that despite of his very conservative credentials.

But to think that any government will do this for you, I don’t think its what anybody should… you know, you might as well wait for hell to freeze over before they do it. They are not going to do it. I’m not surprised by what Abati said, I’m not surprised by what President Jonathan himself has said, I’m not surprised by what the national assembly has said. They are not going to ever agree to such a thing and I’m not under any illusion they would do it.

I think what will happen however, coming back to your question, is this- how will it happen? First of all establish the principle, alright; which has been fully established now, but, this is a possible way to save our country from destruction.

Secondly you have to recognize that things are so bad as we speak today, that some kind of solution has to come, and if it doesn’t come. If it doesn’t come we are toying with the situation whereby circumstances would unfold that will lead to some kind of explosion in which it will be mandatory on everybody to say, listen, Government or no Government, we are going to have to do this thing, to hell with the Government. No matter what anybody says, for our own survival, for our own nation, we better come together, organize ourselves, save the country and let us talk. That is how it happened in Benin Republic, that is how it has happened in virtually every country that has a constitution that is borne out of the will of the people.

People didn’t just sit down and say let’s write this and let everybody be happy, no. Vested interests and those in power will always resist it, but circumstance will unfold, I’m sorry to say ugly circumstance will unfold, calamitous circumstance will unfold that will compel everybody to listen, we have to come table, and when you have a situation where already we are seeing signs of it.
Would you have believed a year ago that, well let’s say two years ago, that on Christmas day, that an Islamic group will bomb a church in Abuja. Would you have believed that our President, a year ago, could not even go to Eagle square for independence because an Islamist group said if you do so we’re going to kill you, would you have believed a year ago that Kano be literally sacked and assaulted. Twenty bombs went off simultaneously then machine gun carrying Islamists came in and started spraying people with bullets, then pamphlet were thrown.., you know, thousands of pamphlets all over the town saying we are coming back for more, we are going to kill more people. Would you have believed all that?

Would you have believed Nigerians would eat one another having killed one another, roast one another and eat one each other’s flesh? Would you have believed we would have Islamists in the North-East of our country, storming down from Niger republic and Chad threatening the south, threatening Christians and threatening moderate Muslims? Nobody would have believed that.
And as long as we continue to ignore the fact that we have very real differences in this country, you know, this sort of things will continue till we get to a point that even the most conservative individual will be the first to get up and say listen, it’s time for us to completely look at this whole script again. Do we want to be together? And if we want to be together on what terms are we going to remain together?

I pray that it doesn’t get to that, and that’s why I’m saying we don’t need any more bloodshed, we don’t need any more violence before we convince even the more conservative among us that we have a major problem. But unfortunately they don’t seem to want to learn from history, they don’t want to learn from the present, and they don’t care about the more people that will be killed in the future before the finally realize that we need to resolve this issue once and for all but wiith all this we will, whether they like it or not...

I should just say one more thing before I stop and let you come back, and that is this, I have to commend the vision of somebody like Chief Obafemi Awolowo who in 1947, in a book titled ‘Path to Nigerian Freedom’ actually said that, listen “Nigeria is not a nation, but a geographical expression” .It’s a geographical expression, and that there is as much difference between the Fulani and the Ibo as there is among the Germans and themselves, now that is a fact. It doesn’t mean to say that anybody should look down on anyone, we all love each other as Nigerians and can love Germans as well, if we are in one country, but let’s recognize our differences, let’s accept the fact that master-servant relationship or horse and horse rider relationship or the relationship whereby the whole country glue together from the pillaging of the oil resources of one section of the country is not a formula for sustainable development . Let’s accept the fact that derivation as a principle for revenue allocation is something that we started with, and we’ve taken it away from the regions now, and everything goes to the center. We give a meager 13% to the oil producing states. I believe we should go back to that derivation principle, I believe we should do that. We should devolve power from the center, we should have regional armies, we should have regional police and so no and so forth, so we can all develop at our own pace. These are some of the things that I think we need to do in order to enhance our unity and in order to be able to allow our country to remain together into the distant future.

Yes I believe in Nigeria, but I did not believe in Nigeria where some people are more equal than others, and some are masters some are slaves. Let me end by saying this- I have been in opposition to Goodluck Jonathan’s government for quite some time now, on the oil subsidy issue and a number of other issues, I have opposed them because I looked at the situation and I felt they are not getting it right. However, my own opposition is not borne out of any feeling of ethnic supremacy or...I’m a Christian anyway so I couldn’t even say Islamic supremacy.

Unfortunately there are some who oppose this government, Goodluck’s government, based on those sentiments. They say, listen, we don’t care how well he’s doing, we don’t care how bad he’s doing, as far as we are concerned because he’s an Ijaw man and he’s a Christian, he should not have this power because it was never meant to be for them at this time, it was meant to go to the Hausa/Fulani north. My opposition does not come from that, I’m not a northerner, and I’m not a Muslim. I’m a southerner and I’m a Christian. My opposition is borne out of the fact that I believe they haven’t got some things right, or everything right but there are some that think otherwise.
It’s because some have that school of thought that some of us feel it really is an outdated school of thought. Nobody should inferior or superior in this country. We are all one, and let us try and move Nigeria forward together as equals.

NVS: Thank you Chief Fani-Kayode. That is very interesting. Your answer has actually pre-empted some of the questions I would have loved to ask you, especially regarding the administration of Ex-President Obasanjo.

