Thursday, March 30, 2000
Okenwa R. Nwosu, M.D.

It is estimated that one out of every 4 or five Black Africans is a Nigerian. It is thus easy to see why problems that are perceived as uniquely Nigerian can actually have far-reaching consequences on the continent's future. Any major unraveling in the political stability of Nigeria will send shock waves across African continent and may, in turn, trigger instability in other countries that are facing similar crisis of nation building far afield. For Nigeria to remain a major player in Africa, it behooves those who pontificate on its political destiny not to restrict their vision for their nation only to the biases, whims and caprices of the 250 ethno-cultural groups who reside within its borders. Whatever future path Nigeria opts to chart for its peoples must make sense at both the national and continental levels. As of today, Nigeria plays pivotal roles at both the West African sub-regional theater and at the Organization for African Unity (OAU). To the rest of the Black World, Nigeria is seen as the "GREAT BLACK HOPE" and a potential source for initiating a process for redemption of the Black race. As much as Nigeria must give the ultimate welfare of its people a priority attention, we cannot allow ourselves to be totally distracted from our national mission of building a political and economic power base that can harness its enormous material and manpower potentials for the redemption of Africa and the Black race.

Return of democracy and the struggle that led to its realization have given unprecedented voice to groups and individuals who wish to utilize the framework of present freedoms to realize their vision for an ideal nation state in today's Nigeria. Some have portrayed Nigeria as an imaginary contraption of European colonialists, which did not work, cannot work and will never work for the diverse interest groups that make it up. Based on that notion, this group regards any attempt to maintain the corporate existence of Nigeria as futile since they foresee an inevitable fragmentation of this incongruous entity sooner than later. Others see the desirability to make the Nigerian experiment to work but with the critical proviso that all the ethnic nationalities, which comprise it, must first assemble under a roof and agree on the terms for remaining within the same nation, since the colonial founders did not consult anyone before putting the country together. There is, however, a silent majority who would like to work within the present constitutional framework to move the nation along, in the short and medium terms, by implementing policies that foster rapid socioeconomic advancement of the average citizen. The stance of this majority is in synchrony with the pan-Africanist vision for 21st Century Nigeria.

For democracy to work, there must be respect for views of all legitimate interest groups that constitute the polity. In the same vein, views and opinions that have the capacity to radically alter national destiny must be dealt with in a prompt fashion by subjecting them to the acid test of the democratic process. No democracy can function without a constitution. Nigeria has a constitution and it must be the fulcrum with which all interest groups within it can leverage their ambitions. Nigerians must, sooner than later, decide whether to continue indefinitely to indulge themselves in this incessant narcissistic orgy of self re-examination at a time when the rest of Africa and Black World are expecting something different. The emphasis by some interest groups that Nigeria's future is predicated on the immediate and complete resolution of all its key political problems is faulty. In fact, it is a hallmark of political naivety for anyone to believe that there is a single magical act that can overnight rectify all that has ever been wrong with the Nigerian nation since its founding in 1914. Those whom are unduly obsessed with crafting a political solution to Nigeria's problems, before seeking the means to attend to the welfare of its 120 million citizens, should be given a time frame to deliver on their plans or be relegated for the meantime. By engaging in circuitous political debates about Nigeria's future choices, we are not only wasting valuable time that could be utilized to plan and implement programs for tangible socioeconomic advancement but we are also inadvertently fomenting new crises that can only complicate the task of nation building.

The bogeys of Sharia by the Hausa/Fulani, Sovereign National Conference (SNC) by the Yoruba and the newfound faith of the Igbo in Confederacy can take the present Nigeria nowhere. Instead, these political ploys by entrenched interest groups will perpetuate the dialogue of the deaf that has characterized our nascent democracy. Nigerians should seriously consider a moratorium on further bickering over their political differences so that they can begin to give the required attention to issues that can hasten alleviation of mass poverty amongst the citizenry. Nigeria decided its political destiny 33 years ago during a bloody civil war that has defined various aspects of national existence since its conclusion. The collective amnesia of the general public about this stark reality is partly contributory to why Nigerians sometimes act recklessly enough to precipitate the same crises that brought the nation to the edge of the precipice during the Civil War. After emergence from slavery and colonialism, the greatest problem that confronts the Black man today is more economical than political and this fact extrapolates to Nigeria. There must be a search for the means to de-emphasize the relevance of individuals and groups who are determined to hold the rest of Nigeria hostage until their political dreams and agenda are fulfilled beforehand. This administration and elected representatives must set a time limit for all agitating interest groups to put their political concepts through the constitutional process. Ideas that fail, within this time frame, to meet the requirements for altering the present constitution should be regarded as inconsequential.

Far-reaching changes in a democracy must be firmly anchored with popular support of the electorate, not the whims and caprices of elite powerbrokers who have clearly been seen as champions and peddlers of parochial interests. Those who are desirous to foist the Sharia legal code, an SNC or a Confederacy on the Nigerian nation must be made to undergo the prerequisite footwork that will lead to appropriate amendments in the constitution as the present law requires. Grandstanding and posturing through the mass media cannot be allowed to substitute for the grassroots enlightenment process which the protagonists of political restructuring must undertake so as to mobilize the popular following nationwide that can lead to a constitutional amendment. Resorting to acts of barbarism and disturbance of public order for the purpose of fostering parochial political concepts has no place in a democracy. Furthermore, since an impoverished polity can neither fully comprehend nor practice true democracy, Nigeria's priority ought to be geared toward rejuvenation of the national economy. Since even overt enemies can often find the formula to collaborate for mutually beneficially economic endeavors, competing rival interest groups that comprise Nigeria should temporarily forget their perceived political differences and seek first the means to address the overwhelming material poverty that cripple millions of fellow citizens.

From a pan-Africanist perspective, the problems of nation building, which appear to mesmerize present-day Nigerians, is nothing unique. The continent is replete with similar crises. The critical question to ask now is whether to revisit the set up in pre-colonial Africa and utilize erstwhile political structures to realign and rearrange contemporary formations or accept the reality of the present and make the necessary sacrifices to enable it to work. The pan-Africanist choice favors the acceptance of the present geopolitical disposition of the continent while seeking for opportunities to foster regional and pan-continental collaboration rather than to pursue the lure of micro nationalism, which can quickly result in widespread instability. Nigeria has no other viable choice than to continue with the mission of building a united secular nation that will aspire to meet the expectations of its citizens, in particular and Africans on the continent and the Diaspora as well as the world, in general. This is the pan-Africanist perspective on the future path for Nigeria as a potential leader of the Black World. The challenge is for President Obasanjo, elected people's representatives and generality of the electorate to close ranks to uphold the present democratic constitution and to clearly repudiate the forces of distraction, which are intent on detracting from the leadership role that Nigeria should play in today's African World.

Okenwa R. Nwosu, M.D.
Greenbelt, Maryland
U.S.A.

http://nigeriaworld.com/feature/publication/okenwa_nwosu/pan_african.html