Chief Cliff Mbagwu, a
chieftain of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP),
management consultant
and chairman of Simeon
and Rose Associates, wants
Nigerians to embrace the
proposed national
conference with all their
might and shun acts that
could dismember the
country because having
lived together for 100
years, interrelated and
inter-mingled the pain of
separation would be more
severe now than that of
remaining together. Rather,
he said efforts should be
channelled on how to
make the union work in a
sustainable manner.
Excerpts:
His take on President
Goodluck Jonathan’s
turnaround on convening
of national conference
It is a good move. His
initial refusal was not well
thought out; he has done
the right thing now. In
1914, Lord Lugard
amalgamated and put
Nigerians together without
their consent.
After 100 years of
amalgamation, we have
stayed together and
interacted so much that
separation will be more
painful than staying
together. So, we have to
find out how to stay
together in an
economically sustainable
manner.
Therefore, the Senator
Femi Okurounmu advisory
committee on national
conference in doing its
work has to answer two
questions: Do we want to
live together? If yes, how?
The body language I see in
Nigerians is that we want
to live together. How can
we live together in a
peaceful and economically
sustainable manner?
To me, the current
structure is not
economically sustainable.
The cost of governance is
too high and it prevents
government from having
resources to drive
development and cater for
human welfare.
So, we have to decide on
whether or not to retain
the present structure or
revert to a six or seven
regional structure.

We have to reduce
monetisation of the
political process, which is
driving away credible
people from politics. We
have to make political
positions less attractive.
Now, government is the
largest industry offering
the highest reward, so it
attracts all manner of
people. The leadership
selection process needs to
be improved because there
are too many mediocre in
government. Most
positions appear to be
going to the highest
bidders.
We should find a way of
returning the country to
the path of merit because
our society is patronage-
driven and this is affecting
the quality of service
delivery, government and
institutions.
How he sees President
Jonathan’s declaration that
the outcome of the confab
would be sent to the
National Assembly for
consideration
I thought the decision of
the conference should
have been final; if you
begin to subject it to
National Assembly
consideration, it can lead
to politicisation of the
process. If we elect and
select people to the
conference, the outcome
should carry the weight of
law.
There are two sets of
mindsets that are
dysfunctional and not
helpful for nation-building.
One is the North sees
Nigeria as their patrimony
and have to continue to
rule or determine who will
rule. This mindset is not
compatible with nation-
building.
The other is the South sees
the North as parasitic,
does not bring anything to
the table and depends on
the South for survival. This
is also a bad mindset. I
believe that every part of
the country has resources
is contributing to nation-
building. If the oil fields are
attacked today by
foreigners, it is not only
the oil producing areas
that will defend the fields.
The sheer size of the
country and the diversity
are things that we should
hold dear. I don’t see any
part of Nigeria that will be
better off outside this
federation than inside it.
Most parts will be
ungovernable outside this
federation. It is in our
interest to ensure that
everybody is equal before
the law so that we can
build a nation out of
Nigeria.
We need to define the
issue of citizenship. Where
do we lay emphasis if we
want to build a nation? Is it
on indigeneship or
citizenship? How do you
treat an Hausa boy born in
Amausa, Owerri, who grew
up in Owerri, married in
Owerri and lived in Owerri
all his life? Can’t he contest
for the chairmanship of
Owerri? The same thing
applies to an Igbo boy
born in Abeokuta, Kano or
Maiduguri. We should be
honest about building
Nigeria. If not we should
go our separate ways but
that will be the blackest
day for the Black man.
On controversies trailing
President Jonathan’s
perceived second term
ambition
The two sets of mindsets
that are not compatible
with nation building are at
play here. How can
anybody ask the president
not to run when the
constitution allows him to
run for two terms of four
years each? If they say he
signed an agreement to do
one term, on what basis
will he reach that
agreement? Is he a second
class citizen? Elsewhere,
like the United States of
America, the Peoples
Democratic Party will not
hold presidential primaries
when a sitting president is
running but here they
don’t even want President
Jonathan to run for the
primaries. It amounts to
unmitigated arrogance for
any person or group of
persons to arrogate to
himself or themselves the
right to decide for the
president not to run.