But, going on, what I’ll really like to know is, considering the fact like you have mentioned, that we have spent so much time, the ethnic nationalities of Nigeria I mean, tearing each other down that we actually interrupt the business of Government, that we need to sustain the tempo before it gets out of hand, of demanding the National Conference.

What are the next steps for the National Summit Group, and then how do we ensure that it is not short-circuited by the administration as they usually do. We know about Obasanjo’s own, he set up his own parallel conference which almost led to the botched 3^rd term agenda. We need to see what are the things that the National Summit Group are putting in place to ensure the sustenance of this demand and to see it to fruition?

 

Fani-Kayode: Well, let me just state that I participated in the Summit in Lagos, and I was very happy to do so. I’m not a member of their secretariat, I believe it’s people like Pat Utomi and Tony Uranta that you got to ask them what their own agenda is. I am proud to be part of them. However, I have no illusion; I’m not under any illusion that it would be an easy thing for them to sustain what they are doing. What I believe in far more is the fact that the idea itself is spreading. You know you are an advocate of this, and there are so many hundreds of thousands even millions of people all over the world who have not been in the National Summit Group conference, and who have not sat in the same room, who also have the same view, I think the way to do it is to continue to propagate the, continue to propagate and continue to argue and enlighten people about our history and about our circumstance and about where we are heading if we don’t do this.

When the time comes for this to happen we would now all come together and we would make it happen. But of course you know its programs like this that creates awareness, discussions like this, about what those problems are and what we believe the solutions are. And I think that’s the only way it can be sustained, look, people like papa Enahoro, professor Wole Soyinka and so many others have been at this for years saying this same thing for years. But the idea is getting stronger and stronger by the year and the circumstances unfolding are compelling us to look at this a credible solution to our problems, but I think they will get stronger and stronger as time goes by.

NVS: Thank you. Because we are pressed for time I would just ask this rounding-up question for this segment of the interview, and that is regarding Ex-President Obasanjo and General IBB. I know you are very close to these two guys, and sometimes reading part of your interviews and comments on them, it’s like you are caught in-between the two of them. Like when Obasanjo said IBB was a fool at 70 you came in personally against Obasanjo. And now that IBB is talking about one issue then you came to defend Obasanjo. It’s like you’re torn in-between defending these two people….

Fani-Kayode: I wasn’t defending……..

NVS: You’ve always defended both of them, and you engage in…………….., and yap both of them on one hand, so what kind of ……………………………… I like that, I like your pragmatism, you’re always on the side of issues you’re not on the side of human beings and it is a very good thing but now, you and I agree that IBB and Obasanjo have a common ground in trying to create a no go area for the national conference if we are going to convey it. Obasanjo said it, in terms of settling this issue, Obasanjo tried to create that the issue of unity should not be touched when he created his own parallel national conference. So do you think these guys agree based on certain things that is known to them to create a no go area for us?

 

Fani-Kayode: Well let me just tell you that President Obansajo and President Babangida- two people that I have tremendous affection and respect for, and I’m close to the two of them, I served one of them in government and I’m very very close to President Babangida as well. I have nothing but affection and respect for the two of them. However, it is very clear to me that they can’t both get it right at all times and I am bound to state what I feel about issues having been in politics for 21 years and I’m 51, I’m going to be 52 this year and I feel I should be able to say what I feel about issues at any times regardless of who it may hurt or not hurt, and I can disagree with them and I’m sure they’re happy with the fact that they have younger men who can even disagree with them publicly and they’ve always accorded me the highest level of respect whatever my views are. You have to agree these guys are like the old guards of Nigeria, and like the patriarchs of Nigeria, they are very, very conservative men.

They fought the civil war to keep Nigeria one. They saw their colleagues fall during that civil war and they are committed totally to keeping Nigeria together one way or the other, and that is their World view, and they will hold that World view to the day that they die. And I have nothing against that, simply because I also believe in one Nigeria. Where I differ with them is in order to achieve that objective I believe that there needs to be far more dialogue and far more understanding between the various ethnic nationalities. They don’t want that they don’t want that discussion. I believe that discussion is inevitable; I believe it’s the way forward, and if we don’t do it my way that is when we are going to have a Nigeria that will eventually does break-up. Obasanjo made one famous comment during his time in power, as a matter of fact it was before I joined his government, that we cannot have two sovereigns in one state. That he would not give up the sovereignty that the Nigerian people has given him and concede it to any kind of conference. At that time, I responded to him publicly in an essay, in which I really attacked him and told him that sovereignty belongs to the people, and it’s the people that will determine what happens in the future and not…, and they’re not handling the sovereignty and that’s my view about it up until today, and we discuss that issue quite often privately. But the issue is that, their time has come and.., may they live long, I’m not wishing them… Our time is coming, it’s now that it’s coming. Are we going to forge Nigeria for the next 20, 30 years and make it a better place? And I believe we can build on their great efforts and do a better job.

