On State Of Origin Question

ON STATE OFORIGINQUESTION

President Goodluck Jonathan’s fondness for trying to amend the constitution is becoming all too familiar. I sometimes wonder if he ran on constitutional amendments or on concrete things to deliver like power, education and health. Nigerian constitution needs many amendments but he should be more engaged with EXECUTIVE ACTIONS. Let the Legislatures who have the charge to write laws deal with writing and amending laws while the president deals with making things happen, executing projects. Let the president get involved with the laws only when the laws stand on the way of carrying out his duties and his deliverable promises in education, health and agriculture.

Having said the above one can argue that state of origin got on his way when he was dealing with the appointments of Ms. Odili, Ms. Okonjo-Iweala, Ms. Olusegun Agaga, and Ms. Allison-Madueke and therefore needed to be addressed. The questions arose because of the inconsistency with which the appointments were made. If they had all been appointed because of their state of residency or because of their state of origin, the hullabaloo that ensued would have not arisen.

The lesson is “be consistent” from now on.

But now that the president himself has brought the matter in the open and would submit constitutional amendment dropping the requirement of “state of origin” it is time to say a word in favor of state of origin’s abolition. The term “state of origin” defies logic. As Mr. Ojo Pointed out elsewhere there is a distinction between ethnicity and residency. I am an Igbo man that is my ethnicity. And would remain so whether I live inAmerica,Lagos, Achi,Jos,Bangladeshor wherever suits my latest test. It does not change and cannot be made to change except by lies; as if I lie that I am a Hausa. Even this lie would seem to be true only when I am with non Nigerians. Once a Nigerian takes a look at me he would easily know that this Igbo man is up to something.

Where one is born is a historical fact that a birth certificate could provide. Those of my age would who were probably not born in a hospital (I was born in one) can only produce baptism certificate if they had early baptism or other such evidentiary documents that are acceptable to some officials. But those born in the 90’s would have birth certificates that duly prove place of birth. Obama was lucky to have one or his presidency would have been buried in an avalanche of propaganda. Proof of place of birth would not prove residency. I was born inNigeriaand now reside in US. This proof of residency needs other proofs such as tax receipts, school records, payroll stubs, property ownership and registrations. These are the easiest records to obtain.

There is no question that ethnicity has been abused inNigeria. It has been used to discriminate against millions of people. I will use some examples that are well known to me. There was the case of Saka, a Yoruba boy born inEnugu. He spoke Igbo (without accent, if it is possible to speak without accent) and excelled in Igbo just as he excelled in Math. He was not considered to have had any disadvantage and did not have one (he was born in the city like most of his classmates). He was the class monitor (class president in US). I never caught him speak Yoruba, although he might have spoken Yoruba at home with his parents who also spoke perfect Igbo. During the war he fled Enugu to his Yoruba ancestral home but was back promptly in 1970, just like other Enugu boys. The family still lives in Coal Camp.

Yet his state of Origin is given as somewhere in SW. If the war did not force him back to the SW, he would not have known how to get there on his own. I am sure his younger siblings born after the war would not know the difference between Ogun and Osun and would speak Yoruba (if at all) with Igbo accent. He is Yoruba for sure.

But is his place or origin Osun?

My father’s great, great grand parent’s claim ofEnuguresidency is based solely on the fact that he was born inEnugu. Why would Saka’s birth in the sameEnugunot give him the same rights? My father’s claim to be Igbo is based of his lineage and he shares that lineage with Imo, Anambra, Ebonyi, Delta, Rivers, Americans and other’ people. Saka does not qualify.

But Saka should claimEnuguas his state of origin for that is where he originated, but could not claim Igbo. What is so difficult to understand?

If he claims Osun as his state of origin, he would be lying. He never originated from there. And yet for years we have been making our people lie. He probably can trace his lineage to Osun. Just as some American descendants of slave could trace their lineage to Akwa-Ibom. Saka’s story is replicated by my cousin Ifeanyi who was born inLagos. Ifeanyi is Igbo and a Lagosian but not fromEnugu, Saka is Yoruba but a Coal Camp boy. Both should run for governorship in their respective places of birth and residency.

IfNigeriawants to develop.

When we allow this to happen there would no longer be anything like abandoned properties lies. It will become impossible for people to steal other people’s property just because they have powers temporal.

