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Opinion: Should Nigeria split up?

11

By Yusuf Pappa Tomiwa

These thoughts have been gathering at the back of my mind for a while now. Like dust, they haven’t exactly settled together in a place but i’ve decided the dawn of birth has set upon them.
Talk of Nigeria dividing/separating whichever word best describes ‘secession’ has been ongoing long before i knew it’s meaning and lately it’s been ringing everywhere. In Mosques, Churches, Schools..and even in my small head. Initially, the debate was on what would divide the country fastest; Tribalism or Religion? Now, stemming from incessant bombings by ‘You-know-who’ in the North (mostly) all fingers seem to be pointing towards the religious perimeter.
Last Thursday (August 25th), some ‘gun-men’ struck just about 25 minutes drive to where i was then. They killed 4 Policemen, a Soldier, several civilians and robbed two notable banks. It made the news, not just locally because i later saw it on Yahoo news. It was easily concluded to have been the work of ‘You-know-who’ judging by their modus operandi. I shouldn’t nauseate you with more gory tales here but this isolated incident got my brain-box in overdrive. Questions came flooding in naturally like mosquitoes in rainy season. Could it have been ‘You-know-who?’, What was their overall plan? Was it division? If yes, along what parameters; religious or tribal?

A lot of people are already clamouring for separation emphasizing that it’s the best panacea for Nigeria’s problems. I always disappoint most when I disagree it’s not. Here’s what I think;
* Nigeria is foremost a ‘political’ entity not a tribal or religious one
* Political entity translates into ‘united by politics’ which in reality means ends, means, resources etc or to be precise crude ‘oil’ economics
* Tribalism and religion divides rather than unites us as a people. Incessant ethno-religious conflicts in the country attests to this fact (e.g perennial Jos crisis). Even with Massob, Arewa, Omo O’dua etc it is as glaring as day that there’s still factionalism within these groups and the tribes they claim to represent.
* I also believe the same reason Nigeria won’t split is part of why NYSC hasn’t been scrapped. So, in the event of separation (if it ever were possible) by any tribe, i foresee, division after separation, followed by fragmentation and then eventual dis-integration.
This leads me back to thoughts of ‘You-know-who’ and their elusive overall motive. At best, their stated grievances/goals/agenda are flimsy and untenable. Their virulence seem to be directed at ‘Western influence’ with emphasis on ‘Islami-sation’ of the country. I don’t doubt it’s a bad idea but they should answer this question first; Should we do away with Western influence/education but retain the bombs, ammunitions, weaponry, and motorcycles used by them in their operations yet were manufactured by Western influence/education? I’m waiting…
Seeing as their actions/activities belie their ’cause’, i’ve arrived at these ‘thoughts’ about them.
* I would like to think they are copycats of MEND or arose from the pursuits of similar interests i.e recognition from FG.
* I also think secession is not the overall goal (and i think choosing this option would enrage them further just like the strong arm measures currently in place e.g JTF)
* I think creating a ‘war hysteria’ (condition of general insecurity) had been part of the plan all along.
* I think they are not as ubiquitous and organised as they make believe.
* I think ‘copy-cat miscreants’ are thriving in the ‘war hysteria’ created by ‘You-know-who’. It’s a mutual relationship beneficial to both parties. (I still think last Thursday’s incident and some others before it were copy jobs not ‘You-know-who’)
* I think the fact that FG’s not giving them recognition, or considering amnesty/official pay-off for them but is doing/did the same for MEND is part of what irks them most.
* I think withdrawing the JTF even temporarily would give a clearer picture of what they want and are really about.
* I think finding out why their erstwhile leader was ‘silenced’ abruptly in custody would be a good place to start getting tangible results.
Invariably, these are just conjectures/theories and i do not claim to have the best understanding of these issues raised here, afterall, I’m just one head in 162 million!

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— Yussuf pappa tomiwa

Nigerian based writer, poet, blogger with a passion for thought-provoking write-ups. Has a Degree in History & International Studies and a penchant for the arts in all ramifications.

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  • Maxwell

    Yes Yusuf,i tink ur arguement is right 2a large extent.dividing,seperating breaking Nigeria is not dat simple like it sounds,there will b more hinderances than u can imagin n it will raise alot of negative factors,bt den looking at d present condition where citizen are not allowed 2live freely in their own GOD given country,people dat will choose 2sacrifice their lives just 2see dat dividing Nigeria is achieved might spring up sooner dan expected.and again,wateva 'you know who' which i supose 2mean boko haram agenda is supose 2b,they chose d wrong process 2achieve it n armnesty is neva an option,wen niger delta militant group came up,govt fought dem 2an extent,bakasi was fought squaly,opc d inceasant kidnapps which is seen 2b easthern related issue has suddenly started escalating 2d north,recently mikel obi father was found in kano.bt den we knew dat govt is also fighting dat secretly.why is dis biko haram(meaning please leave me in igbo lang) or boko haram,wateva dat means,noting has hpnd 2let dem no dat dis is nation state n not just some lawless island where everyone is granted freedom 2dis his/her madness n term it religous related issue.we all know dat dis is politically motivated or shd i even say sponsored by som scary ass lunatics who cudnt confront govt wit there prob.i tink if these group os idiots who re sponsoring dis boko devil grand fathers has courage,they shd sneak out of thier shell n speak up,lets see how strong they re.n not sponsoring some brain washed idiots wit looted money.meanwhile i love ur observation.keep it up bt pls kp ur identity hidden cos i definately wnt 2keep reading from som1 like u.

