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Let’s Break-up Nigeria!
June 25, 2017 – Let’s Break-up Nigeria!
By Tony Ogunlowo
So everybody wants to go their own separate way? Some Igbos want to re-create the nation of Biafra while others want a Niger-Delta country; Northern youths are calling for the expulsion of all Igbos (- and Southerners) from the North and quietly the Yorubas are calling for the creation of an Oduduwa Republic.
And then what?
As Great Britain is finding out from its preliminary BREXIT talks with Europe it’s not easy to break up a union that has been around for a very long time. It’s a lot of wahala!
As anybody who has been through a divorce will know, no break-up is easy: who gets to keep the dog? (- or cat?) How will assets be divided and what about access to the kids?
For intended break-aways a lot of things need to be considered; creating your own flag and drawing up your geographical borders is just the tip of the iceberg for there’s lots of things to consider.
A new country will need to be self-sufficient, generate its own income, make its own laws and be able to defend itself for instance.
As we can see from the break-up of the old Soviet Union 25 years ago this can prove to be problematic. Some of the old Soviet bloc countries have all the resources whilst others have nothing – reduced to having cabbage and potato economies.
Even the powerful Great Britain will have problems when they finally break with Europe. There will be problems with trade, defence and immigration amongst other things.
If the North wants to go it alone can they survive on an income derived from groundnuts and rice? Will yams and cocoa fund an Oduduwa Republic? Can the oil-rich delta region survive on oil alone?
And how do you divide up the Federal installations and other assets scattered around the country?
People, of all tribes, are scattered around the country and have made these places their homes. So what immigration policy will be put in place? Will there be free movement between the new countries? Will they be allowed to live and work where they are or do they have to return back to their origins? Will I, a Nigerian require a visa to live and work in Biafra?
Those old enough will remember the trouble caused by the expulsion of illegal aliens order signed by then President Shagari that resulted in the infamous ‘Ghana must Go’ in 1983 when people who were not of Nigerian descent were forced to leave.
Fast forward to the present day; there are more than 500,000 British citizens living and working in Europe and have done so for a very long time with a majority of them in Spain. After Britain voted to leave the European Union they have been left in limbo; they don’t know if they will have to leave everything they’ve spent years building up behind and return back to England. Likewise, European nationals in Britain don’t know if they’ll be sent home.
Currently Nigeria is not stable: the economy is a mess, corruption and crime is still rife and there is mass unemployment to mention but a few of the problems.
Forcing people to uproot and return back to their hometowns will lead to mass civilian unrest. Will they be compensated for their assets such as houses and businesses that they will be forced to leave behind? Who will compensate Dangote for all his investments in the South? And what about the people he employs? Who is going to employ them when he closes his businesses and moves everything up North? (- and again who’s going to work for him in the North? Fulani cattle herders? Boko haram?)
International investors will be very wary of where they invest with so much uncertainty. Again where they invest will be determined by such things as minimum wage, taxes and tariffs imposed by the new nations.
More than twenty years after the creation of the new states in Nigeria, some are still struggling to stand on their own two feet! Can any of them even be financially independent? What can they do without continual financial support from the Federal Government? Nothing! So how will a new country survive with no funds from a Federal Government?
And what about sports? When it comes to the Commonwealth Games or the Olympics some of the ‘new nations’ won’t have any competitors to send because all their women will be at home cooking, making babies clad head-to-toe in hijabs!
Splitting up the country is the equivalent of opening up a Pandora’s Box : you’ll be letting out untold problems that will cause untold misery for many years to come – probably leading to civil wars.
So to all those who are thinking of breaking away its time to go back to the drawing board and think of other ways to help your people to remain part of the country. Helping your people, doing the best for your people and getting the best for them will result in everyone helping everyone to resolve the real problems affecting the nation.
Unification is a lot better than seceding.
