₦airaland Forum

How I Became A Stateless Nigerian    http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/adeola-aderounmu/how-i-became-a-stateless-nigerian.html 
Written by Adeola Aderounmu   
Sunday, 22 March 2009
Around 1989/1990 I applied for the Lagos State Scholarship Board Award /Grant. The intended study would have allowed me to pursue a medical career at foreign University. When I was invited to the interview there were strong indications that I was a top candidate because I had scored 6 distinctions in all the subjects that I took in the GCE exams. Backed by strong recommendations from two of my secondary school teachers added to 6 more distinctions and 2 credits in my WASC I was confident of my upcoming sponsored academic trip abroad.
As the interview progressed it seemed that all was well until one woman on the panel of interviewers asked me what became the critical question. I know one Aderounmu at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and you are actually a carbon copy of him, do you know him, she asked?

I answered in the affirmative because she was referring to my dad’s cousin Bukola Aderounmu whom I’d hardly met. I cannot even describe the man in 4 sentences yet I was being told at this interview that we look alike. By asking that question, the woman was actually trying to let everyone know that my family is from Ogun State. The interview ended and I never heard a word again from the LSSB.

To give a clearer picture: I was born in Lagos and when I started primary school my father always made it clear to me that my state of origin is Lagos but I discovered later that my parents are actually from Abeoukta in Ogun State. It became a tedious routine to always make those trips from Festac Town to Agege Local Government at the beginning of each school year.

I had to collect proof of origin every term and of course tax clearance certificates of parents. Was my dad avoiding this trip to Abeokuta to obtain evidence of origin? How convenient it was to say that we were from Amuwo Odofin Local Government when the local governments became proliferated just like that!

I remembered that at a certain point when we could make our own decisions, the children all reverted to Ogun State. But what do I know about Ogun State? Before I left Nigeria in 2002, I can count on my fingers how many times I have been to Abeokuta.

In 1986 age 14 I went to Abeoukta to attend a chieftaincy title ceremony of some family members. I was held spellbound to discover that we even had a McGregor in our extended family! I cannot remember any other time that I went to Ogun State before then. Around 1988 or thereabout I went to Igbogila to visit my grandfather who had left Abeokuta and relocated to this quiet town perhaps even before I was born. Up to this day, I don’t even know if Igbogila is in Oyo, Osun or Ogun State.

My third memory of Ogun State was when I went as a tourist taking along with me the members of NAZS, UNILAG chapter. It was during this excursion in 1994 that I re-discovered places like Lantoro and Olumo rock. We went to a famous abattoir but I don’t remember where.

Interestingly in December 2001, I went to Abeokuta with some colleagues from MEDILAG. We attended the wedding ceremony of a friend and co-researcher. While the wedding ceremony was in progress, I quickly dashed out of the church and waved down a taxi. I told the driver that I was going to the house of the Produce Buyer. Apparently, my mother’s father Fidimaiye Majekodunmi was a famous merchant in his days. He died in 1972 just before I was born but in 2001 the taxidriver could still take me to his house unhindered.

I had no address with me and my mother just told me to mention produce buyer to any taxi driver. It worked like magic! I arrived safely in front of the house and my grandmother was shocked but overwhelmed with joy that her grandson came. My grandmother died a few months later and I was already in Europe at that time.

I am still happy that I saw her that fateful day sometime in Dec 2001 and it was very shocking to see that my mother’s family house is just next door to Olumo rock. From my grandmother’s room, I could almost touch Olumo rock that I had climbed as a tourist in 1994. I was moved to tears. I mean, I came as a tourist to my parents’ homeland.

But I remain worried about my present Nigerian status. Lagos is still the only place that I know. In fact, I can get lost once I go outside Festac Town. My conscious and unconscious trips to Ogun State are definitely less than 10 occasions-of which I remember 4. I almost did my youth service in Lagos but I was contented with knowing Ibadan for those 10-12 months.

During my service year I was always back to Festac at least once a month. While I studied at UNILAG, I went back home every weekend. I could fall sick if I missed any of those Saturday or Sunday football games on our stony field. It was almost criminal to even miss the church service before the Sunday games.