Last year I had a heated debate with the governor of Rivers State Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, on this subject, inProvidenceRI. He was bragging about how he sends about 100 Rivers youth to be educated abroad on state scholarship and I asked if this included all of the states children he said it included 70% indigenous citizens and 30% non indigenes and when I asked for definition of indigenous he explained it as ethnic Rivers people. I told him of Saka’s story, how he suffered like every Enugu citizen before the war, during the war and after; how he came back to rebuild the city; how before the war he took his soccer team to defeat PH in Eastern Nigerian Primary schools competition, and representing Enugu in Lagos in National competition after the war.

I asked if Saka’s son were denied foreign scholarship on behalf of his ethnicity what did that say of fairness. He muttered some unintelligible words.

If one lives his life and serves in any community he is a member of that community, no matter his ethnicity. I expect more Igbo, Hausa etc as ministers or even governors inLagosjust as I expect that the Ministers of FCT should come from Edo or Yobe if they were born inAbujaand live and served in the city.

If in the olden days one’s birth inIbadanmade him anIbadanperson, then the birth inMaidugurinow should make an Igbo a Maidugrian.

Benjamin Obiajulu Aduba

Boston,Massachusetts

http://nigeriavillagesquare.com/guest-articles/on-state-of-origin-question.html

@OP, can you pls correct the topic, thank you.

Thanks

I ask this question again?

It is obvious that only ibos want the nonsense state of residence so that they can claim to have a reason to run away from their lands and claim residence elsewhere? Not in a billion years should this happen! What does any Nigerian need to succeed or live their lives that depends on the state of residence being forced into any useless constitution? Unless the ibos think other Nigerians are just watching their cunningness trying to find some ground to abandon Iboland and live elsewhere? Why are you not satisfied with your place of origin? You can already reside outside Iboland so it is not as though a new law is required for that. The whole essence is to find another leg to stand the claiming of SS lands on because you have been rejected in the SW and in the north, you know it is your carcass that will ultimately return!

no. you should have both

Only the SE want this thing changed.
Is having one state of origin not good enough?
Me am happy with my state of origin.
Why do you want to change the constitution.
Nigeria is a tribal nation and in the SE case,clannish as well .
Nowhere in the world do you have three major ethnic group the size of yoruba , Hausa and Igbo coexisting in one country.
Each of these are bigger than most countries in the world
every ethnic nationality guards her sovereignity jealously.
And No state would want to spend her resources taking care of indigens of another place when
The leaders of that place are stealing .
The earlier the southeast realise that the nigeria that they are dreaming about only exist on paper ,the better for everyone .

Ibos should be proud of their place of origin and stop this nonsense. Everybody must answer him papa name. This is a scam and only ibos seems to pursuing it.

Back in December 2012, President Goodluck Jonathan declared that it is time for Nigeria to ”dismantle the idol of exclusivity” and discard issues that focus on state of origin rather citizens of nation and that this change will be carried out with the ongoing review of the nation’s constitution.

Let's hope the OP is right

Each ethnic region have a different custom on citizenship and identity.

In Yorubaland, identity is drilled down to the family compound. The members in that compound share a single family name. In addition, Yoruba families have totems and order in their communities.

What the proponents of this change are pushing for is to dissolve the trditional Yoruba custom. This will only lead to further tribalism and bigotry.

By passing this into law Uche will be led to believe that he has the power of the constitution behind him to get any benefits he wants in a Yoruba state and he is equally qualified to aspire and attain to any position he wants, he is as much an origin as Fashanu.

His hopes will be dashed when he is repeatedly denied amenities. In addition, he is also left vulnerable because he is not a member of any compound in a region where family compound is your primary attachment, your footing and legitimacy to social rights and benefits.

I don't see any Oba in Yorubaland approving a ward or family compound for an Ibo family or clan. Without a ward in town, your citizenship is unrecognized by these Obas and to them you are a foreigner.

The most liberal of Yoruba states is Lagos. The chairman of the Oba council is Oba of Lagos. No Oba of Lagos has ever advocated for Ibos interest in Lagos. I dont see any of the Obas in the state giving land for Ibo to settle a family ward or compound.

Yoruba traditionally will not settle a land unless they can have their Oba and family wards within the Oba domain. So there is no expectation that Yoruba will show interest in gaining origin status of anywhere outside the family compound in Yorubaland.

So how exactly is this new proposal going to work in Yorubaland? I dont know anything about Hausaland and if it works for them or not.

What of the 'FULANI HERDSMEN' from CHAD?
Are they not 'residents'?

@OPC.NAIRALAND, soon enough you people will have to come out of the bushes of uncivilization and learn to live under the laws of the land. You can keep your traditions as long as they do not violate the constitution of this great country.