To be Continued…

Comments Page: 1 posted on 02-23-2012, 13:24:00 PM Chinedu nwobu Re: You Cannot Suppress People Within a Federation - FFK Fani Kayode thanks for being so forthright about a very logical issue of SNC that some narrow and selfish interest groups want to prevent. I wonder why in the world any rational human being with some common sense would want to prevent a honest dialogue among the groups that make-up nigeria with all the ever increasing crises? I dare say it is the greed and selfishness of those groups opposing SNC that will eventually lead to the break-up of nigeria. posted on 02-23-2012, 15:28:25 PM Benjani Re: You Cannot Suppress People Within a Federation - FFK [I wonder why in the world any rational human being with some common sense would want to prevent a honest dialogue among the groups that make-up nigeria ......?] @Chinedu nwobu: Because the outcome of the SNC will destroy them totally. None of the current political figures will survive the tsunami such honest dialogue would generate. Even Femi Fani-Kayode himself will not survive it. On SNC, others should stop waiting for the North. By waiting, you are making them feel important more than they actually are. Because the East and West waited for them for independence in 1959, from that very moment they foolishly crowned themselves "born to rule" and "king makers" just like that. Unfortunately, you are still doing the same mistake today by pandering to the North wishes. Stop waiting for those who love to remain cave dwellers for ever! Politics is a game of numbers and majority carries the vote. Barring sell-outs, the South got the numbers. Let South-West, South-East, South-South and the Middle-Belts go ahead. I bet ya they will join you. Ka Chineke mezie okwu! posted on 02-23-2012, 15:53:11 PM Enyi Re: You Cannot Suppress People Within a Federation - FFK QUOTE: By waiting, you are making them feel important more than they actually are. Because the East and West waited for them for independence in 1959, from that very moment they foolishly crowned themselves \"born to rule\" and \"king makers\" just like that. Unfortunately, you are still doing the same mistake today by pandering to the North wishes. This is the real problem with Nigeria. Until the South and Middle-Belt take the bull by the horns, we shall not make any progress. posted on 02-24-2012, 03:50:44 AM Denker Re: You Cannot Suppress People Within a Federation - FFK QUOTE: wonder why in the world any rational human being with some common sense would want to prevent a honest dialogue among the groups that make-up nigeria ......?] @Chinedu nwobu: Because the outcome of the SNC will destroy them totally. None of the current political figures will survive the tsunami such honest dialogue would generate. Even Femi Fani-Kayode himself will not survive it. On SNC, others should stop waiting for the North. By waiting, you are making them feel important more than they actually are. Because the East and West waited for them for independence in 1959, from that very moment they foolishly crowned themselves \\"born to rule\\" and \\"king makers\\" just like that. Unfortunately, you are still doing the same mistake today by pandering to the North wishes. Stop waiting for those who love to remain cave dwellers for ever! Politics is a game of numbers and majority carries the vote. Barring sell-outs, the South got the numbers. Let South-West, South-East, South-South and the Middle-Belts go ahead. I bet ya they will join you. Ka Chineke mezie okwu! mallam benjani, stop using the name of supreme igbo-god in vain; it's sacrilege, blasphemy, abomination and taboo.....indeed. aside, seriously, 99% of nigerians do not want SNC, mostly people hammering us with dis outrageous topic are inconsequential gooatgerians living in foreign land -mostly in USA plus Europe....vivamus! imho, i see only 2 options for nigeria: momentary incremental progressive developments leverage/base on policy continuity.... bloody revolution with open end.... posted on 02-24-2012, 04:05:18 AM Iyke Re: You Cannot Suppress People Within a Federation - FFK SNC lives in the imagination of people like..... I see one option and that is the balkanization of Nigeria. This will help different groups to gather the energy to start afresh like what happened when naija got her independence. telling me that something good will come out of this parlous state is ridiculous. Well another option, lets muddle on. posted on 02-24-2012, 04:18:40 AM Denker Re: You Cannot Suppress People Within a Federation - FFK QUOTE: SNC lives in the imagination of people like..... I see one option and that is the balkanization of Nigeria. This will help different groups to gather the energy to start afresh like what happened when naija got her independence. telling me that something good will come out of this parlous state is ridiculous. Well another option, lets muddle on. mallam iyke's options: balkanization of Nigeria muddle on with open end ....make una submit una options.... posted on 02-24-2012, 07:06:28 AM Yorubaman Re: You Cannot Suppress People Within a Federation - FFK Now lets say what you said here is the only way , How do you make that only way happen ? Is ts not by having a SNC ? So you see , you are not as smart as you are trying to make yourself believe . You see Iyke , you guys want ths Biafra so much that you keep making the wrong dicitions on how to go about it , face it men diplomacy is just not one of the strong points of the Igbo nation , since war did not get you guys Biafra the only option left is diplomacy and the Igbo nation just does not know how to play that game posted on 02-24-2012, 14:30:24 PM Chinedu nwobu Re: You Cannot Suppress People Within a Federation - FFK @yorubaman; stop that childish bigotry. Iyke has a right to his opinion just like anyone else. Different people have expressed diferent opinions on the issue, i cant understand why you must introduce a tribal prism into Iyke's opinion. This is the same thing you did in the other thread on FFK. If you want to know about diplomacy go and read nigeria's history. Dr Nnamidi Azikiwe and his followers almost to a fault used all the diplomacy and made all the sacrifice in the world to achieve one nigeria to the extent that Papa ZIK was accused of being an appeaser. At a time all the other regional leaders were so antagonist and tribalistic, making so much noise about their regions and about wanting to seccede (the same thing you now accuse Iyke of) it was only Dr Nnamidi Azikiwe and his group that insisted on nigeria and