I am afraid that I actually don’t have any (political) constituency in Nigeria. Lagosians will be quick to tell me that my name is Ogunish and tell me that I look like one Aderounmu or Majekodunmi, that my family houses are in Abeokuta and Igbogila-and where is Igbogila for goodness sake? Ogun State will not forget to tell me that I don’t know my way around the state. I don’t even know the size and economic strength of the State. But I can read those in the books. I’m good at that. In both situations, the segregation and discrimination in our society will be exposed and exploited.

Nigeria is a society that is seriously segregated and divided. We go abroad and complain of racism but we are more racist to one another in Nigeria than the Americans or Europeans are towards us. My father must have had one Nigerian in mind when he decided to tell us that we (his children) are Lagosians. We were all born in Lagos. We went to school in Lagos and had very little contact or connections with Abeokuta.

Even my grandfather made Igbogila his home, owning houses and farmlands. My father did not even bother to inherit any of those materials. He wasn’t bothered with parental possessions/inheritance. So who inherited my grandfather’s landed property? My father’s mother was based in Agege for all the years that I knew her. There were no Ileya Festivals without a traditional visit to Iya Eleja. She would have sponsored the Aso Ebi well in advance. Oh my God, how we dressed in uniforms-children, grandchildren and great grandchildren!

My mother’s mother was called Mama Onifade because she settled and lived on Onifade Street after she returned from her several years of business sojourn to Ghana. She went back to Abeokuta towards the end of her life. As a Medilag student/employee, I was excited to rediscover Onifade Street near the second gate exit of LUTH. It was nostalgic when my mother told me that was where we went visiting Mama Onifade.

Here I am paying huge taxes in Stockholm and contributing to the development of Sweden and not even certain of where exactly I belong in Nigeria. I know my way around Europe but I can easily be declared missing if I take a trip within Nigeria. Where is my constituency in the federal character system? Have I become a stateless Nigerian? I think so. But I would rather serve on merit than on federal character-a subtle licence that has destroyed the foundations and efficiency of the nation. I would love to be taken for what I am and the principles that I radiate rather than where I come from. I long for home but please give me a state or even a constituency first!

Thy Glory O’ Nigeria…!

More and more nigerians are finding themselves in this situation.

and it is crazy

I have always advocated for state of birth or logetivity.

this is so true. We all should claim where we lived in Nigeria, cause without that i have no clue.

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Did I hear someone sound like General Ironsi? He advocated reducing the emphasis on state of origin, tribe, and even regions as we knew them. Everybody knows what happened to him.
It's ok to bring up true national issues 40-50 years late, but please don't sound as if you've just invented the wheel---- we came here by car!

av always wondered the relevance of state of origin in Nigeria . . . no benefits . . . just keeps us more and more divided.

i find it hard responding when asked, "what state are you from?" why the hell does it have to matter. im nigerian darn it.

maybe i should tell u my itinery tooo - my dad from is from kogi state, my mum ekiti, was born in ile-ife, had my primary education in Osogbo, my secondary education in Lagos, my undergraduate in Minna (during which i hardly go south), my service in Katsina, my first emploment in Lagos, b4 finally leaving the country for UK for my Masters and my PhD in Germany. I have visited kogi state 3 times in my entire lifetime - i dont even speak their language. I claim Kogi state coz my dad got the state of origin certificate for me, but, i know this wont be easy when he dies. I'm married to a aldy from Oyo State- dont have any kid now, and I am wondering whcih state my kids will claim in case they want to relocate and settle in nigeria-


This issue of citizenship must be revisited in nigerian constitution

asha 80:
[size=14pt]Nigeria is a society that is seriously segregated and divided. We go abroad and complain of racism but we are more racist to one another in Nigeria than the Americans or Europeans are towards us.[/size]

Nigeria!

A failed state?

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PeeDaVinci:
This issue of citizenship must be revisited in nigerian constitution

Re visited and implemented.
It's implementation will sure give many people an identity to cling to. . .

tpia:
what's this state of origin certificate?

I've never heard of it.

I dont think it is a state of origin certificate, its is more like a Local Government Certificate. At least i understand this from my own state perspective, each LGA can give you a certificate stating that you are from a particular LGA. Of course with that, you are a bonafide member of whatever state that LGA is located in.

I dare say that the state of origin thing was designed to pull Ndigbo back, seeing that they are everywhere in Nigeria and could one day vie for the position of Sokoto or Lagos state governor. So now those who seek to pull others down are themselves, being pulled down.

tpia:
what's this state of origin certificate?