While modern folks are talking about trade-free zones, empowerment zones, enterprise zones,etc,within their land, some of you are still talking about family compounds. SMH

ndu_chucks: @OPC.NAIRALAND, soon enough you people will have to come out of the bushes of uncivilization and learn to live under the laws of the land. You can keep your traditions as long as they do not violate the constitution of this great country.

While modern folks are talking about trade-free zones, empowerment zones, enterprise zones,etc,within their land, some of you are still talking about family compounds. SMH

Modern folks like your boko brothers killing innocent citizens in the name of a 7th century religious belief? Bros, OPC.NAIRALAND spoke the mind of most of us and I'm staunchly with him on what he wrote up there. We are not interested in your whatever, shove it to where infants get murdered before their first birthdays.

NO. State of residency should not replace state of origin. Yorubas value their state of Origin compared to their state of birth by a clear mile. While growing in Nigeria, I never really bothered about my state of birth which is Lagos. All I was concerned about was my state of origin, i.e Oyo state.

I think this question was just asked as a result of fear and clannish nature of some people.

State of Birth should not be replaced with state of residency because every tribe in Nigeria(including the Igbos value their state of Origin compared to state of residency).

N.B: Although the writer of the article raised some good points but it should still not be replaced.

Definition of Origin: 1. The first stage of existence; beginning.
2. Ancestry; parentage; extraction: to be of Scottish origin.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/origin?s=t

babe_online: NO. State of residency should not replace state of origin. Yorubas value their state of Origin compared to their state of birth by a clear mile. While growing in Nigeria, I never really bothered about my state of birth which is Lagos. All I was concerned about was my state of origin, i.e Oyo state.

I think this question was just asked as a result of fear and clannish nature of some people.

State of Birth should not be replaced with state of residency because every tribe in Nigeria(including the Igbos value their state of Origin compared to state of residency).

N.B: Although the writer of the article raised some good points but it should still not be replaced.

Definition of Origin: 1. The first stage of existence; beginning.
2. Ancestry; parentage; extraction: to be of Scottish origin.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/origin?s=t

You are very correct. State of origin is state of origin and state of birth is state of birth. But in the eyes of the law, should anybody with a residency permit have equal rights? I need suggestions that says this law will not help us advance.... No sentiment. It seems to be working for every other progressive nation. Why cant it work here? Being Tribal to me may not be bad, but once it comes to advancing and developing don't you think we need others that cut across race, tribe and religion? I just need reason. Will this law set us back or forward?

gohome:

You are very correct. State of origin is state of origin and state of birth is state of birth. But in the eyes of the law, should anybody with a residency permit have equal rights? I need suggestions that says this law will not help us advance.... No sentiment. It seems to be working for every other progressive nation. Why cant it work here? Being Tribal to me may not be bad, but once it comes to advancing and developing don't you think we need others that cut across race, tribe and religion? I just need reason. Will this law set us back or forward?

First of all Nigeria is a country where people with different customs, traditions and ethnic group live. We all know how Nigeria came to be.

Second, as a result of the tribes/ethnic groups being very different, people have differences and this differences people have has not let people to be able to SEE EACH OTHER AS ONE.

Having said what I said in the sentence above, do you think people from different ethnic groups should be able to have equal rights considering we all move to different parts of the countries most especially for a better life?.

I think I have been able to answer the question you asked on if people should have equal rights(although I did not answer directly).

Last, the law will definitely not take us back. I don't know about forward.

babe_online:
First of all Nigeria is a country where people with different customs, traditions and ethnic group live. We all know how Nigeria came to be.

Second, as a result of the tribes/ethnic groups being very different, people have differences and this differences people have has not let people to be able to SEE EACH OTHER AS ONE.

Having said what I said in the sentence above, do you think people from different ethnic groups should be able to have equal rights considering we all move to different parts of the countries most especially for a better life?.

I think I have been able to answer the question you asked on if people should have equal rights(although I did not answer directly).

Last, the law will definitely not take us back. I don't know about forward.