used the most diplomacy and sacrifice including forming an alliance with the then seccesionist north to form the post independence government and bring about nigeria. It is shameful that a lot of people who are so ignorant about nigeria's history go about writing loads of rubbish. Do yourself some favour with some lessons in nigeria's history. I personally so much appreciate FFK for the effort he is making in trying to actualise an SNC. We should all encourage him and pray that he succeeds. posted on 02-25-2012, 08:11:17 AM Bode Eluyera Re: You Cannot Suppress People Within a Federation - FFK TOUGH QUESTIONS FOR OLOYE FEMI FANI-KAYODE!! First, thanks to NVS for this initiative. The more these people speak and are interviewed, the more we will see their vulnerability and realize that 'afterall, there is nothing HIGH PROFILE about them.' Most of them are nothing but 'empty barrels' who are only capable of blowing big grammar. The observation about the interview are: 1. The questions are too long. NVS panel took about one-fifth of the total time; 2. You allowed Femi Fani-Kayode to give long answers. This led to repeatations; 3. The questions were not tough enough. The impression one has is that 'NVS was having a tea party discussion with Femi Fani-Kayode. For example, if I were to be a member of the panel, I would have asked the following questions: 1. Please tell us briefly why you are in support of a SNC? 2. Name 3 of your achievements and or policies that were successfully implimented when you were the minister for aviation; 3. Are these policies still in place today? 4. Most Nigerians believe that ibrahim babangida is behind the parcel bomb that murdered Dele Giwa in 1986, do you share the same opinion and how do you reconcile this with the fact that you are very close to somebody who is regarded as a murderer, looter of Nigeria's treasury whose economic policies impoverished millions of Nigerians and led to mass migration? 5. Irrespective of your position about the role babangida played in the murder of Dele Giwa, will you support his arrest by the Federal government? 6. Are you in support of babangida going to the court of law himself in order to clear his name concerning his role in the murder of Dele Giwa? 7. Since Dele Giwa was murdered in Lagos state, do you think that the Lagos state government has the right to demand (or issue an arrest warant)for the arrest of babangida or unilaterally start/instigate a legal case against him for the murder of Giwa? 8. As a yoruba man, please tell us what do the Yoruba stand to gain economically from having the North as a partner? 9. What do the Yoruba stand to gain politically from having the North as a partner? 10. Most Southerners believe that the North in general is a liability, parasite and burden to the South and should be got rid of as soon as possible, what is your take on that? 11. Do you think that the other 4 regions should ignore the NE and NW and go ahead with SNC and regional integration? 12. Do you think that One Nigeria should be voluntary or by force? In otherwords do you think that every etnic group presently in Nigeria are obliged to remain in it FOREVER even if they are against it or the desire of each ethnic group should be respected ad granted? 13. Will an ethnic group like Ndigbo for example be committing any treasonable crime if its leaders declare at the SNC that after almost 100 yeras of forceful co-existence by the British through Lugard, they are now more than convinced that THEIR DEVELOPMENT AND CULTURE ARE NOT COMPACTIBLE WITH THAT OF NIGERIA ESPECIALLY THE NORTH AND THEY PREFER TO BE ON THEIR OWN? 13. Do you think that the massacre millions of innocent Ndigbos whose only crime was their desire to be free, be on their own in a new sovereign state (after the departure of the British) is a worth while venture by the North and people like babangida all in the name of keeping Nigeria one at any cost? 14. Do you think that Nigeria should remain one country at any cost - even it means another civil war that will lead to another senseless massacre of innocent lives? 15. Whom(which ethnic group(s)) do you think is/arei benefitting most from One Nigeria today? 16. Whom(which ethnic group(s)) do you think is/arei loosing most or paying the highest price from One Nigeria? 17. Do you really think that after Boko Haram and the irresponsible reactions of the federal government and Northern political and religious leaders it will be easy for the federal government and the North in particular to keep on selling One Nigeria to the South especially the Ndigbos who were the hargest victims? 18. Don't you think that what we are experiencing in Nigeria now is nothing but INTERNAL COLONIALISM OF THE SOUTH BY THE NORTH under the pretext of keeping Nigeria one? 19. Why is the North against Sovereign National Conference and why are these people so keen in keeping Nigeria one and having the South who are mostly christians and whom they regard as KEFIRI, NON-BELIEVERS as co-citizens? Why is the North afraid to be on its own? 20. Should the British, Americans and/or the United Stations be involved in Nigeria's political processes, future most especially the Sovereign National Conference? 21. Some villagers like Bode Eluyera believe that THERE HAS NEVER BEING ONE NIGERIA, THERE IS NO ONE NIGERIA NOW(a good testimony to that is boko haram, indescriminate mass murder of Southerners and their migration from the North because of the inability of the federal and state governments to protect them) AND THERE WILL NEVER BE ONE NIGERIA IN THE NEXT 500 YEARS and that we should stop deceiving ourselves AND START THE PEACEFUL DEMOLITION OF NIGERIA!!! Since the interview session is not yet over, you might want to throw some of the questions above to your HIGH PROFILE guest and others coming up later. Good luck in your interviewing. YOU ARE FREE TO REPUBLISH THIS POST ON YOUR BLOG, SOCIAL WEB SITES AND SEND IT TO FEMI FALANA,WOLE SOYINKA, BOLA TINUBU,RAUF AREGBESOLA,BABATUNDE FASHOLA,MUHAMMAD FAWEHINMI,FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES, POLITICIANS, HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS, E.T.C. . THANK YOU.