Those asking Jonathan not
to run; will they do a single
term if they were in
power? To build a country,
all of us must agree to be
equal citizens. The nation
is not anybody’s personal
patrimony. President
Jonathan is the best
material for 2015 given his
experience and what he
has done so far.
On whether the economy is
working
This economy is not
creating jobs and economic
opportunities. Some
Nigerians are making
money because of their
connections and who they
know. In terms of
performance and
productive economic
activities, those managing
the economy will have to
work harder in terms of
erecting and enforcing
fiscal policies that will
encourage domestic
production.
This economy is too
import-dependent and
because of that a lot of
Nigerians are out of jobs. A
high percentage of the
population are not taking
active part in the economy
because they don’t have
income. We have to put
Nigerians to work through
manufacturing and
agriculture; stop
importation of things we
can produce locally even if
it amounts to short-term
hardship; make agriculture
more attractive in terms of
funding and access to land
so that we can produce
almost everything we need
domestically.

www.vanguardngr.com/2013/11/nat-confab-disintegration-ll-painful-mbagwu/
Chief Cliff Mbagwu, a
chieftain of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP),
management consultant
and chairman of Simeon
and Rose Associates, wants
Nigerians to embrace the
proposed national
conference with all their
might and shun acts that
could dismember the
country because having
lived together for 100
years, interrelated and
inter-mingled the pain of
separation would be more
severe now than that of
remaining together. Rather,
he said efforts should be
channelled on how to
make the union work in a
sustainable manner.
Excerpts:
His take on President
Goodluck Jonathan’s
turnaround on convening
of national conference
It is a good move. His
initial refusal was not well
thought out; he has done
the right thing now. In
1914, Lord Lugard
amalgamated and put
Nigerians together without
their consent.
After 100 years of
amalgamation, we have
stayed together and
interacted so much that
separation will be more
painful than staying
together. So, we have to
find out how to stay
together in an
economically sustainable
manner.
Therefore, the Senator
Femi Okurounmu advisory
committee on national
conference in doing its
work has to answer two
questions: Do we want to
live together? If yes, how?
The body language I see in
Nigerians is that we want
to live together. How can
we live together in a
peaceful and economically
sustainable manner?
To me, the current
structure is not
economically sustainable.
The cost of governance is
too high and it prevents
government from having
resources to drive
development and cater for
human welfare.
So, we have to decide on
whether or not to retain
the present structure or
revert to a six or seven
regional structure.

We have to reduce
monetisation of the
political process, which is
driving away credible
people from politics. We
have to make political
positions less attractive.
Now, government is the
largest industry offering
the highest reward, so it
attracts all manner of
people. The leadership
selection process needs to
be improved because there
are too many mediocre in
government. Most
positions appear to be
going to the highest
bidders.
We should find a way of
returning the country to
the path of merit because
our society is patronage-
driven and this is affecting
the quality of service
delivery, government and
institutions.
How he sees President
Jonathan’s declaration that
the outcome of the confab
would be sent to the
National Assembly for
consideration
I thought the decision of
the conference should
have been final; if you
begin to subject it to
National Assembly
consideration, it can lead
to politicisation of the
process. If we elect and
select people to the
conference, the outcome
should carry the weight of
law.
There are two sets of
mindsets that are
dysfunctional and not
helpful for nation-building.
One is the North sees
Nigeria as their patrimony
and have to continue to
rule or determine who will
rule. This mindset is not
compatible with nation-
building.
The other is the South sees
the North as parasitic,
does not bring anything to
the table and depends on
the South for survival. This
is also a bad mindset. I
believe that every part of
the country has resources
is contributing to nation-
building. If the oil fields are
attacked today by
foreigners, it is not only
the oil producing areas
that will defend the fields.
