By Kayode Emola
As we wrap up the push for a Yoruba sovereign nation with protest rallies across the length and breadth of Yorubaland today, opinions have been divided as to strategic alliances needed for the eventual dissolution of Nigeria. Some people are of the opinion that working together as a powerful southern Nigeria bloc would upstage the northern hegemony faster. Whereas some people are of the opinion that working as a Yoruba unit bound together with love can also get the job done.
Here is my take on the issue, to really understand the peculiarities of the Nigerian arrangement, we need to look elsewhere around the world and even at the way and manner in which Nigeria was formed. Take the former Yugoslavia federation that was amalgamated in 1918 after the first world war, four years after Nigeria’s own amalgamation. They like Nigeria were composed of several ethnic nationalities (Serbs, Croats, Slovenes, etc) brought together to become one nation following the dissolution of the Austria-Hungarian empire.
The crux of the matter was that the Serbs exerted an enormous amount of control over the other nationalities in the country and pretty much dictated the tune for a very long time. Eventually, the legacy of their 1974 Constitution was used to throw the system of decision-making into a state of paralysis. Their case became hopeless due to ethnic tensions and eventually led to the break-up of the country on 25 June 1991 when Slovenia and Croatia declared their independence from Yugoslavia.
In the case of Nigeria, we had the British do the same to the Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, and other ethnic nationalities in 1914. However, after several years, although the Hausa language is still used by many people in the north, the Fulani people seem to have crookedly taken over the reins of the north and if not by extension the whole of Nigeria.
During the struggle for independence of Nigeria in the 1950s, the indigenous political elite of the south at the time definitely did not have the story of Yugoslavia to reminisce on. However, there were plenty of examples that they could have looked at to work for the common good of their ethnic nationalities. Most of those leaders put their own interests first before the interests of their ethnic nationalities and the result is the pain and suffering, we in southern Nigeria are facing today.
Had the Yoruba and the Igbo nation worked together as a unit, it would have helped their people down the line. However, political leaders from all sides wanted Nigeria all to themselves and the Fulani who pretended not to be interested in Nigeria became the eventual beneficiary of the whole arrangement. Today is not a time to dwell on the mistakes of the past but a time to work for the good of the upcoming generation yet unborn.
Those of us involved in the struggle for the dissolution of Nigeria on the Yoruba side must eschew bitterness against the Igbo nation and vice versa. We must remember that both nations are fighting a common enemy and we both have a common destination. We must learn what works from each other and throw away what does not work. We must learn to hold each other’s hands in solidarity until we reach the finish line and try not to treat each other with contempt.
I say all these because I have heard many audios, watched videos, and read several articles on both sides condemning the other needlessly whilst the real enemy continues to inflict more damage. We are now at the crossroad of history and history will judge us whether we tried to put bitterness aside to fight for the common good or we continue to bicker and hinder our progress.
For the first time in 2021, 61 years after independence, the Southern Nigeria Governors were able to work together thereby enabling them to create the Southern Governors Forum. The quest for the dissolution of Nigeria by the Southerners gave them the strength to dare their northern counterparts who had held those northern Governors’ meetings without intimidation. We must know that those of us fighting for the freedom of our people are on the right track as our actions are yielding results.
I urge our two nations, (Yoruba and Igbo) to learn from the Yugoslavia experience and act now. When the Serbs were dominating them, to the extent of forcing an unworkable Constitution on the country, they stood side by side with each other to resist the oppressor’s rule. It is time for the Yoruba and Igbo nation to understand that we can continue to bicker and fight each other, it would do us no good and only delay our journey to the more desirable freedom we all pursue.
As it stands, there is no more Nigeria and the only thing keeping the sunk ship called Nigeria is the diaspora remittance being funded mostly by the Yoruba and Igbo people. The breaking up of this model is very easy as we have the technology to make this happen. The two nations must now work together as quickly as possible to roll out their own currency to their people to ensure that the unfunded Nigeria project is completely put to an end once and for all.
As the rally for freedom starts on the Yoruba side today, I would expect the entire southern Nigeria to be in lockdown mode until our demands are met. We must embark on the mother of all rallies never before seen in Nigeria. We must come out with one purpose only, the establishment of our independent sovereign Yoruba nation outside of Nigeria.
For those still clamouring for the 2023 elections, they must understand that they do not own Nigeria, it is we the people who own Nigeria and the time is now to exert our authority. My message to you this morning is to *Say No to One Nigeria* and embrace the dissolution now. The time has come for everyone living in Nigeria to be perpetually free.