    • http://www.teehem.blogspot.com Yussuf pappa tomiwa

      Thanks for the comment, advice and compliment. We all know these ugly heads of terror are politically motivated, we just don't know the actors. Like some would say 'Nigeria' is one big movie' and 'actor no dey die'..but i'm praying in this case they do..i'm tired of watching the same drama!

      • http://www.facebook.com/Dr.Dexy Dexter Moses U.

        Wonderful thought Yusuf! I thought the same before now…not just gotten the time to do some commenting on the issue.
        However,to catch a thief,u need to be one.I think the government/police or whatever have to find the syllabus of these 'you-know -who' and begin to think like them.Its obvious they wont be coming out in a mighty long time.
        See things from their perspective,its easier to handle as such!

  • Maxwell

    As 4those copy cats,their great grand father who sent them out on earth 4holiday is finally telling them 2com back home.hell fire is where they came from n their time 4going back is very close.tank you

  • Franky Nyakture

    Thanks Mr Yussuf Pappa Tomiwa for this brilliant writeup. On the question; Should Nigeria divide? I will say the answer is, it has not come to that. Although a confederation should be a consideration since there are still some ignorant people trangressing the Country in the name of Politics and religion. I donot agree with the opinion that religion has nothing to do with the continous problems that has errupted in the country. If it is not Killing & burning of Christians in the North, It is the amputation of members of other believe other than Moslems in the same North. Even a husband do seperate if they can't live together. If it comes to that, then let it be. No one group should feel they are above the law; in the Country. This is 21st century.

    nyakature@yahoo.co.uk
    Ireland

  • bendavid

    If they bring Islamic Banking, let's break up. It's not by force.

    • John

      I have not seen anyone directly answering the critical question posed by bro yusuf.
      i don't want to get into long commentary, i will answer the question of " Should Nigeria Divide" with just one word = YES OF COURSE.
      If we can't live in peace then better we live separated.
      I don't care who is sponsoring this fools, i just think that Nigeria as a nation has paid tremendous price in this ONE NIGERIA concept and it is not working.
      Please Divide us NOW!!!!
      It will be so nice for many of us to get out of this Nigerian passport i carry.

  • Tony

    I agree with Yusuf that Nigeria's unity is motivated by a brand of politics being driven by the self-serving economic interests of the political class. This is why when a politician commits fraud he is given a slap on the wrist regardless of his political affiliation.

    At this point in time, the helm of our unity, politics, may break as it is getting overstretched by the frequent rate of both religious and ethnic violence. Nigeria has never lived up to any of the dreams of those present at independence. Barely seven years after independence the nation was plunged into a civil war with ethnic and religious undertones. The timeline of violence in Nigeria will testify to the fact that there has never been a single decade where Nigeria has not been embroiled in a massive outbreak of violence. If politics is all that is binding us together then Nigeria is just like Esau and Jacob wearing Isaac's tunic pretending to be Siamese twins sharing a heart.

  • damian

    nigeria needs to split, the north has been nothing but a liability in different ways. lets look at it from every perspective, what do they have to offer apart from a 300megawatts kianji dam? nothing but a population with over 70% of its people being troublesome illiterates. we’ve had more northern leaders in this country and it never occured to them to send their people to school. now boko haram is using our money indirectly to bomb us. this people have eating their cake and had t for a long time for God sake its time for them to be responsible to themselves and not our education skills and oil. Nigeria must split. not fa dza U.S but for we southerners to get what we deserve, security, a good impression and civilisation with rapid development

  • damian

    as far as am concerned, the youth is the key. there is no southerner who wants nigeria to remain, and now we've got youth with awareness, its easy. go to the street and protest like the arab spring and use the oil reserves in the south as a leverage. the west wont take it anymore and add presure which would put our politicians to the table. with persistence, it would take a little more than 3months to split nigeria if the youths take to dza street

  • Anthony

    Nigeria should divide based on religion cos the Muslim will never stop killing the Christians. In the north the Muslim outnumber the Christians and they kill the Christians In there mist. I spend four years in the north and left cos every day my life is at risk. I had been attacked six times but I escaped it. In north when the kill they make some Muslim prayer over the deceased. The number of non Muslim keep decreasing in the north most relocate to areas where they could be more save. I saw it all, it much for me before I left the north. How can we be one?