The sheer size of the
country and the diversity
are things that we should
hold dear. I don’t see any
part of Nigeria that will be
better off outside this
federation than inside it.
Most parts will be
ungovernable outside this
federation. It is in our
interest to ensure that
everybody is equal before
the law so that we can
build a nation out of
Nigeria.
We need to define the
issue of citizenship. Where
do we lay emphasis if we
want to build a nation? Is it
on indigeneship or
citizenship? How do you
treat an Hausa boy born in
Amausa, Owerri, who grew
up in Owerri, married in
Owerri and lived in Owerri
all his life? Can’t he contest
for the chairmanship of
Owerri? The same thing
applies to an Igbo boy
born in Abeokuta, Kano or
Maiduguri. We should be
honest about building
Nigeria. If not we should
go our separate ways but
that will be the blackest
day for the Black man.
On controversies trailing
President Jonathan’s
perceived second term
ambition
The two sets of mindsets
that are not compatible
with nation building are at
play here. How can
anybody ask the president
not to run when the
constitution allows him to
run for two terms of four
years each? If they say he
signed an agreement to do
one term, on what basis
will he reach that
agreement? Is he a second
class citizen? Elsewhere,
like the United States of
America, the Peoples
Democratic Party will not
hold presidential primaries
when a sitting president is
running but here they
don’t even want President
Jonathan to run for the
primaries. It amounts to
unmitigated arrogance for
any person or group of
persons to arrogate to
himself or themselves the
right to decide for the
president not to run.
Those asking Jonathan not
to run; will they do a single
term if they were in
power? To build a country,
all of us must agree to be
equal citizens. The nation
is not anybody’s personal
patrimony. President
Jonathan is the best
material for 2015 given his
experience and what he
has done so far.
On whether the economy is
working
This economy is not
creating jobs and economic
opportunities. Some
Nigerians are making
money because of their
connections and who they
know. In terms of
performance and
productive economic
activities, those managing
the economy will have to
work harder in terms of
erecting and enforcing
fiscal policies that will
encourage domestic
production.
This economy is too
import-dependent and
because of that a lot of
Nigerians are out of jobs. A
high percentage of the
population are not taking
active part in the economy
because they don’t have
income. We have to put
Nigerians to work through
manufacturing and
agriculture; stop
importation of things we
can produce locally even if
it amounts to short-term
hardship; make agriculture
more attractive in terms of
funding and access to land
so that we can produce
almost everything we need
domestically.

www.vanguardngr.com/2013/11/nat-confab-disintegration-ll-painful-mbagwu/
Chief Cliff Mbagwu, a
chieftain of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP),
management consultant
and chairman of Simeon
and Rose Associates, wants
Nigerians to embrace the
proposed national
conference with all their
might and shun acts that
could dismember the
country because having
lived together for 100
years, interrelated and
inter-mingled the pain of
separation would be more
severe now than that of
remaining together. Rather,
he said efforts should be
channelled on how to
make the union work in a
sustainable manner.
Excerpts:
His take on President
Goodluck Jonathan’s
turnaround on convening
of national conference
It is a good move. His
initial refusal was not well
thought out; he has done
the right thing now. In
1914, Lord Lugard
amalgamated and put
Nigerians together without
their consent.
After 100 years of
amalgamation, we have
stayed together and
interacted so much that
separation will be more
painful than staying
together. So, we have to
find out how to stay
together in an
economically sustainable
manner.
Therefore, the Senator
Femi Okurounmu advisory
committee on national
conference in doing its
work has to answer two
questions: Do we want to
live together? If yes, how?
The body language I see in
Nigerians is that we want
to live together. How can
we live together in a
peaceful and economically
sustainable manner?
To me, the current
structure is not
economically sustainable.
The cost of governance is
too high and it prevents
government from having
resources to drive
development and cater for
human welfare.
