By Wale Olayanju

The threats, tensions, ultimatums and counter-ultimatums ocassioned by the sit-at-home order declared by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) are a pointer to the fact that the time has come for all stakeholders in the Nigerian project to sit down and discuss the continued existence of this nation.

As if the Monday's declaration of fatwah to the Igbos by those grandfathers masquerading as representatives of Northern youth is not enough, another group, this time from the South South has come out with a counter-fatwah.

The sophomoric group which calls itself Rondel Solidarity Movement (RSM) claims to represent the Region of the Niger Delta (Rondel). Just like the IPOB, MASSOB, OPC, Ohanaeze, Afenifere and Ijaw Youth, their demand is unambigious- self determination.

Though a patriot, I have no doubt in my mind that this country needs restructuring more than ever before. Most, if not all, of the problems we are facing today are located in the way it is structured.

Is it not worrisome that despite the abundance of resources at our disposal, starvation, hunger and poverty have been our lot? Or how do we rationalise the fact that those who are qualified to run the nation have been pushed to the background because they belong to the 5% group? Why is it that those who enter the unity school with two marks are more qualified when it comes to appointments? Is it by design or by con-incidence that since 1979 no one is qualified enough from a section of the country to be considered as minister of the Federal Capital?

Are we not in deep sh*t when governors say they can only pay salaries when another Paris Club fund is released? Is governance now about how to consume and not about how to produce? Every month, governors go cap in hand to Abuja like beggars to go and share the nation’s resources. That is not federalism but a unitary system of government. Federalism allows every state to develop at their own pace. Omo to ba sipa ni iya e ngbe. It is not federalism when you take the resource of a state to Abuja and share it with others, whether they contribute or not.

I am sure when the current administration was coming to power, they were very sincere and optimistic to turn things around. However, like a warrior who was going to war and was only thinking of how he will kill and come back with loots, they have now seen that this nation is not as easy to govern as envisaged. Or how else do you want to score the administration when the national leader of the ruling party laid off 30% of staff of his media house in one fell swoop?

It is not about tribe or religion. It is not about party or affliation. We have good people in all tribes, in all religions and in all parties. It is about the structure. Nigeria as presently structured is a deeply flawed nation. No party/government can get it right until we go back to the drawing board. An attempt to pretend that everything is okay is like sitting on a keg of gunpowder and, as Chido Onumah puts it, it may result in our “country sleepwalking to disaster.”

The reason for the agitations for Biafra 50 years ago is still the same today. It is the need to manage the Nigerian state in line with the protocols of a federal state. "Biafrans" want a country where every part would be fully involved and the future generation would have a country they can be proud of. This sentiment is not shared by them alone. It is a clarion call every good Nigerian should join.

We are all Biafrans!

By the way, have the police arrested those "youths" behind Igbo quit notice or is their notice not treasonable enough? Sorry, I forgot they belong to the first class citizens of the country.

Nigeria is at a crossroad...

in a very ironic way, the issues that have created our 'division' would only be exacerbated if we go our separate ways...

now, we tolerate each other because we stay in the same country, once we divide, it becomes no holds barred. the abuses would intensify, the animosity would become unbridled, the resort to violence becomes a lot easier for all sides, the ribbing about how my tribe is better than yours would develop more venom...

the way forward is to restructure the polity...

ensure governance truly starts at the grassroots.

That we sit down and talk may not necessarily lead to division. The fact is we can not progress with the way the country is presently structured. Even if Nigeria will still remain one, it must be based on terms and conditions, agreed to by all stakeholders. Or what do you say Lalasticlala, Seun ?

even me??