A man found himself in a derailed train that was dangerously tunnelling through dark bushes to an unknown destination. He tried to disconnect the coach containing him and his many family members, but was restrained by train officials. He saw weak rappel-ropes extending from helicopters flying above the train, but they cannot carry more than two people. He can either improvingly take over the wheels from the escape-kitted officials or climb away without his family. People of former secessionist regions who are unhappy with Nigeria may seek political office to reorganize Nigeria, endure in silence or run to exile.
Several sections of the Nigerian society have at different times opted to secede from Nigeria for its lack of focus. These attempts were diplomatically[1] or brutally[2] hindered through the same colonialists who forged Nigeria by brutally joining several unconsented kingdoms and communities. Since then the relationship between the different peoples has remained hostile as they struggle for control of the forcefully-combined mineral-resource funds. Hence, some Nigerians bitterly oppose persons from former secessionist regions that could disrupt the existing arrangement from which they benefit financially, politically or emotionally. These people from former secessionist regions are, thus, antagonized for attempting to secede, or pushing for distinction in resource control/ownership.
Some of the reasons proffered for distrusting persons from former secessionist regions include:
- If allowed to lead, people from former secessionist regions may divide Nigeria and leave.
- They ALL share the same feeling and plan about leaving Nigeria.
- If they leave, other sections may also opt to leave, instead of uniting for a greater Nigeria.
- Nigerian people may lose their numerical strength and global rating.
- Nigeria may lose the opportunity of merging their human and mineral resources for greatness.
- The former secessionist regions have not organized themselves for cordial cohesion.
- The majority groups in former secessionist regions may oppress the minority groups.
- There may be further breakdown of the regions due to lack of understanding.
Progressive societies are guided by the peoples’ agreement to collaborate in utilizing their human and natural resources for common good. Thus, the main purpose for modern and progressive societies is to collaborate, develop and utilize their resources for common good. This type of collaboration is built on the informed consent of the people who will collaborate in the social arrangement. In the absence of such consented social arrangement, people either suffer, opt-out or build the desired arrangement.
Many Nigerians desire peace, collaboration and progress, whether in a united Nigeria or their separate regions. The desired peace, collaboration and progress may never come from the unconsented union based on confiscating peoples’ resources. Instead, the desired union will manifest when constituent communities distinguish themselves – human/environmental potentials – before agreeing on modes of collaboration. When Nigerian ethnic communities agree and begin to collaborate productively, former secessionist regions will not want to leave again.
Due to several feelings of marginalization at the moment, some persons from former secessionist regions still agitate to leave. However, many Nigerians, including persons from former secessionist regions, see Nigeria’s bright future differently from the present chaos. After demonstrating their visions for Nigeria, this type of people will be supported to reorganize Nigeria for collaborative productivity. Whether they are from former secessionist regions or not, the important thing is the vision and ability to reorganize Nigeria for collaborative productivity and progress. The bigger picture is not just seceding communities, regions and Nigeria, but socio-economic liberation of black man in general.
[1] The north attempted to secede in 1966 after the first military coup. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigerian_Civil_War. Retrieved 12th April, 2018.
[2] Nigerian civil war – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigerian_Civil_War. Eastern region and Western region initially planned to secede.