*Says Biafra, Oduduwa Republic agitators are talking nonsense
*”There was no Yoruba nation before the British amalgamated Nigeria; there was Oyo Empire under Alaafin
…and the Egba had their own flag and they had their own generals fighting Oyo
…fighting Ibadan, Ibadan was the city state that was aligned to Oyo
*Adds: Constitution of Nigeria from pre-Independence, midwifed by the military or not, gives no room for breakup of Nigeria
*Only sinister people talk of restructuring, nothing in it – Olawepo-Hashim
*Says nobody in Northern Nigeria is against State Police
*Blasts Southern Governors over resource control that is more fundamental than said
*Educates: ‘Unity of Nigeria is not the problem but mismanagement of our diversity’
*Says security problems traceable to removal of powers from Local Administration
*Ridicules people who like to blame the Fulani for everything
By BASHIR ADEFAKA
“One of the critical elements of the independence constitution, which remains with all the constitutions that we have had whether midwifed by the military or whatever, is the principle of indivisibility and indissolubility of the federal republic of Nigeria, this was agreed by all the regions… in fact it was thoroughly debated at the Lancaster Conference whether the component regions should have the right to secede or not.”
One of the founding fathers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a Presidential Candidate of People Trust (PT) during the 2019 general elections, Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has expressed his dismay over moves by some individuals to dismember Nigeria.
Olawepo-Hashim, who spoke on insecurity and calls for secession in a detailed television interview with TVC video of which was watched by The DEFENDER, also bore his mind on other issues of nation concerns.
In his reaction to emerging issues challenging the unity of Nigeria, he said it has dominated his discussions for months that what Nigeria needs is national consensus as against South or Northern consensus on moving the country forward as articulated in his political party’s six point agenda.
A major player in the oil industry and strong voice for a united Nigeria, he said the agitations for secession by Igbo people and a section of Yoruba Land currently have no justification as, according to him, it is “pure nonsense” properly called. He added that Nigeria’s Constitution from pre-Independence era has always provided for democratically elected leaders and not handpicked leaders just like, according to him, Igbo, Yoruba and Northern delegates willingly participated in the Lancaster Conference of 1957 where the Independence Constitution was negotiated and Nigeria’s indivisibility and indissolubility were agreed upon by all the regions.
Olawepo-Hashim said: “This is just nonsense to be honest with you and let’s call it what it is pure nonsense. Nigeria’s constitution, starting from the one we had before independence, has always provided for democratically elected leaders and not handpicked leaders. At the Lancaster Conference in 1957 and 1958, the Eastern delegates were led by Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the Western delegates were led by Chief Obafemi Awolowo and the Northern delegates were led by Sir. Ahmadu Bello and independence constitution was negotiated.
“One of the critical elements of the independence constitution, which remains with all the constitutions that we have had whether midwifed by the military or whatever, is the principle of indivisibility and indissolubility of the federal republic of Nigeria, this was agreed by all the regions. So this theory by some illiterates, I call them illiterates and some of them may be professors and they go about talking nonsense as if that is the truth…
“This theory that Nigeria was put together forcefully by the British is false because the people of Nigeria did negotiate the constitution led by democratically elected leaders. And the principle of indissolubility and indivisibility of the federal republic of Nigeria was agreed; in fact it was thoroughly debated at the Lancaster Conference whether the component regions should have the right to secede or not.
“The southwest wanted it; the northern region also did not mind it. In fact, the most compelling argument for national unity was from Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe who said that we should have a model constitution like the constitution of the United States of America where secession is an act of treason and that Nigeria should exist in unity in perpetuity.”
Renegotiating Nigeria Unity?
On whether, given the realities in Nigeria today, he thinks all the components of Nigeria can come together to renegotiate their unity, the blunt and sound speaking politician simply said:
“I am not convinced that the unity of Nigeria is the problem. What I think is the problem is the mismanagement of our diversity. That is the issue.”
Speaking more realistically he said: “I am saying so in the sense that over the years, we have not allowed the elements that can guarantee efficient management of state power to operate. We had a coup in 1966 that took powers from the sub-national authorities that would have efficiently managed the situation like security you are talking about to the extent that if anything happens in a local government, the people who live in that community would know who the criminals are. It is easier when security is managed at that level than when it is managed from the central government because there is always a problem with even trust in that people will not volunteer information easily.