* posted on 02-25-2012, 08:13:53 AM Bode Eluyera Re: You Cannot Suppress People Within a Federation - FFK TOUGH QUESTIONS FOR OLOYE FEMI FANI-KAYODE!! First, thanks to NVS for this initiative. The more these people speak and are interviewed, the more we will see their vulnerability and realize that 'afterall, there is nothing HIGH PROFILE about them.' Most of them are nothing but 'empty barrels' who are only capable of blowing big grammar. The observation about the interview are: 1. The questions are too long. NVS panel took about one-fifth of the total time; 2. You allowed Femi Fani-Kayode to give long answers. This led to repeatations; 3. The questions were not tough enough. The impression one has is that 'NVS was having a tea party discussion with Femi Fani-Kayode. For example, if I were to be a member of the panel, I would have asked the following questions: 1. Please tell us briefly why you are in support of a SNC? 2. Name 3 of your achievements and or policies that were successfully implimented when you were the minister for aviation; 3. Are these policies still in place today? 4. Most Nigerians believe that ibrahim babangida is behind the parcel bomb that murdered Dele Giwa in 1986, do you share the same opinion and how do you reconcile this with the fact that you are very close to somebody who is regarded as a murderer, looter of Nigeria's treasury whose economic policies impoverished millions of Nigerians and led to mass migration? 5. Irrespective of your position about the role babangida played in the murder of Dele Giwa, will you support his arrest by the Federal government? 6. Are you in support of babangida going to the court of law himself in order to clear his name concerning his role in the murder of Dele Giwa? 7. Since Dele Giwa was murdered in Lagos state, do you think that the Lagos state government has the right to demand (or issue an arrest warant)for the arrest of babangida or unilaterally start/instigate a legal case against him for the murder of Giwa? 8. As a yoruba man, please tell us what do the Yoruba stand to gain economically from having the North as a partner? 9. What do the Yoruba stand to gain politically from having the North as a partner? 10. Most Southerners believe that the North in general is a liability, parasite and burden to the South and should be got rid of as soon as possible, what is your take on that? 11. Do you think that the other 4 regions should ignore the NE and NW and go ahead with SNC and regional integration? 12. Do you think that One Nigeria should be voluntary or by force? In otherwords do you think that every etnic group presently in Nigeria are obliged to remain in it FOREVER even if they are against it or the desire of each ethnic group should be respected ad granted? 13. Will an ethnic group like Ndigbo for example be committing any treasonable crime if its leaders declare at the SNC that after almost 100 yeras of forceful co-existence by the British through Lugard, they are now more than convinced that THEIR DEVELOPMENT AND CULTURE ARE NOT COMPACTIBLE WITH THAT OF NIGERIA ESPECIALLY THE NORTH AND THEY PREFER TO BE ON THEIR OWN? 13. Do you think that the massacre millions of innocent Ndigbos whose only crime was their desire to be free, be on their own in a new sovereign state (after the departure of the British) is a worth while venture by the North and people like babangida all in the name of keeping Nigeria one at any cost? 14. Do you think that Nigeria should remain one country at any cost - even it means another civil war that will lead to another senseless massacre of innocent lives? 15. Whom(which ethnic group(s)) do you think is/arei benefitting most from One Nigeria today? 16. Whom(which ethnic group(s)) do you think is/arei loosing most or paying the highest price from One Nigeria? 17. Do you really think that after Boko Haram and the irresponsible reactions of the federal government and Northern political and religious leaders it will be easy for the federal government and the North in particular to keep on selling One Nigeria to the South especially the Ndigbos who were the hargest victims? 18. Don't you think that what we are experiencing in Nigeria now is nothing but INTERNAL COLONIALISM OF THE SOUTH BY THE NORTH under the pretext of keeping Nigeria one? 19. Why is the North against Sovereign National Conference and why are these people so keen in keeping Nigeria one and having the South who are mostly christians and whom they regard as KEFIRI, NON-BELIEVERS as co-citizens? Why is the North afraid to be on its own? 20. Should the British, Americans and/or the United Stations be involved in Nigeria's political processes, future most especially the Sovereign National Conference? 21. Some villagers like Bode Eluyera believe that THERE HAS NEVER BEING ONE NIGERIA, THERE IS NO ONE NIGERIA NOW(a good testimony to that is boko haram, indescriminate mass murder of Southerners and their migration from the North because of the inability of the federal and state governments to protect them) AND THERE WILL NEVER BE ONE NIGERIA IN THE NEXT 500 YEARS and that we should stop deceiving ourselves AND START THE PEACEFUL DEMOLITION OF NIGERIA!!! Since the interview session is not yet over, you might want to throw some of the questions above to your HIGH PROFILE guest and others coming up later. Good luck in your interviewing. YOU ARE FREE TO REPUBLISH THIS POST ON YOUR BLOG, SOCIAL WEB SITES AND SEND IT TO FEMI FALANA,WOLE SOYINKA, BOLA TINUBU,RAUF AREGBESOLA,BABATUNDE FASHOLA,MUHAMMAD FAWEHINMI,FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES, POLITICIANS, HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS, E.T.C. . THANK YOU.* posted on 02-25-2012, 08:24:57 AM Anwulika Re: You Cannot Suppress People Within a Federation - FFK Mr Bode, The podcast was last week Saturday but thanks for your input and they have been noted and maybe we will ask...or better still, you will get to ask your questions personally if/when he joins us for another podcast. posted on 02-25-2012, 09:53:10 AM Mikky jaga Re: You Cannot Suppress People Within a Federation - FFK SNC is a dead end in a democracy. You cannot have people elected at all levels and still keep on shouting that you need another set of people to represent you at another level. SNC is a good tool under the military to remind the khaki boys that they do not have our mandates. But once we have something we call democracy, that call becomes moot. As I suggested on a thread I opened on this some time ago, let every interest sponsor candidates that will canvass its views in the National Assembly and right within the National Assembly the conference can go on unhindered. The alternative is for us to have a revolution where a junta that has no sovereignty comes up and promise to abide by whatever the generality of Nigerians agree to. posted on 02-25-2012, 11:53:04 AM Chinedu nwobu Re: You Cannot Suppress People Within a Federation - FFK @mikky jaga: sovereignty utimately belongs to the people without which there will be no nation. The national assembly is lopsided and does not represent the overall sovereignty of nigeria's ethnic nations. Besides the national assembly is a collection of useless idiots who are not interested in moving the nation forward. They have been there for 12 years while christians are being slaughtered and everything is going wrong yet they couldnt come up with any constitutional solutions. They just recently turned down a request to create special courts for terrorism cases. Is this the kind of national assembly you think can create a peoples constitution? Democracy means that the people can assemble, dialogue, reach decisions and hold a referendum on their decisions. Other nations with democracies and assemblies have had an SNC, why should nigeria be different? Unusual situations demand unusual solutions and nigeria needs an SNC as solution to the nations problems. Truth is: nigeria already a failed state is heading for collapse anyway. SNC is actually a genuine attempt to dialogue and save the nation from collapse. If SNC is not held, it will be just a matter of time before we all bid bye bye to nigeria. Anybody waiting for or advocating using this same useless national assembly of unconscionable bats that have not achieved anything in 12 years to solve nigeria's problems should as well go and buy nigeria's coffin. posted on 02-25-2012, 12:41:25 PM Namio Re: You Cannot Suppress People Within a Federation - FFK As a begin agree with some of M J comment here, na im fear come grip me, small small. A nor go lie. The best election by democracy or whatever is thru the elected politicians. Now, a referendum can be done by the same people that conduct our election asking if we want SNC. If it results in favor of SNC, we have an alternate approach to those elected. Until then we do not have two competing form of democracies. Note that a question that is approved by the majority can still be against the interest of the minority and may be unconstitutional and knocked down by the court. So this is becoming dicey even for those of us that support SNC. If majority of Nigerians wanted SNC, it should have been reflected in the people we elected. posted on 02-25-2012, 13:58:31 PM Auspicious Re: You Cannot Suppress People Within a Federation - FFK - We Will be back after the following commercial break: -- posted on 02-25-2012, 14:04:04 PM Benjani Re: You Cannot Suppress People Within a Federation - FFK [mallam benjani, stop using the name of supreme igbo-god in vain; it's sacrilege, blasphemy, abomination and taboo.....indeed.] Ogbuagu Denker: Your point about the name of "supreme igbo-god" is well taken. From now on, is Ka Allah mezie okwu. [99% of nigerians do not want SNC,] Are you serious? Col. Abubakar Umar (rtd), Balarabe Musa and many others want SNC. Whether the North is ready for SNC or not, I think the South and Middle-Belt should go ahead. It is never easy retrieving the supremacy you ignorantly conceded to someone/people. Many thought heaven would fall if the Northerners were denied the presidency. As we all can see now, the heaven has not fallen and it will never fall. By standing their ground through Jonathan, the South broke the jinx and now claiming equality for all Nigerians. Whether it is for moving the country forward or breaking it up, we still have to meet at the conference table. For those who dosen't believe in SNC, what are your plans for achieving the balkanization? In the end, the warring factions in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Sudan and Ethiopia met at the conference table after 10 to 20 years of avoidable killings. SNC is the way to go. posted on 02-25-2012, 14:21:21 PM Chinedu nwobu Re: You Cannot Suppress People Within a Federation - FFK @Namio which people did you elect? those greedy bastards that collects more salary than obama in a nation where over 70% live in abject poverty? As i said before, anybody who waits on nigeria's national assembly of useless people should just go and buy a coffin for nigeria because no solution will ever come from those selfish fools. You dont need an election to decide wether to have an SNC, what you need an election or referendum for is the decision of the SNC. Democracy is limitless for the simple reason that the sovereign rests with the people. If the SNC organizers are able to get a critical mass of nigerians across every ethnic and religious group to hold a dialogue and the decision of that dialogue is put to a referendum part organized and supervised by the UN, the outcome of the vote will be automatically binding on all. You must have heard that Scotland has scheduled a referendum on independence or maximum devolution for 2014. The Scottish have an elected assembly but they constituted a committee from every socio-political group in Scotland which had an extensive dialogue and decided to opt for independence. The recommendation to opt for independence will now be put to the people to vote yes or no in a referendum. Note that Scotland has an elected assembly but still opted to set-up a committee which dialogued and made a recommendation for a vote on independence which will be put to the people in a referendum. An SNC is a similar arrangement. All ethnic, socio political and religious groups will hold a dialogue and submit the recommendations of the dialogue to a vote or referendum period. Nigerians lack creativity and are always discouraging everything with flimsy excuses. They fear failure, they fear everything and choose to do nothing or do the same things all the time and yet expect different results, this to me is the reason the country has failed. The fear of failure is never an excuse not to try. It is in trying that we can sometimes succeed. Take China for example which was a communist country run by a communist party on a communist ideology but when china realised that the communist system was not working against all odds they changed to the capitalist system and today china is the fastest growing country in the world. But guess what, china is still administered by the communist party. The essence of this china example is to show that with determination a people can make a change no matter the ideological odds as in the case of china. Were the chinese to be like nigerians, most people would have argued that a communist party that operates on a communist ideology can never transition to capitalism as that would be a form of class suicide. The typical nigerian will argue