So, we have to decide on
whether or not to retain
the present structure or
revert to a six or seven
regional structure.

We have to reduce
monetisation of the
political process, which is
driving away credible
people from politics. We
have to make political
positions less attractive.
Now, government is the
largest industry offering
the highest reward, so it
attracts all manner of
people. The leadership
selection process needs to
be improved because there
are too many mediocre in
government. Most
positions appear to be
going to the highest
bidders.
We should find a way of
returning the country to
the path of merit because
our society is patronage-
driven and this is affecting
the quality of service
delivery, government and
institutions.
How he sees President
Jonathan’s declaration that
the outcome of the confab
would be sent to the
National Assembly for
consideration
I thought the decision of
the conference should
have been final; if you
begin to subject it to
National Assembly
consideration, it can lead
to politicisation of the
process. If we elect and
select people to the
conference, the outcome
should carry the weight of
law.
There are two sets of
mindsets that are
dysfunctional and not
helpful for nation-building.
One is the North sees
Nigeria as their patrimony
and have to continue to
rule or determine who will
rule. This mindset is not
compatible with nation-
building.
The other is the South sees
the North as parasitic,
does not bring anything to
the table and depends on
the South for survival. This
is also a bad mindset. I
believe that every part of
the country has resources
is contributing to nation-
building. If the oil fields are
attacked today by
foreigners, it is not only
the oil producing areas
that will defend the fields.
The sheer size of the
country and the diversity
are things that we should
hold dear. I don’t see any
part of Nigeria that will be
better off outside this
federation than inside it.
Most parts will be
ungovernable outside this
federation. It is in our
interest to ensure that
everybody is equal before
the law so that we can
build a nation out of
Nigeria.
We need to define the
issue of citizenship. Where
do we lay emphasis if we
want to build a nation? Is it
on indigeneship or
citizenship? How do you
treat an Hausa boy born in
Amausa, Owerri, who grew
up in Owerri, married in
Owerri and lived in Owerri
all his life? Can’t he contest
for the chairmanship of
Owerri? The same thing
applies to an Igbo boy
born in Abeokuta, Kano or
Maiduguri. We should be
honest about building
Nigeria. If not we should
go our separate ways but
that will be the blackest
day for the Black man.
On controversies trailing
President Jonathan’s
perceived second term
ambition
The two sets of mindsets
that are not compatible
with nation building are at
play here. How can
anybody ask the president
not to run when the
constitution allows him to
run for two terms of four
years each? If they say he
signed an agreement to do
one term, on what basis
will he reach that
agreement? Is he a second
class citizen? Elsewhere,
like the United States of
America, the Peoples
Democratic Party will not
hold presidential primaries
when a sitting president is
running but here they
don’t even want President
Jonathan to run for the
primaries. It amounts to
unmitigated arrogance for
any person or group of
persons to arrogate to
himself or themselves the
right to decide for the
president not to run.
Those asking Jonathan not
to run; will they do a single
term if they were in
power? To build a country,
all of us must agree to be
equal citizens. The nation
is not anybody’s personal
patrimony. President
Jonathan is the best
material for 2015 given his
experience and what he
has done so far.
On whether the economy is
working
This economy is not
creating jobs and economic
opportunities. Some
Nigerians are making
money because of their
connections and who they
know. In terms of
performance and
productive economic
activities, those managing
the economy will have to
work harder in terms of
erecting and enforcing
fiscal policies that will
encourage domestic
production.
This economy is too
import-dependent and
because of that a lot of
Nigerians are out of jobs. A
high percentage of the
population are not taking
active part in the economy
because they don’t have
income. We have to put
Nigerians to work through
manufacturing and
agriculture; stop
importation of things we
can produce locally even if
it amounts to short-term
hardship; make agriculture
more attractive in terms of
funding and access to land
so that we can produce
almost everything we need
domestically.

www.vanguardngr.com/2013/11/nat-confab-disintegration-ll-painful-mbagwu/