[Follow me on Twitter: @Archangel641 or visit https://www.archangel641.blogspot.co.uk]
mulikat
June 25, 2017 at 8:11 AM
Mr.Man, Oduduwa ,is not only Cocoa and yams, we have Oil in Ondo and Lagos states, even in Ogun,but not yet started, everybody have brain know ondo and lagos is oil state in Oduduwa Rep. Osun is Gold state of naija nr.1 and many other natural mineral i cant remembers names.most important we are more Educated than any other parts of naija. go to USA ,UK and Canada, the blacks that are educated their ,they are 95% yoruba with those country nationality, cheek , is truth, was on CNN,we go to university, with master, degree more than white America.with that along, our place will develop than any other ex naija ,if we all go our seperate ways, which i pray to God to happen.we get security, less robbers and kidnappers which is 98% ibo and niger-delter jobs, is that.close our borders sea, creek, land and air, we cheek who and who coming in and going out, visa and finger print, of everybody,change law,Corruption, Ritualist,Kidnappers,Cultis and Robbers Death.e.t.c .in our new nation will allowed only young educated people to rule all this same old men and women since 1960 out,nothing to say in the new nation, all corrupt papas. in politics, no more thugs anybody with thugs, is out of the race,no area boys, cut will get 10-15ys,prison. clear the str,people need freedom of movement, security, light, good roads.we start with tourist you create more jobs than oil.follow by farm, fishing and technology, not only oil oil every day. in farming and touristen and fishing, even none educated will make something, cos you do saleing your products, to touristen anything you can use your hands to do,food sale in open food markets,day and night. go so many city in the world,that have security, you get food markets,from didfferent country and tribes, everbody want to text new food.and more over no more Boko Haram, that will be only in far north, in their Sharia Boko Haram Rep.where all women with cover up with black clothes, no education,is their wahala,nothing like nigeria Boko Haram.cos are not same country, ex nation, USSR do the same, everybody have hard life ,few years later get their house together.you cant build Rom,in a day.
Mon
June 25, 2017 at 10:19 AM
The fact of the matter is the entire youth in Nigeria are tired of what’s going on in Nigeria. Only few selected from all part are holding the entire nation hostage.
How many of this so called leaders are their children studied or studying in Nigeria, how many of them seek medical attention in Nigeria? it’s very wrong,keeping quite as if everything is OK makes everything more wrong. There is no reasonable Nigerian happy with the way things are going,except those who are related to the crooks, and relation here means only blood,because majority of people of each tribe are not happy with their government, no basic amenities,no security…nothing as in nothing.
I still respect this guy called Nnamdi Kanu,he may not be right in all his manner of approach,but i salute his courage in calling Nigeria what it is,if his initiation can help matters as that’s the only solution i see now,let it be,if Biafra or any other can secede and become better in the next 50yrs will be far better than staying as Nigeria and become worst in the next 100yrs, but at the end,let’s God’s WILL be done.
Danti
June 25, 2017 at 10:42 AM
With a competent leader and relevant experts Odua republic should be okay with our farm products and with untouched oil and gas deposits in Ondo and Lagos. But before that, by now I expected all the Odua states to form an indomitable union that will start to look into things broadly. For me, I have Air Force base in Ekiti, new naval base in Okitipupa, ondo state, layers of army base in Oyo state,railway system that connects all the states capital, signs defense pact with Israel, every non Yorubas must apply for residence permits within a year and property tax will be 3-5 higher than the natives. Folks, these are just small but important portions of our nationhood. let us prepare how to generate revenue, farm to feed our people, create professional police force,have good health care system,know all the streets in the region with the help of good postal service, meen! I think we should split, Odua will definitely achieve its potential I am tired of all these rats and roaches ke!
chinedu
June 25, 2017 at 1:59 PM
the truth 9ja is individable biacraz sorry biafraud or no biafraud Biko lt all the chinedu and chinyere ask or Google how ojoku or what was his name ended
Lawrence
June 25, 2017 at 4:33 PM
Stronger together, thou all I see in Kanu has hatred for other tribes , he got nothing to offer , all the mumu never take their time to ask him , if they leave today , what provisions have been put in place to sustain them for the next ten years , or they think with all the crises all over the world presently. Any world power will get their time , they warned you enough. Thou I’m 100% sure Biafra is a big joke .
iron bar
June 26, 2017 at 12:54 AM
UNIFICATION WETIN?I DONT BELIEVE IN SWEET ARTICLE WITH EMPTY RHETORICS.WHAT IS GREATER THAN FEAR IS FEAR ITSELF..SELF DETERMINATION IS NOT EASY BUT IS WORKABLE.SELF DECIET AND SEGREGATION ,PERSECUTION AT A TARGET GROUP OF PEOPLE IS UNACCEPTABLE.PHAROAH MUST LET MY PEOPLE GO..
DHAKA
June 26, 2017 at 6:02 AM
We Niger Deltas has what it takes to survive, have you forgotten that with the money we derived from Oil, we can make something great out of it. Let us divide and see who will suffer most. Yorubas should stop jumping the gun because we know them too well, they can’t make decisions without the hausas. We Niger deltas are 100% ready. Atleast there won’t be any cheating, Kidnapping and Militant will stop because there will be a enough resources to take care of any problem. Bring it on and we will be Glad to accept the offer.