that it is simply impossible for a communist party to operate a capitalist system. Today china has proven that anything is possible for a people who have common sense and who have a genuine desire to turn their country around for good. Nigerians should quit giving excuses why an SNC cannot work but rather join in working out modalities to make an SNC possible and succesful. posted on 02-25-2012, 14:24:15 PM Benjani Re: You Cannot Suppress People Within a Federation - FFK [If majority of Nigerians wanted SNC, it should have been reflected in the people we elected.] @Namio: Stop making making a sweeping statement. Which people did majority of Nigerians elect? With exception of the South-West, elections elsewhere were very shameful. Did the people of Anambra elect Andy Uba? Benue people did not elect David Mark. Nigerians did not elect the majority of the current "elected" officials. Hence, Nigerians' wishes are not refelecting in them. posted on 02-25-2012, 16:46:50 PM Ewuro Re: You Cannot Suppress People Within a Federation - FFK QUOTE: As a begin agree with some of M J comment here, na im fear come grip me, small small. A nor go lie. The best election by democracy or whatever is thru the elected politicians. Now, a referendum can be done by the same people that conduct our election asking if we want SNC. If it results in favor of SNC, we have an alternate approach to those elected. Until then we do not have two competing form of democracies. Note that a question that is approved by the majority can still be against the interest of the minority and may be unconstitutional and knocked down by the court. So this is becoming dicey even for those of us that support SNC. If majority of Nigerians wanted SNC, it should have been reflected in the people we elected. Namio, I think Benjani has given a good assurance to allay your fears. In addition, the very instrument through which we have the current 'elected reps' is flawed. Note that it was Abacha who imposed that instrument which created a lopsided polity. The so called elected officials are very much depreciated by that Abacha constitution. They know very well it is damn too difficult to get a majority vote on issues that would protect the minorities or many southern interests. The representatives are left with no other choices thatn to get theirs. These are the issues the SNC is suppose to address. An equal representation from the six geopolitical zones to come up with how the people wished to be governed. It is the only chance to save Nigeria. If we fail to take that chance, we might have to settle it from a position of real enmity, by which time I am sure nothing could ever save Nigeria. If the NE & NW do not want the SNC, the rest of the country should press ahead with it. There has to be settlement sooner or later. posted on 02-25-2012, 19:04:52 PM Namio Re: You Cannot Suppress People Within a Federation - FFK You guys are preaching to someone on the same side with you. I do want SNC but we have to come up with better reason than the one given by MJ. Both Scot and China are very bad example. The people of China did not decide to go communist or convenient capitalist. Like Nigeria, the ruling class decided according to their wishes. The Scot are united against English domination and their number and diversity come no where close to Nigeria. But that is not an excuse not to look at their ways of referendum. The Scot, even if they separate still benefits from European Union. Which economic Union does Nigeria benefit from? We can not even unite ECOWA along economic trade and union. Yeah, who voted for our politicians? The same people that voted in China. Until we threaten each of those politician that if they do not support SNC, we will Boko Haram them in the South, they will be bribed and ignore the people's wishes. I strongly believe majority of Nigerians want SNC. We will never get it until Southsouth and Northcentral work with two political enemies ie Southeast and Southwest. At the end of the day, Yoruba and Igbo will scata scata the whole thing. Even if they don't, Northcentral will join the North when it comes to economic self-sufficiency and Southsouth will join the North when they cannot be the President. Well, we cannot give up, may be finally we will realize our narrow minded and selfish obstacles but I am too young to hold my breath. Only the youths can come together and save that Country if they want a future. I am tire jo. posted on 02-26-2012, 07:36:46 AM Chinedu nwobu Re: You Cannot Suppress People Within a Federation - FFK @Namio again you are acting out the nigerian tragedy by giving every excuse why something will fail when you have not even tried. Why not try first and see the outcome rather than postulating or imagining all kinds of reasons why an SNC will not work? Did mankind not go to the moon? If the whole world was populated by nigerians the advent to the moon would never have happened because the typical nigerian will give every reason why it is impossible to go to the moon. As it is today there is no other alternative as using the national assembly is the same thing as maintaining the status quo and doing nothing. In the absence of any alternative we have to try an SNC. I am really tired of the laziness and lack of creativity exhibited by nigerians who always give imaginary reasons why everything cannot work. Everything in life is a risk. Those who went to the moon took risks. Those who build weapons take risk. Lets take the risk and try something new. posted on 02-26-2012, 08:44:37 AM Tonsoyo Re: You Cannot Suppress People Within a Federation - FFK QUOTE: SNC is a dead end in a democracy. You cannot have people elected at all levels and still keep on shouting that you need another set of people to represent you at another level. SNC is a good tool under the military to remind the khaki boys that they do not have our mandates. But once we have something we call democracy, that call becomes moot. As I suggested on a thread I opened on this some time ago, let every interest sponsor candidates that will canvass its views in the National Assembly and right within the National Assembly the conference can go on unhindered. The alternative is for us to have a revolution where a junta that has no sovereignty comes up and promise to abide by whatever the generality of Nigerians agree to. Mikky, Sovereignty under the civilian or military remains in the people. They could delegate the exercise of that mandate as it pleases them. The NA may make laws and amend Constitution they do not make