“So some of the security problems we are having are traceable to the fact that powers that were residing at the local level have been taken away and dumped at the federal level. Interestingly, a lot of people like to blame the Fulani for everything.
“But it may interest you to note that the people who plotted the 1966 coup were not Fulani but Igbo from the southeast who established the unitary constitution. So it is not about Hausa or Igbo or Yoruba but about the fact that we have distorted the most essential element of managing diversity, which is to have a level of control mobilization and development and two key elements, security and the economy are the most important elements of activities in a society. And when you have taken those powers and dumped them at the centre then you snuff out creativity and efficiency and the state can no longer function at its optimum.
“That is why I am of the view that when we decentralize we will regain our balance and I do not think that the issue is about our unity. The real issue is that we distorted the essential principles of managing that diversity and we must take necessary steps to restore it in order to make progress as a country.
“That is the solution, not secession and I have not seen an African country that achieved secession that has been better off. Eritrea is not better off than they were; they fought for almost 30 years to leave Ethiopia. But what have they achieved after the left. South Sudan is not doing better either after many years of war. And let me tell you Nigeria is more of a blessing than a curse. When people are talking about seceding the question to ask is, secede to where? Before Nigeria was amalgamated, there was nothing called Yoruba nation but Oyo Empire and the various sub-nationalities in the present southwest were in 200 years war against Oyo; the Ekitis and all that they were all fighting Oyo to be independent of Oyo.
“There was so much insecurity; this was a war for 200 years. So what do they mean by Yoruba nation, there was no Yoruba nation before the British amalgamated Nigeria; there was Oyo Empire under Alaafin and the Egba had their own flag and they had their own generals fighting Oyo, fighting Ibadan, Ibadan was the city state that was aligned to Oyo.
“Even the lower flank to the north, Ilorin, that one has broken up from Oyo; it wanted its own independence. Everybody wanted independence from Oyo Empire; so what is the Yoruba nation that they are talking about? And the ones in the east that are talking about Biafra, they didn’t even have a kingdom, they didn’t have any empire.
“What do you mean by Biafra, everybody was at the clan level when the British went to that place. The only thing in the southeast and south-south that was a big kingdom was Benin and everybody was either a vassal to Benin directly or indirectly in those areas. Secession is pure nonsense, secession to where?
Restructuring
On restructuring, he said: “Look, let’s not quarrel over semantics because one of the problems of restructuring is, like as you have said, identified with some forces that are deemed sinister and therefore people fret unnecessarily about this. I have no doubt that some of those voices are really sinister and to be honest with you, there is nothing they are talking that we have not discussed before in the past. In 1990, we had a national conference at the national theatre in Lagos and I was the secretary of that organization and we talked about devolution and decentralization of power; we didn’t say restructuring but essentially the critical element was devolution and decentralization of power, which we are still talking about.
“And I don’t think anybody in the north is against state police. You have seen the Northern Elders’ Forum’s position on this, you have seen what Governor El Rufai said on this and other governors’ positions on the same subject matter and they are essentially on building a national consensus. Some people may choose to keep to their own label even though they are saying less.
Resource Control
“For instance, we are talking about states having control over resources within their territories, something that is more fundamental than what the southern governors are asking for, a higher share of revenue for their operations. But the way they asked for it and the drama they put into it, make it look like they are asking for something very terrible, very serious.
“So essentially what they are asking for is not even profound but this is the problem with perception when you have too much label behind an idea. But essentially I think we have a national consensus whether it is from the north, from the south and that is why I don’t like to use labels that have been so much discredited because in communication your words also matter.”
On allegations of nepotism
Asked whether he was satisfied with the way appointments are being made in the country at the moment and as to whether the appoints met the constitutional concepts of national unity, indivisibility and indissolubility, he said:
“Well, that is the problem with the character of a government; it is not a problem with the character of country. When Yar’Adua was President, were all the appointments from Katsina? If you are having issues with appointments, there are constitutional remedies. We have the federal character commission and there is no state in this country that is not represented at the federal character commission. But have they complained about appointments? Where is their report, where are the voices of their state representatives? Why are they not saying anything?