Yea Nigeria is a country where a lot of people live by strong tradition, but a lot of my generation (80s) care less about those tradition. I grew up in a Cosmo town and attended a secondary school that cut across all tribes and even race. Apart from the a few tradition I picked from home, I imbibed a new culture, a mixture of cultures of those I grew up with including culture from TVs. I do not know to speak my native language. Up till today I still rep the town I grew up in. My sister has a similar story. Infact she is an American just because she was born there. She has a greater chance of being an Obama than a councellor in Kano. In my opinion, if we keep with this mentality, then we can only go backwards. No tribe started this earth and no tribe will finish it. Tribes go and come, but people will get better. Thats what we need. That is what London, Newyork, Dubai, Paris, Houston, LA, HongKong did

In conclusion, The new generation Nigerians (My type) and the Elite Nigerians don't care about tribe... What they care about is Hapiness, development , advancing and wealth.

Rhino.5dm:


Modern folks like your boko brothers killing innocent citizens in the name of a 7th century religious belief? Bros, OPC.NAIRALAND spoke the mind of most of us and I'm staunchly with him on what he wrote up there. We are not interested in your whatever, shove it to where infants get murdered before their first birthdays.

The rant above confirms that you people are not serious about building our nation. If as you stated, the apparently educated thug and possibly a member of Soyinka's old Pirate fraternity, OPC.NAIRALAND, spoke the the mind of most of you, why don't you simply declare your own country and secede? Inasmuch as you people don't have the courage to do so, you will abide by the laws of the land, or be dealt with severely.

How will the status of a person be appraised as being resident in a particular place? Is it by paying electrcity bill? or by raising a family there?

Standing5:
How will the status of a person be appraised as being resident in a particular place? Is it by paying electrcity bill? or by raising a family there?

Born there or stay in that region and paying tax for a reasonable period of time.

You mean those Fulanis living with their cows in my Awka will now claim Anambra as their state of origin?

Nkita rachaa kwa gi anya there.

advocate666:
You mean those Fulanis living with their cows in my Awka will now claim Anambra as their state of origin?

Nkita rachaa kwa gi anya there.

Lol

I dont know

Another excuse for Igbo to claim they are from Lagos

Once your name is Chukwudi Egowanbe, I know say you be Flattino no matter your state of residence. Abdullahi Adamu cannot tell me that he is Rivers resident and wants the same rights are Winifred Dokuboh.

jahsharon:
Once your name is Chukwudi Egowanbe, I know say you be Flattino no matter your state of residence. Abdullahi Adamu cannot tell me that he is Rivers resident and wants the same rights are Winifred Dokuboh.

for your information not every body that answers chukwudi is from IGBOLAND, ijaw, ikwere,ika, edo and benue answers the name, your hate filled soul should understand this by now.

That's nonsense.
State of residence can/should only issue card of residency to non indigenes.

Wherever you come from remain where you come from and that's the card you should originally carry as your origin.

sweetonugbu:
for your information not every body that answers chukwudi is from IGBOLAND, ijaw, ikwere,ika, edo and benue answers the name, your hate filled soul should understand this by now.

you always claim people try to divide you while you lead on same agenda yourself.
Benue, ika, ikwerre, edo bear shukudi for some reasons. Because they are ibo.

Watch as this wonderful topic will turn to royal rumble...




Tribal dingbat.

Kapeter:
you always claim people try to divide you while you lead on same agenda yourself.
Benue, ika, ikwerre, edo bear shukudi for some reasons. Because they are ibo.

will you force them, they told you they are not IGBO so allow them be, when they commit a crime, try and verify which tribe they belong to, not everybody with IGBO sounding name is IGBO.

gohome:


On State Of Origin Question

ON STATE OFORIGINQUESTION

President Goodluck Jonathan’s fondness for trying to amend the constitution is becoming all too familiar. I sometimes wonder if he ran on constitutional amendments or on concrete things to deliver like power, education and health. Nigerian constitution needs many amendments but he should be more engaged with EXECUTIVE ACTIONS. Let the Legislatures who have the charge to write laws deal with writing and amending laws while the president deals with making things happen, executing projects. Let the president get involved with the laws only when the laws stand on the way of carrying out his duties and his deliverable promises in education, health and agriculture.

Having said the above one can argue that state of origin got on his way when he was dealing with the appointments of Ms. Odili, Ms. Okonjo-Iweala, Ms. Olusegun Agaga, and Ms. Allison-Madueke and therefore needed to be addressed. The questions arose because of the inconsistency with which the appointments were made. If they had all been appointed because of their state of residency or because of their state of origin, the hullabaloo that ensued would have not arisen.

The lesson is “be consistent” from now on.