Constitution. posted on 02-26-2012, 09:38:18 AM Tonsoyo Re: You Cannot Suppress People Within a Federation - FFK QUOTE: As a begin agree with some of M J comment here, na im fear come grip me, small small. A nor go lie. The best election by democracy or whatever is thru the elected politicians. Now, a referendum can be done by the same people that conduct our election asking if we want SNC. If it results in favor of SNC, we have an alternate approach to those elected. Until then we do not have two competing form of democracies. Note that a question that is approved by the majority can still be against the interest of the minority and may be unconstitutional and knocked down by the court. So this is becoming dicey even for those of us that support SNC. If majority of Nigerians wanted SNC, it should have been reflected in the people we elected. Namio, I do not know about "the people we elected" How can we call this a reflection of the people when all constituency delineating formula are created by military fiat and bullet sanctioned rather than people sanctioned? The Constitution under which we operate is a decree, the states are artificial creations not based on any people's identifying indices but more on where the wives or the girlfriends of the Military ruler and cronies come from sealed with rigged elections. A good model to follow is India where their states are based on ethnicity and language no matter how big or small. It has helped them greatly from the nonsense the British bequeathed unto them. Nigeria is a very awkward country, it is never going to work like this. posted on 02-26-2012, 11:44:39 AM Namio Re: You Cannot Suppress People Within a Federation - FFK See me see trouble O. Who is looking for excuses why SNC will not work, when I repeatedly said I believe in SNC. What I am telling you is that the failed people of Nigeria for donkeys years have run out of solutions. Vacate the place for the youths with fresh ideas instead of parading yourselves as saviors when we know your goals. Until you come up with better representation than what we have now, no matter how flawed, you will fail again. Military did this, civilians did that, what alternative do you have that majority of the people you represent want it. Even when I believe that is the case. How did you or me come to that majority? Is it not a fact that Yoruba and Igbo will marry, do biz with one another but will never come together politically. The children we expect to rescue us are being taught how to hate one another. At the end of the day, one of them will go sleep with the same North they claim they hate and squeal. Look if you want solution, plan a revolution like Arab countries and stop being hypo. In the history of Nigeria, I have never seen student bodies so complacent and dormant, fixed on discoveries of college drop outs as Nigeria students today. Boy we were lucky, some of our cohorts got killed, some ran out of the countries and some remain poor on the streets today asking their mates that never participated for money to eat. I do not need any of you lecturing me about solutions, u hia. posted on 02-27-2012, 03:39:34 AM Mikky jaga Re: You Cannot Suppress People Within a Federation - FFK I just laugh oyibo laugh. How do we determine what majority of Nigerians want? How do we communicate to the UN what majority of Nigerians want? So, Jonathan no longer represents what majority of Nigerians want? Then impeach him and put somebody that represents the interest of majority of Nigerians! Oh, the National Assembly too does not represent what majority of Nigerians want? How then do we get people that will stand for what majority of Nigerians want? Call for a referendum - to be supervised by Jega or another stooge that will just play a game of numbers like in the census and say the Ayes have it when it is obvious there is nothing like that. Okay, let the UN supervise the referendum, as if we do not know who control the UN. If these powers decide it is in their interest the present rot continues, nothing will change it even if you conduct referendum a hundred times. We talk as if Nigerians have not gone outside the government to conduct a conference of ethnic Nationalities. What were the out comes of the Soyinka/Enahoro led conference? There can never be an SNC in Nigeria as long as this present "democracy" stands. All we the people of Nigeria can do is improve the 'quality' of the representatives in the National Assembly by ensuring that through eternal vigilance and continuous mobilization, only those that believe in SNC get elected into the place. Once they get there, it is a matter of time before they convene the conference right in the NA. The other alternative is for us to sponsor a people's coup that will disband the present lootocracy and convene an SNC whose result will be binding on the junta. Why should we think it impossible to have another Orkar coup? posted on 02-27-2012, 05:54:14 AM Ewuro Re: You Cannot Suppress People Within a Federation - FFK MJ, I think we do recognise that the current 'elected representatives' will be unwilling to conveign a conference of nationalities. You provided one option, ' a peoples' coup, as an aternative to forcing an SNC. A peoples's coup may be forlong, although it remains a possibility. The other coup that maybe feasible coup is a re-enactment of the orkar coup. In Orkar, we have an expulsion of the NE & NW from Nigeria. Another option is totally breakdown of law order that may result in the balkanisation of Nigeria to 3 or four independent states. what is clear is the current structure of Nigeria is unsustainable politically, socially and economically. Those who ignore the SNC for selfish reasons or other fears will have to contend with one or two of the scenario highlighted above. In a fragile polity as obtains in Ni Nigeria, something has to give. I am sure MJ will not allow your child to do NYSC in Maiduiguiri. I am pretty certain you will encourage all your relatives in the far north and middle belt to relocate. So will I. If our people cannot live in the far north, I ask why should we allow theirs to live in the south. If that is the case, the so called elected representatives are done for. Nigeria is also done for. posted on 02-27-2012, 06:15:04 AM Mikky jaga Re: You Cannot Suppress People Within a Federation - FFK We have little choice in this matter. It is either we work to make the present 'representatives' truly representative or we work for the overthrow of the present system. Go to the Full Discussion Thread Comments Page: 1