Nigeria appears to be haunted by decisions it has consistently refused to implement over the years as many issues raised by various ethnic nationalities have been swept under the carpet for too long. Over four National Conferences/dialogue have been held with huge tax payers money expended and the non-implementation of agreements reached at these conferences by vested interests, no doubt gave rise to agitations of secession by some ethnic nationalities over the years and the hate speeches that have continued to spread threatening the very foundation of the country’s existence.

It is perhaps for this reason that a coalition of Igbo groups, one led by Nnamdi Kanu, Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and another led by chief Ralph Uwazurike, Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, have been agitating for the secession of people of the South-East of Nigeria from the federation. It is for the same reasons of the agitation that the Igbos prosecuted a 3-year civil war from 1968-1971 led by Emeka Odimegu Ojukwu. Even though thousands of people lost their lives in the pogrom, the federal government led by General Yakubu Gowon declared at the end of the war, that there was no victor, no vanquished. Government also promised reconciliation, reconstruction and rehabilitation. What has happened in this direction these past four decades leaves Nigerians of the South-East wondering if they were still part of the nation.

Right or wrong, the Igbos have a right in the Nigerian constitution to agitate and make legitimate demands just like any other ethnic nationalities. What minority ethnic nationalities like the people of oil rich South-South have suffered over the years is akin to what a people suffer under civil war following several decades of oil exploration and extraction activities. They have had their livelihoods destroyed and environments degraded to unpardonable levels. Their agitation for years that have equally led to arms struggle have not in any way translated into anything close to sustainable development.

It is also a truism that activities of Fulani herdsmen in the country have left thousands of people dead. They equally rape married women and girls in the farms even before killing them in most barbaric manner, particularly in the middle belt where they have had course to destroy entire villages and communities.

The operations and activities of Boko Haram have equally left hundreds of thousands of Nigerians dead. The religious extremists are equally demanding the end to western education and democracy and in its place a replacement of Islamic State dictated by its religious leaders, while anyone who does not tow that path of reasoning around the agitators are killed. This group has killed thousands of Christians and Muslims alike in the country, particularly in the North East where the extremists war is still raging.

There have been cry of minority ethnic nationalities of the majority ethnic tribes Hausa/Fulani, Yorubas and Igbos dominating both the government, economy and political space leaving little or nothing for other ethnic nationalities, if when aggregated are more than the claimants of being majority ethnic groups

In all of these, there have been efforts by the federal government to address issues raised by these groups and interests. However, efforts of the government have been largely manipulated by a few elites for their selfish desires leaving most of the issues still lingering for decades and growing worse by the day.

But Nigerians were jolted and pushed to the brink of precipice recently when a coalition of Northern Youth Groups tagged, “The Kaduna Declaration” gave all Igbos residing in any part of Northern Nigeria three months to relocate to their places of origin. They have also directed northerners residing in the East to within three months relocate back to the North. This was at a big news conference in Kaduna.

In the exact words of the spokesman of the group, Alhaji AbdulAziz Suleiman “With the effective date of this declaration, which is today, Tuesday, June 06, 2017, all Igbos currently residing in any part of Northern Nigeria are hereby served notice to relocate within three months and all northerners residing in the East are advised likewise.

“Consequently, officials of the signatory groups to this declaration, are already mandated to commence immediate inventory of all properties, spaces or activity in the north currently occupied by the Igbos for forfeiture at the expiration of the ultimatum contained in this declaration. In specific terms, the groups are directed to compile and forward an up-to-date data of all locations occupied by any Igbo in any part of Northern Nigeria including schools, markets, shops, workshops, residences and every other activity spaces.”

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They said so many other things and threatened to evict all Igbos in Northern Nigeria and pull out of the country by October 1, 2017. When they finished, the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir-El Rufai ordered the arrest, detention and prosecution of those who addressed the press conference. By the following day, the Inspector General of Police gave same orders for the arrest of all those who addressed the press conference for such a hate speech in Kaduna. Sadly and shockingly, nobody has been arrested let alone being detained or prosecuted.

What did Nigerians get next amid the widely condemned hate speech? The Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF), led by Prof. Ango Abdulahi expressed support for the call by the Coalition of Northern Youth Groups for Igbos to leave the region within three months. This is despicable and condemnable.

But like one respected Nigerian and Emir of Kano puts it, “there are good Yoruba people, good Igbo people, good Fulani people, good Nigerians and there are bad people everywhere.” That is the truth and I strongly believe that we need to stop talking about dividing Nigeria because we are not the most populous country in the world. We have all the resources that make it easy to make one united great Nigeria . It is better if we are united than to divide it.

The other truth is that even within the Igbos agitating for Biafra, there are divisions amongst them because, immediately after the ultimatum was given by the north, Uwazurike travelled to same Kaduna to tell them that he is the good one and Kanu is a bad person. Even in the north there are divisions. Not all northerners are in support of bad governance or Boko Haram.

So, it is obvious that tribalism and religion are not much of our problem. Tribalism and religion are artificial problems created by some selfish leaders for their own personal interests.

It appears there are two major groups in Nigeria. The few Elites and the common man (Masses). Once you make lots of money, you belong to the elite group. When you are a commoner or suffering, you belong to the tribe of the masses. this is what truly differentiates us and not necessarily Yoruba, Hausa or Igbos. Even smart people who belong to the masses, sometimes will sow seeds of tribalism and religion among the masses, and then the masses will carry them up until they belong to the elite class.

The federal Government need to bring Nigerians together so we can tell ourselves some basic truths. We need to jaw-jaw and not war-war because every war has always known to end in a round table. Countries such as America have more population and diversity than Nigeria, yet their level of patriotism is very high. We need to use the conference for which all its outcome must be implemented to fashion out new ways to promote unity, peace and prosperity among all Nigerians.

We need to appreciate that so many things have gone wrong over the years and take steps to correct them. The poor in Nigeria must rise up to ensure that the few elites do not continue to use religion and ethnicity to divide them.

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Mr. Dan Owegie is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Edo State.