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Nigeria: The Dictatorship Of The Minority By Abdulmumin Yinka Ajia
The subject of Nigerian federalism is very interesting when you consider that on paper Nigeria is a supposed federation of states that are to a very large degree autonomous. Sadly however, the reality is that in practice Nigeria is run in a unitary fashion.
It is also disheartening to see the executives of this republic running roughshod over one another and further perpetuating both illegality and unconstitutionality. Two of the issues that readily come to mind are those concerning the creation of the ministry of local government and chieftaincy affairs (a relic of past military regimes) and the continued centralization of police infrastructure.
We note with dismay that state governments have taken it upon themselves to hire and retrench employees for local governments. Remember, these local councils are supposed to be run by executives elected directly by the people. There are also cases of state employees seconded from the state to the local councils. There have been cases where state governors unilaterally suspend or remove local council chairs from office!
Equally disheartening is the situation where state and local councils cannot establish and maintain their own security apparatus because the federal government wouldn’t let them. In hindsight however, do they really need the permission of the federal government?
It is not to be construed that local council chairs are saints, the issue here is bigger than that, it is about constitutionality and its absence thereof. And it is not just about the local councils, the same ugly scenario happens to state governments in the hands of the obasanjo led federal government. Most Nigerians believe that if there were to be another tier of government underneath the local government, the council chairs would probably do the same thing. It is a bad drift that has taken a firm root in our country.
But an ideologue would be tempted to ask, what is it about us that makes us become hostage to power? Instead of putting power to work for us, we abuse every given opportunity of power we get.
I have termed this malaise as the “euphoria of the present”. Simple-minded men vested with power are easily swayed by it. Ironically, most of them know that what they are doing is plain wrong but they relish their supposed power over their fellow citizens. If only they are aware that the enthronement of the rule of law will serve each and everyone well regardless of status or political inclination, may be then they will heed the voice of reason.
Because most of these executives disregard the rule of law, they are always at each other’s throat. Obasanjo vs. state governors, state governors vs. council chairs etc, but let them enjoy the euphoria of the present because shortly after they are out of power, the next government will hound most of them not out of constitutionality but out of vendetta into jail.
In the event that they reject the tag of “simple minded men” let them surprise us by pushing for a new constitution that will reflect the true values of the Nigerian people. Let them also push for the removal of the despicable immunity clause, after all in order for a government to be considered legitimate, it must be accountable to the people. And if the people thought that a government’s action is unsatisfactory, the same people should have the power to remove such a government. No law of the land should prevent this. Richard Nixon was forced to resign from the pinnacle of modern state power, Balarabe Musa was impeached by the NPN led second republic, of recent a Connecticut governor and a California congressman were not only forced to resign but were also jailed on corrupt charges. Their crimes compared to that of their Nigerian counterparts are a small fry.
Again, in order for this nation to become a true republic, the rule of law must be given a pre-eminent place. And to the goal getters among the ruling elite, regardless of your personal contributions to the Nigerian project, if you do not fight with equal zeal for the enthronement of the rule of law, you are only living in a fool’s paradise. Successive less goal oriented governments may reverse all the supposed gains if they are not based on sound laws.
History is replete with nations that have scant natural resources but they have instead put in place superb government structures and a way of life that is orderly not chaotic like the one in Nigeria today. Nations such as Sweden, Japan and Switzerland fit this category. No wonder some of these naturally less endowed but rather very smart nations have in their ingenuity continued to exploit the much endowed but rather stupid nations of the world.
God in His wisdom, having created man, gave him a set of guidance in the form of the Quran or Bible knowing that without a form of manual or constitution, mankind will be in the doldrums. So it is with a state, without the people’s constitution and the adherence to its letters, a nation will continue to remain on the teetering edge.
So lets stop the bleeding, if we are really serious about moving this republic forward, then the dictatorship of the minority must give way to a people’s republic backed by the people’s code of conduct.
A.Y.Ajia
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