But now that the president himself has brought the matter in the open and would submit constitutional amendment dropping the requirement of “state of origin” it is time to say a word in favor of state of origin’s abolition. The term “state of origin” defies logic. As Mr. Ojo Pointed out elsewhere there is a distinction between ethnicity and residency. I am an Igbo man that is my ethnicity. And would remain so whether I live inAmerica,Lagos, Achi,Jos,Bangladeshor wherever suits my latest test. It does not change and cannot be made to change except by lies; as if I lie that I am a Hausa. Even this lie would seem to be true only when I am with non Nigerians. Once a Nigerian takes a look at me he would easily know that this Igbo man is up to something.

Where one is born is a historical fact that a birth certificate could provide. Those of my age would who were probably not born in a hospital (I was born in one) can only produce baptism certificate if they had early baptism or other such evidentiary documents that are acceptable to some officials. But those born in the 90’s would have birth certificates that duly prove place of birth. Obama was lucky to have one or his presidency would have been buried in an avalanche of propaganda. Proof of place of birth would not prove residency. I was born inNigeriaand now reside in US. This proof of residency needs other proofs such as tax receipts, school records, payroll stubs, property ownership and registrations. These are the easiest records to obtain.

There is no question that ethnicity has been abused inNigeria. It has been used to discriminate against millions of people. I will use some examples that are well known to me. There was the case of Saka, a Yoruba boy born inEnugu. He spoke Igbo (without accent, if it is possible to speak without accent) and excelled in Igbo just as he excelled in Math. He was not considered to have had any disadvantage and did not have one (he was born in the city like most of his classmates). He was the class monitor (class president in US). I never caught him speak Yoruba, although he might have spoken Yoruba at home with his parents who also spoke perfect Igbo. During the war he fled Enugu to his Yoruba ancestral home but was back promptly in 1970, just like other Enugu boys. The family still lives in Coal Camp.

Yet his state of Origin is given as somewhere in SW. If the war did not force him back to the SW, he would not have known how to get there on his own. I am sure his younger siblings born after the war would not know the difference between Ogun and Osun and would speak Yoruba (if at all) with Igbo accent. He is Yoruba for sure.

But is his place or origin Osun?

My father’s great, great grand parent’s claim ofEnuguresidency is based solely on the fact that he was born inEnugu. Why would Saka’s birth in the sameEnugunot give him the same rights? My father’s claim to be Igbo is based of his lineage and he shares that lineage with Imo, Anambra, Ebonyi, Delta, Rivers, Americans and other’ people. Saka does not qualify.

But Saka should claimEnuguas his state of origin for that is where he originated, but could not claim Igbo. What is so difficult to understand?

If he claims Osun as his state of origin, he would be lying. He never originated from there. And yet for years we have been making our people lie. He probably can trace his lineage to Osun. Just as some American descendants of slave could trace their lineage to Akwa-Ibom. Saka’s story is replicated by my cousin Ifeanyi who was born inLagos. Ifeanyi is Igbo and a Lagosian but not fromEnugu, Saka is Yoruba but a Coal Camp boy. Both should run for governorship in their respective places of birth and residency.

IfNigeriawants to develop.

When we allow this to happen there would no longer be anything like abandoned properties lies. It will become impossible for people to steal other people’s property just because they have powers temporal.

Last year I had a heated debate with the governor of Rivers State Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, on this subject, inProvidenceRI. He was bragging about how he sends about 100 Rivers youth to be educated abroad on state scholarship and I asked if this included all of the states children he said it included 70% indigenous citizens and 30% non indigenes and when I asked for definition of indigenous he explained it as ethnic Rivers people. I told him of Saka’s story, how he suffered like every Enugu citizen before the war, during the war and after; how he came back to rebuild the city; how before the war he took his soccer team to defeat PH in Eastern Nigerian Primary schools competition, and representing Enugu in Lagos in National competition after the war.

I asked if Saka’s son were denied foreign scholarship on behalf of his ethnicity what did that say of fairness. He muttered some unintelligible words.

If one lives his life and serves in any community he is a member of that community, no matter his ethnicity. I expect more Igbo, Hausa etc as ministers or even governors inLagosjust as I expect that the Ministers of FCT should come from Edo or Yobe if they were born inAbujaand live and served in the city.

If in the olden days one’s birth inIbadanmade him anIbadanperson, then the birth inMaidugurinow should make an Igbo a Maidugrian.

Benjamin Obiajulu Aduba

Boston,Massachusetts

http://nigeriavillagesquare.com/guest-articles/on-state-of-origin-question.html

why do you Fulani/Hausa, always afriad of constitution amendment?why don't you people want the good of Nigeria?