BEFORE WE CONVENE THE SOVEREIGN NATIONAL CONFERENCE

The convocation of the Sovereign National Conference (SNC) is currently one of the issues in the forefront as one of the ways the nationalities in Nigeria could fashion out how they can peacefully live together in a sustainable manner. However, as with many sensitive political issues, the issue has created sharp divisions in public opinion with many stakeholders either for or against it. This is expected since political leanings and decisions are influenced, in many instances, by the need for people to support positions that protect their personal interest over and above national interests.

Some examples of issues raised that are driving the need for SNC are examined below;

1. Greater economic independence of the zones/states.

It is true that a number of people in the Southern parts of Nigeria are essentially in support of greater political/economic independence in the zones/states or what some people call fiscal federalism. Another truth is that zones/states that have developed methods of making reasonable internally generated revenue will not resist the idea as much as those who only rely on subventions from the center (Federal Government) to run most of all their activities. Some people in the states in the Niger Delta are in fact asking for the total application of the derivation principle or resource control.

2. “Religionization” of the zones/states.

Nigeria is witnessing a resurgence of religious bigotry and extremism in some states of the country. There are people in the nation that have been agitating for “religionization” of their catchment areas (state, zone or the entire nation). They see the presence of other religions as bad influence and would prefer if the religion of the majority in their state is accepted as state religion. I remember the Maitasine sect in the early Eighties when I was doing my National Youth Service in Maiduguri of Borno State. Similar religious extremism has now reared its head in movement described as the Boko Haram and is causing considerable national trauma. While those in support of the “religionization” of states/zones are passionate about it and would go to any length to realize their dream, others against it are also passionately opposed to it.

3. Controlling Corruption

Corruption is now endemic in Nigeria and is the major retardant of our development as a nation. It is well accepted that without this high level of corruption, Nigeria would have developed much more than it is at this point in her history where, despite huge natural resource endowments, there is still so much poverty among her people. There are many Nigerians who would hope that the SNC will evolve a political system that could effectively check corruption. However those wallowing in ill-gotten wealth and benefiting in corruption will feel threatened and would do all they can to scuttle such a move or outcome. We have seen so many probes in this nation and how their findings are abandoned in the long run. We also know that the very rich who have amassed much of their wealth through corruption, operate with impunity as if they are above the law, an impunity that lasts till they fall out of favour with the Government in power.

4. The need to develop a more peace sustaining and rapid national development enhancing political system.

The convocation of SNC and the adoption of the outcome are assumed to mean the end of the current form of Government and the termination of the political careers of a number of people currently in power. Depending on the outcome, it may mean that the executive and legislative arms of government will cease to exist in the form they are currently. For reason of such fears, politicians in power would want to frustrate the process towards convocation of the SNC for fear that it may eventually take away their well-paying jobs. For them it is not the benefit that such a new system would bring to the nation that is the issue, but the fact that the new system may not favour them as individuals. This issue can be managed if the outcome of the SNC is arranged to commence at the termination of an existing regime and since these people are still politicians it will be wrong for them to think they would no longer play an active part in the system that would evolve.

Some Futher Analysis

Let us now review the issues a little more. With regard to the demand for “resource control”, the South-South geo-political zone in Nigeria is the zone that currently produces most of the national revenue. It feels cheated that Nigeria jettisoned the derivation principle that has been in place since independence during the Military “Misrule”. The second point is that the meager 13% derivation given to the states does not effectively trickle down to the Oil Producing Local Governments (OP LG) and Oil Producing communities (OP Communities) who bear the brunt of the hazards and environmental impacts of oil production. The OP communities justifiably want to control that “piece of the action” from their own land, and for it to be given to them directly, and not for it to be managed by people, even though they hail from the same state, but may have different agenda on how to utilize the funds.

The resource control position is strongly opposed by vocal persons from some sections of this country. However, the irony of the matter is that these same people who oppose it and refuse to allow reasonable economic returns to those who produce the wealth will be the first to ask for reversal of the principle when the crude oil is eventually exhausted in Nigeria and if the table of fortune turns the other way. Let it be known that I have never supported total derivation or resource control.

On the issue of desirable political arrangement or structure, I do not think that any section, state or zone in this nation is well positioned to be better off as an independent nation. This is equally correct in the case of the Niger Delta. Staying together as a big nation has its benefits. You are more secure especially against hostile neighbors from other nations. If the economy is active and the population is productive then large population means large market. It is also true that the Niger Delta as a nation will be a net importer of food since land is a constraint in the zone. I have however always believed that those who produce revenue should have a greater share of that revenue. In line with the need to be our brothers’ keepers, such people should also share part of the proceeds from their natural endowment with all.

