www.ooduapathfinder.com
By adminadmin

Chief Olu Falae is the latest Afenifere chieftain promoting the recommendations of Jonathan’s National Conference as if Afenifere has taken it upon itself to “sell” such scandalous recommendations; while the Yoruba Unity Forum, which had earlier been in the forefront of establishing a working relationship with the South-South led by Edwin Clark is taking the back seat, at least, for now although whatever justifications they will promote would not be any different from those Afenifere is already carrying out, with the probable exception of what Tinubu said or did not say upon which Chief Olu Falae’s marketing is anchored. And the more they come out to sell their Conference federalist absurdity, the more ridiculous their reasons are. So, leaving Tinubu alone, it is necessary take a look into what these marketers are selling.
These Afenifere people constitute that section of Yoruba political tendency that had hitherto pretended to be steadfast advocates of True Federalism who have now turned absolutely in the opposite direction that even a Chief S.L Akintola would feel completely comfortable with, having now being justified by his erstwhile adversaries who are now falling over themselves to negate all that we have struggled for since the era of anti-colonial struggles. Thus, these people may need to apologize to the original “mainstreamers”; for what they failed to achieve through electoral manipulation since 1962, these erstwhile adversaries have managed to achieve via Jonathan Conference. Or at least they are trying to.
And these Afenifere would claim to be the “closest” to Chief Awolowo, whose Federalist propositions are also now the subject of interest in many parts of the world, having himself situated his Federalism within the international context of his own time. But this Afenifere mantra is now encapsulated in what Chief Falae said, when responding to whether the Yoruba, by demanding Regionalism, would be accused of trying to leave Nigeria, an age-long accusation, by the way.
He said the Yoruba have nowhere to go, that they have sacrificed a lot for Nigeria etc etc. Yet, everyone knows that “leaving Nigeria”, by any nationality, is a metaphorical expression hence the issue of “where are we going to” is neither here nor there as the nationality would stay where it is without being part of Nigeria.
Even if it is agreed, as Chief Falae says, that Jonathan “never approached me or anybody to give him a third term”; it is quite possible for someone to promote an idea, consciously or unconsciously, solicited or not with such an idea taking on a life of its own, such as when Chief Olu Falae tried to distance himself from SAP when SAP took on a life of its own; some of the consequences of which Nigeria is still battling with today.
So, aside from the fact that Chief Falae could possibly not have known about others; he would know, judging by the introduction and implementation of SAP, that an individual can set into motion a process which may go beyond the individual, which would account for Jonathan PDP’s desperation to “capture” the South West so it can give him complete political control of the south which will enable him to pursue any agenda that catches his fancy.
If we are then to believe Chief Falae on Jonathan not approaching him for a third term agenda; Chief Falae’s actions certainly lend credence to the moves. So, what then are these actions?
Limiting these to the conference recommendations, these are some of the achievements enumerated by the chief: “States can now create employment and develop their own states. Each state can have its own constitution, its own police force, can have its own prison service, can create its own local governments and in addition, in the economic domain, solid minerals that had been the exclusive preserve of the federal government since independence, have now been brought to the concurrent list”.
So now, in 2014, Chief Falae is touting, as an achievement, states having their own constitutions when 50 years ago, each of the Regions had their own Constitutions as a direct result of anti-colonial efforts and based on their social, cultural and economic priorities and these Constitutions were not dependent on the Independence or Republican Constitutions—qualities which are all absent in this new found Jonathanian constitutionalism; for these Jonathanian “state Constitutions” would lack the essential ingredient of Constitutionalism which is its economic foundation; for a Constitution is not simply a set of articles or legal codes, but the reflection of socio-economic and political relationships which such a Constitution seeks to mediate. Thus, when this economic basis is truncated via the denial of Resource Control, the foundation of such a constitution reduces it to only a set of regulations, just so a predetermined end would be achieved by its mere existence. Which makes Chief Falae’s achievement to be what the Yoruba would call “gba je n’simi”; a sort of kiddie candy pacification.
