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Preamble to Nigeria's 1999 Constitution and the Bakassi Matter By Wilson Iguade Dallas, Texas
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WE THE PEOPLE of the Federal Republic of Nigeria:
HAVING firmly and solemnly resolved:
TO LIVE in unity and harmony as one indivisible and indissoluble Sovereign Nation under God dedicated to the promotion of inter-African solidarity, world peace, international co-operation and understanding:
AND TO PROVIDE for a Constitution for the purpose of promoting the good government and welfare of all persons in our country on the principles of Freedom, Equality and Justice, and for the purpose of consolidating the Unity of our people:
DO HEREBY MAKE, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES the following Constitution -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The above statement is the preamble of our 1999 constitution, page 1. Those working very hard at selling out our country should be reminded of this preamble as they pursue self-aggrandizement. Some of my friends have said to me Iguade chill out on this Bakassi thing, nobody really cares in Nigeria. I want to tell the public what I have been telling these folks that wants me to “chill out” on this “Bakassi thing” by using the above preamble to Nigeria’s 1999 constitution. I believe that if one does not stand for something, one falls for everything. Let us look at the preamble of our 1999 constitution again, this time I would quote from it and comment on the quote cited to emphasize critical points in my message. My comments will be bracketed in order to clearly separate it from the quotes from our constitution.
"HAVING firmly and solemnly resolved" [comment: only in our resolution to DO what is right will WE THE PEOPLE achieve what we WANT. Bakassi peninsula is a LGA in Nigeria and we MUST be resolved to uphold our constitution, period]
"TO LIVE in unity and harmony as one indivisible and indissoluble Sovereign Nation under God". [comment: WE THE PEOPLE have pledge to live in unity and harmony as one therefore we MUST not let those ejaculating nonsense historical details meaningless to the people to DIVIDE and DISSOLVE our Sovereign Nation by separating a LGA enshrined in our constitution to appease international rogues. These international thugs disguise under ICJ and Greentree treaty need “some” Nigerians to help them succeed and as we have seen “some” Nigerians are willing to assist these international thugs to succeed. Patriots must resist these collaborators that want to bring disharmony and disunity among us. It is time that the weak are separated from the strong. Nigeria must begin to distinguish itself from the rest of Africa by acting as the giant that it is. Nigeria is the most powerful “black” nation on earth and yet is timid because of the shackle placed on her by “some” misguided and miseducated elite in our country preventing HER from exercising HER God given RESOURCES, rights, and opportunities on this earth. Some of these “misguided” elite represented Nigeria before the ICJ, and are today still spewing their nonsense and misinformed messages for public consumption. WE THE PEOPLE must preserve and defend our NATIONAL SECURITY and INTERESTS, and that is the challenge of Bakassi, a LGA in Nigeria.]
"Dedicated to the promotion of inter-African solidarity, world peace, international co-operation and understanding" [comment: no reasonable person I know is calling for UNJUST WAR with our neighbors, like Cameroon. In fact, our constitution calls for us to be dedicated to the promotion of "inter-Africa solidarity". I am in total agreement of promoting inter-African solidarity. However, such desire for peace is not a condition or declaration that WE, Nigerians, should roll over and play dead when our “interest” is being threaten. To be clear, because we are dedicated to the promotion of "inter-AFRICAN" solidarity is not a condition for giving up OUR security. In fact, the promotion of "world peace" as a goal of Nigeria must come from "HAVING firmly and solemnly resolved" to defend our national security and interests.
Bakassi is a LGA in our constitution and that is all I need to know. We must respect the wisdom of the constitutional writers. It is not one person that wrote our current 1999 constitution. I believe that the writers of our 1999 constitution were responsible citizens presented with juggernaut task - writing the ultimate document of a nation. I believe that they did a great job. No constitution anywhere on this planet or any planet for that matter is a PERFECT document. If so, why is Nigeria held to an impossible standard? We cannot spend more energy bashing a document that has not be fully tested before our courts as we rush to wanna amend it. Why is “some” concentrating their energies in attempting to say that those that wrote our constitution did not delineate this or that boundary, this or that latitude and longitude area. Where were these know-it-all people when the 1999 constitution was being written? Did they contribute, if not, why not?
Please do not tell me you were not invited or public comments were not asked for. If this is going to be your take, let me say now that your comment regarding the structure of our constitution is not welcome by me now. Of course, there is a provision in the constitution for AMENDMENT of it, please engage this process if your beef is the constitution to justify rolling over on the Bakassi matter. The territory of this area must be protect and preserve under Nigeria. WE THE PEOPLE have been allocating resources (money, etc.) to this Bakassi LGA further reinforcing for me that this "place" is under Nigeria TODAY regardless of the attempt by some to ramp down our throats what the Germans and British people did prior to Nigeria being called Nigeria.]
"AND TO PROVIDE for a Constitution for the purpose of promoting the good government and for the purpose of consolidating the Unity of our people" [comment: The welfare of the Bakassi people is paramount to all proud Nigerians. WE are our brothers keeper. Our constitution says so. It is my believe that good government means providing freedom, equality and justice to the Bakassi people in a LGA in Nigeria. The Senate of Nigeria must understand that it is their duty to preserve the principles of freedom, equality, and justice for the Bakassi people and their land. It is the duty of the Abuja Court that this matter is pending before to make the right decision for the purpose of advancing "good government" in consolidating the Unity of all LG areas, including Bakassi, in the consolidation of our people, which includes Bakassi people.]
Final comment: we must enact the "WILL" and "GIVE TO OURSELVES" the CAPACITY to defend our interests anywhere in this world in order that world peace can prevail over human endeavors. Nigeria must stand up for her security and interests and be willing because it is able to demonstrate the resolve and affirm our values and principles on international stage. WE THE PEOPLE have the political courage and economic resources to take a position respectfully in the new world order in this 21st century. Remember this at all times, Chapter I, of the 1999 constitution: GENERAL PROVISIONS: Part I, paragraph 1 says (see page 1) “THIS CONSTITUTION IS SUPREME AND ITS PROVISIONS SHALL HAVE BINDING FORCE ON ALL AUTHORITIES AND PERSONS THROUGHOUT THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA”. God bless Nigeria and its defenders. |