I have always supported the need for greater cooperation among nations. It will be better if the whole of West Africa becomes one big nation with a common Presidency comprising of Committee of Presidents with a rotating Chairmanship, one legislative organ, one Judiciary, one Military force, one Central Bank, one language (probably a version of pidgin that can be understood by both English and French speaking countries in the region) and one Market.

This implies that there will be some level of resource sharing, so that the poorer sections of the region would have the opportunity to equally grow. The integration of the nations in West Africa into one big Confederation will benefit all. For the smaller nations, their entrepreneurs will have the big markets in Nigeria, Ghana among others at their disposal. Also the era of unnecessary military coups in some of these nations will be a thing of the past. The poorer nations will still survive even if international donors stop providing the usual aids.

We must help humanity move out of poverty as much as possible but we must also pursue fair policies, one of which I believe consists in not neglecting the people who produce such wealth in the first place. They must be recognized and given motivation and a sense of belonging. Doing otherwise is oppressive, enslavement, and in a plain language pure robbery.

The era when some states and Local Governments just literally sleep only to collect monthly subventions from the Federal Governments should be over. To make every zone/state/local Government viable, they must all generate revenue internally. Just as crude oil production and sales are properly accounted for, all solid minerals mined in the nation must be accounted for. All revenue generated by Nigerians (be it individuals, corporate bodies, governments etc.) must be properly taxed as a way of internal revenue generation. In fact there should be a law that recurrent expenditure should be managed mainly with internally generated funds. It should be noted that subvention from the Federal Government should be mainly used for Infrastructure development, Human Capital Development/job creation interventions and provision of Social amenities that would trigger rapid industrialization. That way, zones/states/local governments will be forced to look inwards more in this regards.

With regards to the “religionization”, the key issue at play here is the individual human rights of people living in a multi-religious settings and the need to be tolerant of each other. There are many Muslims in the Southern parts of Nigeria and equally there are many Christians in the Northern parts of Nigeria. There are also those who do not believe in God and there are those who have other beliefs. We must therefore tolerate each other. We need to acquire skills of tolerance and multicultural sensitivity, and we can do this through values education. As has been stated in the past, education is the key to help make the Nigerian child to love our beloved nation and develop patriotic disposition and tolerance etc.

The issue of corruption has been a subject of one of my notes in the past while the resistance by Politicians in Power for fear that SNC if well implemented will “over throw” the current regime or the current political systems and its benefactors is not true. Besides, what Nigerians should be focusing on is National interests and not our sectional parochial interests.

It is therefore clear why Government is erroneously resisting the convocation of the SNC. That notwithstanding, the convocation of SNC will not be a tea party and if not well managed the fallout from the SNC may backfire and increase the already existing hostilities. Imagine the challenge that the process for selecting participants will pose. Imagine the disposition of people that will be participating and wanting to have their “say” accepted all the way or have nothing to do with it. This is because most people are sentimentally attached to their positions and so will be trying to protect their self-interests. Some as we already know are ready to protect their position at any length, even if it means killing people or starting a civil war. Just imagine SNC where people rather than dialogue are debating. The implication of the above is that if the process of the SNC is not well managed, at best it will be a big jamboree where no agreement will be reached and at worst it will be SNC where there will be a free for all fight ending shamefully.

Yes, these concerns are serious and something has to be done considering the gradual but verifiable deterioration of our nationhood into political abyss and anarchy.

You can call the consultation SNC or National Conference or Committee for Sustainable Peace and Rapid National Development or any other but we cannot run away from making progress as a nation. It is therefore important that whatever has to be done is started on time to reverse this trend. We need to consult both at the individual and at group levels. Even if consultation costs money, it is worth it. People usually guide their novel and far reaching ideas, so that they are not stolen by others who will use such ideas to make money without any credit to the source. We need to identify credible people, who can contribute meaningfully to the issues at stake for consultation and not base our selection on who is our political party member or a friend; that is choosing those who will protect our parochial interest only. We need to involve the broad stakeholder base since decision made through consultation and participation effectively lead to general acceptance of such outcomes or paradigm shift in the ways we think or do things.

I agree that selection of the stakeholders in a country of over “250 nations” will equally be a big issue.

The intention for writing this is to provide a skeletal overview aimed at sensitizing Nigerians and pointing the direction of what we need to do as we journey towards a peaceful and rapidly growing nation in a sustainable manner.

What do you think or what is your view?

Sir Anthony Wakwe Lawrence

CEO / Chairman

Community Inter-Relations and Conciliation Initiative

(Non-Governmental Organization based in Port Harcourt).