I've never heard of it.

Epiphany:
I dont think it is a state of origin certificate, its is more like a Local Government Certificate. At least i understand this from my own state perspective, each LGA can give you a certificate stating that you are from a particular LGA. Of course with that, you are a bonafide member of whatever state that LGA is located in.

Sorry, i forgot to state that i speak from my DELTA STATE EXPERIENCE. i dont know if it is the same in other states

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Afaukwu:
I dare say that the state of origin thing was designed to pull Ndigbo back, seeing that they are everywhere in Nigeria and could one day vie for the position of Sokoto or Lagos state governor. So now those who seek to pull others down are themselves, being pulled down.

Plausible argument!

The government encourages the use of "state of origin", however, during the census they expressly forbid it's use. Why?

Your argument is tenable on the basis of the fact that Igbos are arguably the most traveled and widely settled in Nigeria. Pushing a policy of "State of Residency" instead of the backward "State of Origin" will make those who gain from the current "divide and rule" system to panic. They will do anything to prevent this because their only strength is based on utilizing the ethnocentrism of the vast population of illiterate Nigerians.

A rubbish system that has no use will die a natural death as more Nigerians become enlightened and the scales of bigotry falls off our eyes and thrown away forever.

Nigerians should be able to claim a hometown based on where they have settled status and not where their ancestors settled. Maybe the only snag would be if they would still be eligible to claim their ancestral homes as theirs much later.

Let the culture of one's ancestry be used to determine our heritage. There is no way a "Mr Okon" would be able to win the gubernatorial elections in Sokoto State, no matter how long he's resided there, because his ancestors were not from that state.

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Afaukwu:
I dare say that the state of origin thing was designed to pull Ndigbo back, seeing that they are everywhere in Nigeria and could one day vie for the position of Sokoto or Lagos state governor. So now those who seek to pull others down are themselves, being pulled down.

My point exactly!
Why should some people just wake up addressing an issue that had been attempted more than 40 years ago without giving credit to those that had the foresight and perspective to envision what they're currently suffering. Some people lost elections, their properties and lives just trying to tell Nigerians to solve this same issue many years ago. Can we at least begin these discussion with reference and review of their heroic ideas. Ideas that were falsely labelled and maligned as Igbo has turned out to be real and factual Nigerian problems.

Ndipe:
Let the culture of one's ancestry be used to determine our heritage. There is no way a "Mr Okon" would be able to win the gubernatorial elections in Sokoto State, no matter how long he's resided there, because his ancestors were not from that state.

It would happen when Nigeria becomes a truely civilized democracy, where the best Nigeria is voted for regardless of the type of last name he/she bears.

Many people in nigeria in this kind of situation would have their political career(if they are interested) almost quashed even before it takes off.

asha 80:
Many people in nigeria in this kind of situation would have their political career(if they are interested) almost quashed even before it takes off.

na lie jo.

@Tpia

Explain why it is a lie?

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Afaukwu:
I dare say that the state of origin thing was designed to pull Ndigbo back, seeing that they are everywhere in Nigeria and could one day vie for the position of Sokoto or Lagos state governor. So now those who seek to pull others down are themselves, being pulled down.

REAL TALK. That is why I advocate that Umu Igbo and the Easterners should invest heavy in their states or whatever states they like n da East. By the end of the day you will be reminded that u no be Yoruba talkless of a Lagosian when u dare try to run for an office even though u have contributed more than the other Yoruba candidates.

@Tpia

What is the differensc btw this

because internal immigration is rampant in Nigeria.

Most people in such situations, even if they wanted to run for political office, as long as they're not fully integrated into the society they want to be a part of, is it right to blame the host communities.

And in most of such instances, the area of origin wont support any candidate who they feel will not place the interests of the ancestral region above the interests of the state/locality where the person is settled. So its a no win situation with prospective candidates caught in the middle.

The only times when non-indigenes have been governors of states they're not related to, have mainly been under military regimes. So, unfortunately, it seems the military is the only institution trying to look at these things from a different angle.

And what i said earlier which is this

Many people in nigeria in this kind of situation would have their political career(if they are interested) almost quashed even before it takes off.

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see as tpia take spoil this thread. lol

RichyBlacK:
Nigeria!

A failed state?

Yes. Nigeria is a failed state.