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ACF and The Search For Peace And Unity By Dr. Sule Bello Introduction Like many other organizations concerned with the promotion of peace, unity and development in Nigeria the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) also convened an Arewa Conference On Peace And Unity in the northern states from 5th – 6th of December, at Kaduna. The meeting needs to be seen against the backdrop of violent conflicts that have tended to engulf the country, and particularly its northern parts especially since the return to civil rule in Nigeria. It also needs to be associated to various other peace efforts which have been numerously initiated not only in the northern parts but also the whole country in general. Such a quest for peace is also, in a relative fashion, reflected at the continental and global levels as well. Many similar conferences, and related initiatives towards peace, have been conducted in Nigeria and they have proffered suggestions which are in many cases similar and akin. The recommendations emanating from the meeting of the ACF, in its 14 – point communiqué, is advertised in the Daily Trust of 19th December, 2011. On at least one key issue the communiqué was probably not a reflection of what transpired at the conference. Indeed this recommendation promises not only to widen but also deepen the very conflicts which it set out to contain. The conference in paragraph 10 of its communiqué stated:
“10. Communal conflicts which stem from ethnic nationalism derive from failure of leaders to exercise power that is inclusive, humane, wise and moral. As a result distribution of access to state resources is perceived as unfair. That may account for the rise of indigene/settler divides. To address this problem the conference called on the National Assembly to remove matters connected with citizenship from the exclusive to the concurrent list in the Constitution. This would provide state governments with the opportunity to take decisions that are acceptable to all.
In the first place this recommendation, instead of addressing the very problem of “ethnic nationalism” which the conference identified as the possible cause of such conflicts rather, in a contradictory fashion, only supports and promotes it. Secondly the recommendation completely evades the more substantive issue of national citizenship rights, that is enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This is despite the fact that the struggle for the actualization of constitutional citizenship rights enjoys the wide support of many patriots, youths, women, unions, politicians and NGOS in various parts of the country.
Thirdly the conference did not appear concerned enough to call for, in its communiqué, the enforcement of the law against those found involved in the murderous, riotous and criminal acts of ethnic cleansing or terrorism associated with such acts. On the contrary it called on the National Assembly to undertake a course of action that will make it the duty of every ethnic chauvinist, anarchist and fascist, at state levels, to have the liberty to determine who is, or who is not, a Nigerian citizen!!! This call would certainly qualify as a leading contribution towards national dismemberment in whichever country of the world it is made.
Furthermore the conference also gave the impression that it was inclined to some other political interests beside shielding and promoting the criminal and destructive conduct of “ethnic nationalists” as implied in paragraph 10. In reaction to some calls emanating from the conference, carried in the Daily Trust of 9th December, 2011, to the effect that “traditional rulers” be restored the Native Authority powers they used to exercise, the former governor of the old Northern-Western State of Nigeria, Alhaji Usman Farouk, declared that “the aim of the conference (had) been defeated”. Alhaji Usman, who also holds the traditional title of the Jarman Gombe, further observed that “The traditional rulers have for a long time been seeking the restoration of their powers. They have taken the opportunity of the conference to launch their own personal agenda” He went further to observe that such a request will not serve the objectives of nation-building, constitutional democracy and the development of the northern states. He therefore urged the traditional rulers to concentrate on their advisory roles in addition to basing their counsel on the principles of justice and fairness to all. Many people who claim to have attended the conference tended to agree with Jarman Gombe because they believe the northern states need to allow popular democracy and constitutionalism, as well as political, technocratic and administrative merit, to guide their development. It is also worth noting that many of the people who attended the peace conference, when contacted on the position stated in paragraph 10 of the communiqué stated that it did not reflect what they recalled to be the actual decisions, or conclusions, of the conference. Conclusion In the light of the observations made above it is desirable for the ACF to reconsider and revise the submission made in the paragraph with a view to expunging it from its communiqué. The ACF need to further call on all Nigerians, members of the National Assembly as well as various independent organizations, to insist on proper democratization of the polity based on respect for the constitution, at all levels, by all and sundry. In particular it should call on the Federal Government to fully enforce, and work towards the political realization of, the provisions of the Constitution on the question of citizenship rights in the country. The ACF will be well-advised to work with the various state governments of the northern states, as well as NGOS and politicians in the region, towards articulating a broad and common agenda which could be geared towards, in the first place, ensuring respect for the human and constitutional rights as well as the promotion of the direct participation of the ordinary citizens in these various states in the process of decision-making, in line with democratic norms and values. Secondly there is also a need to resurrect and develop further the common, and strategic, economic empowerment programmes and projects that need to be promoted through the mutual cooperation of the various states. These need to include issues of mutual concern towards industrial, agricultural and commercial development as well as the introduction of new policies for educational development, the exploitation of solid minerals, control of desertification, poverty eradication strategies, generation of hydro-electricity, livestock production etc. In addition there is also a need for Arewa’s senior citizens, educated classes, community leaders and traditional rulers to reach out to one another with a view to ensuring that piety, inclusiveness, discipline and sense of responsibility prevail in the socio-political conduct of the region, as opposed to the present tendency to destruction that a few unmindful characters are dragging it, and the country at large, into. The ACF further needs to associate its own constituency with the various calls, at the national level, towards the construction of democratic society on the basis of popular expressions, and respect for the constitution. In this regard it needs to appreciate the gestures made by the Federal Government towards the prosecution of some public officials found wanting, as in the cases of extra-judicial killing of ‘Boko Haram’ members. The Federal Government should be called upon to immediately, and effectively, implement the report of the Sheikh Lemu Federal Government Panel on Investigation of Post Election Violence in the country. It similarly need to be called upon to ensure that justice is done to the victims of violent conflicts while all those associated with their initiation, and execution, are brought to book. Finally, and most importantly, the ACF need to strongly call on the Federal Government to ensure full accountability in the conduct of national affairs. In this respect politicians and political appointees, at all levels, need to be seen to fully account for their conduct, as well as tenure, without exception - as a practical measure towards ensuring probity, transparency and accountability in the entire national body politic.
Dr. Sule Bello teaches at the Department of History A.B.U. Zaria and also works with an NGO – Africa Research And Development Agency (ARADA) with headquarters in Kano. |