Endurance
June 26, 2017 at 12:08 PM
Ogunlowo I used to cherish, appreciate and always in agreement with many of your articles but on this, I totally disagree with all the points you’ve enumerated as what will be the major impediment to seceding from the failed country called Nigeria. You talked about the Creating of flag of a new nation and the drawing of geographical border. I do not see those as a challenge. As we speak the Biafran geographic experts have already drown the map of the potential biafran nation and it border so as to consolidate their territorial integrity. The flag has also been designed waiting for recognition and approval from the United Nation after the Nigerian government must have formally consented and allow a due process that may eventually lead to a referendum to take place.
You mentioned sel-sufficiency and the ability of any new Nation to generate income,makes it own laws and be able to defend itself as a major obstacles that await those calling for secession from Nigeria. Again,this are not points. The three major ethnic group we have in Nigeria namely: Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba all have what it takes both in human and natural resources to build a reliable government and maintain a strong,stable and prosperous economy. The North has a large deposit of crude oil and natural gas yet to be tapped in “Lake Chad” and “Bagga Region” situated in Maiduguri whose water is also rich in fishery. Agriculture which is one of the driving force or backbone of any nation’s economy is the main field of the northerners. They have quite a lot population that are currently serving in the military that are capable enough of enforcing any law made by them and can also defend themselves against any external aggression. The same also applies to Igbo and Yoruba. As far back in 2009 if I can recall vividly,one oil industry called Addax petroleum announced an offshore oil discovery from the Njabba 2 well in the eastern part of Imo State producing about 6000 barrels of crude oil per day obviously a boost to economic stability of Ndigbo people. We have about 103 oil wells in Abia state which about 50 are producing and many are still largely under-exploited in the state. Igbo people are also business oriented,full of creativity and talented in great and successful business enterprises and have so far contributed immensely to the economic prosperity of the nation. Therefore,Biafran secession from Nigeria will be a major breakthrough leaving it indigenous people with greater political and economic opportunity which is usually the leeway to building a more stronger,effective and advance country.
Oduduwa’s Republic has much in their belt to
Govern themselves successfully without seeking any external financial aid. Lagos State has been blessed with large oil and Gas that are yet to be explored along EPE region with the newly discovered one in Badagry axis. 10 percent of national oil reserve are found in Ondo State onshore and offshore. Ondo State are also huge coacoa producers. Huge Bitumen is also deposited in Ondo soil used in road construction. Oduduwa is immeasurably blessed with highly educated and intellectual ones living in both home and aborad who are ready to come back home to contribute positively to the growth of the Oduduwa’s Republic should this failed country split today.
Contrary to your opinion Ogunlowo,I want to make it emphatically clear to you that the Oil rich Niger Delta region can survive on oil alone. Take for instance the libyan economy that depends primarily upon revenue from the petroleum sector and contribute practically all export earnings and over half of it GDP. Libyan agriculture remains 2% so they import most of their food,machinery,transport equipment,semi-finished goods and most of their consumer products. Now from your assessment of that country,are the libyans lacking economically or financially? Absolutely not! Their economy is rather one of the best in africa with many of our unemployed Nigerian youths setting out perilous journey to make wealth in Libya. So Niger Delta will discover it full potential when they become independent.
The federal installations and other governmental assets you mentioned that are scattered across the country can be divided among the new nations peacefully without any confrontation. A very good immigration policy will be established by various government of each new country thereby providing an easy migration of each citizens to there region or wherever they may choose to live with the help of residential permit provided by each government. Mass civilian unrest can be curtailed through proper monitoring from each government as well.
Those who therefore fail to change their stance and continue to call for the oneness or unification of the failed country call Nigeria are the beneficiaries largely in sit of government that have reaped enormous wealth through their dishonest business practices and embezzlement of public fund. Great wealth have been made through oil exploration and it sales in Nigeria since 1956 with virtually nothing to show for it. Unemployment rate is at peak edging close to 80%. We continue to live on empty promises and falsehood from our corrupt politicians every four years with many of our graduates hopelessly roaming on the streets turning hard core criminals with no way out.
The call for Biafra, Oduduwa and Arewa’s Republic should be sounded aloud to the enemies of progress who are holding 180 nigerians to ransom. Those who yearn for better life for their unborn generations should therefore seek for dissolution of the failed country call Nigeria.