Nigeria can’t fare better without restructuring — Nkanga, PANDEF chairman

Former Military Administrator of Akwa Ibom State, Otuekong Idongesit Nkanga, is the current chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF). In this interview by INIOBONG EKPONTA, the retired Air Commodore x-rays Nigeria at 60, identifying the factors holding it down while recommending the way forward.

How would you describe Nigeria’s journey as an independent nation?

To be very honest, Nigeria is a disappointment. Thus, we have to blame ourselves. There is no way a 60-year-old person could be graded a toddler. Those that entered civil service the time Nigeria got independence by now must have retired. Why it is a disappointment is because we are not an island. In the whole black race, Nigeria is the biggest concentration of black people, yet it is the black race that has failed. We have the human resources, natural resources that God has endowed us with; we need good leadership; we need it to galvanise our people and that is where we failed. If we had had that, perhaps we would have been better off today.

If we consider certain things like religion and ethnicity, we will not move forward. I expected that in certain things, we would have moved higher up by now but we’ve not; that’s where we should start from. God has been kind to have given us the natural resources which we’ve been using; otherwise it would have been terrible for us. That same God that gave us this country will give us a nation and open our eyes to see beyond ethnic and religious lines even though we are different. There are areas that we can work together.

Look at the constitution; some people said the constitution was written by the military. That is not true because the military would have brought people who knew how to write. But even at that why do we find it difficult to amend it all these years to make it come out better? This country is largely divided between Christians and Moslems. This is our predicament which we must come out boldly to resolve; it’s either we learn to live together as brothers and sisters or we perish together as fools.

Some eminent Nigerians believe that Nigeria is more divided under this administration. Do you believe this?

I support it totally; let us stop living in denial. During the civil war, it was clear that the only area that was different at that time was eastern Nigeria. We saw crisis in the eastern part against the North; every other part of Nigeria was trying to bring the country together. Today, there is no part of the country that does not have crisis: Boko Haram, herdsmen attack, among others. There are crises, not because you want them but because there are controversies.

Immediately after the war, the Igbo travelled back to the North but today to even go from Abuja to Kaduna, one would be afraid. So as for me, this country has never been more divided than it is now. Those that are in charge have failed to bring people together. The crises we have at the moment are worse than before. The security agencies are even loyal to this administration; they are used in protecting the regime. In the last five or six years, have you heard anything about coup plot? It is because the security forces are busy trying to keep the regime.

What is the way forward; will separation solve the problem?

The amalgamation was in 1914 and independence in 1960. A person married for 60 years and the other over 100 years and seeking divorce, there must be something wrong. If we have stayed that long, whatever the differences can be addressed. Everybody has sentiments. If a person is unhappy, you find out why. We have had too many conferences on how Nigeria can move forward. But when it comes to implementation, we just throw them away. Is that how it should be? If we are ready to listen to ourselves, ready to give people equal opportunities, we will make progress. But when you don’t, and you see the other as a second class citizen, it won’t work. Whatever you are trying to do will result in futility. It may have worked in my time but it can’t work in the time of my children. The way forward is for everyone to be given equal opportunities to achieve their God-given purpose.

What really are those things to be done for restructuring to sail through?

Everybody has a role to play in restructuring, not just the powers that be. When those who are supposed to talk are silent, it’s better for you to die physically than for your children to die psychologically. The shame is not on the oppressed but on the oppressor because of the inhuman treatment meted on their fellow countrymen. If we love this country, I don’t see any reason we should not be ready to give and take, be ready to allow everybody participate and move forward; that is how the outside community will even respect us. All we are saying is restructure for better productivity; other countries have restructured. Even Europe has restructured; these European unions that were separate entities. The unity of this country is non-negotiable. The electoral bill that ought to have been signed before the 2019 elections was not signed, and if nothing is done that means they are planning to use the old method which gives room for rigging.

What is the restructuring all about because mere mention of it evokes fear of division among a section of the political class?

Restructuring from the point of view of PANDF is divided into three pillars.

Fiscal federalism which is what our founding fathers agreed that 50 per cent of whatever that is accruable in your area should be used for the development of that area (this method has been used before in the First Republic). They knew that most of the things that bring development to you also bring some pains. Look at oil and what people are going through because of oil exploration; look at the devastation in Ogoni; look at tanning in Ibeno, Eastern Obollo from gas flaring. At least part of the 50 per cent would have been used to develop the area.

Then 30 per cent sent to the distributable pool while 20 per cent will be for the development of the federal capital. It is through this fiscal federalism that Awolowo was able to do so many things in the South West: free education, built the first television station in West Africa.

We have about 65 items in the exclusive list of the Federal Government. What we are saying is that those items can be brought down; the central government can keep security, foreign affairs, and monetary policies. The remaining ones should be given to states and local governments. Look at the roads; the worst roads in the country are the federal roads and some states are even rehabilitating the federal roads. Look at the police; everybody is crying about insecurity. In other climes, you have federal, state and local government police. There is even the university police; they are complementary.

The third pillar is geographical restructuring. If the Federal Government can implement the two earlier mentioned, Nigeria will be a better country.

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