Besides, states are already creating employment and developing their own states. Chief Falae was one of Mimiko’s supporters and promoters in Ondo State and one of his reasons was that Mimko was developing Ondo State. If that was true, certainly Mimiko was doing all of that without a National Conference or State Constitution, or even Resource Control and derivation. So, what has now changed such that a national Conference is now needed for development? Unless the Chief is telling us that there is more than meets the eye on this Jonathan conference, or he was merely “playing politics” with his endorsement of Mimiko.
And to play the religious card, Chief Falae had to bring in his Christianity, as if his being a Christian affords him the capability of absolute knowledge of everything by saying “no one was trying to influence anyone”; yet his introduction of religion into the discourse, even without being asked, tallied completely with how Jonathan has introduced same into national discourse which means, even without a direct relationship as alluded to earlier, the inter-connectedness of their position is telling. Thus, when he said “the president left us to do our work”; it is the same president whom Tony Nyiam, a conference delegate appointed by the Presidency and who was also a member of the Femi Okurounmu-led consultative committee openly referred to, saying “no one would set up such a conference without a pre-conceived agenda” and the way these Yoruba leaders are going about it simply proves that they are the president’s puppets while he remains the master puppeteer; for he would have no reason to interfere when his “men” are available.
Chief Falae was economical with the truth when he stated that the Yoruba did not achieve Regionalism because “there was opposition from all over Nigeria”. Everyone knows the position of the North as far as restructuring of Nigeria is concerned. To now come around, after the conference, to blame the same North for failure to achieve Regionalism is to take us for fools. Besides, Chief Falae was a co-convener and a signatory to the communique of the “Southern Alliance” Conference, held in Calabar shortly before the commencement of the Conference where Regionalism was the top choice. Where then did he get the idea that there was “opposition all over Nigeria” and then cited the same “South” among such “opposition”? It is therefore not true for Chief Falae to say that “overwhelming majority was against Regionalism”. What is true is that these people have sold out completely and they should have no place in Yoruba political trajectory except to be recognized as Jonathan foot soldiers.
Chief Falae would then tout these “achievements” as constituting constitute 75% of “what they wanted”, which can only mean they obviously consider 75% of inferiority as being preferable to 25% of substance.
The reason why Nigeria’s Constitutions are always obeyed in the breach is because they are simply “pieces of paper”; for such Constitutions, including the 1963 Republican and Second Republic Constitutions, were not organic to the society that produced them. They were mere amendments and addendums to what other societies have produced; often manipulated to satisfy certain subjective criteria; whereas the constitutions they copied from were borne out of organic interactions within those societies and which makes all the difference in their citizens’ approach to the document.
Because this “new” constitution is alienated from the society in which it is to operate, all what can happen and is happening in Nigeria is that no one feels an intimate relationship with the document such that it elicits an atmosphere of awe and respect. Rather, what we have is an atmosphere of manipulation which is why they are always so bulky such that it appears the documents are produced for babies.
And as has become customary for these Afenifere leaders, Chief Olu Falae brings up the issue of referendum, and once again, it will be emphasized and repeated, Nigeria does not have a credible census, thus a credible referendum is impossible. Besides, even if it is agreed that States are the Federating Units, it can only follow that each state must have its own referendum as a potential Federating Unit and not a reverse, single pan-Nigerian referendum as being canvassed by these Afenifere people, for Nigeria cannot be its own Federating Unit; otherwise this exercise would be the civilian equivalent of the military’s creation of states and declaring them as “Federating Units” while also emphasizing the unitary nature of the Nation-State by pretending to be “Federal” which the military had always held us to ransom with. Having each state-as-a-federating-unit will allow such states to agree or disagree on their “federation” where the Conference recommendations may constitute the “terms of union” which may or may not be rejected. Otherwise, such a referendum is only aimed at promoting a political agenda having nothing to do with Restructuring or Federalism.
Leye Ige