Nigerians still divided over National Conference

“We don’t need a national conference to solve our problems. Nigeria’s problem is lack of true federalism, corruption and bad leadership. True federalism has a key role to play because the six geo-political zones have all it takes to boost our GDP” were the words of Onyekwelu Egenti, a public commentator who along with other Nigerians are still yet to understand the import of the proposed National Conference set to be convened by President Goodluck Jonathan soon.

On Oct. 1 2013, President Jonathan had through his Independence Day broadcast announced the setting up of an Advisory Committee to establish modalities for a National Conference. According to the President, the conference will aim at resolving issues that are currently generating tension and causing friction among Nigerians. The President in that broadcast, urged Nigerians to remain fully committed to building a strong, united, progressive and prosperous nation in spite of present challenges.

But months after that announcement, many Nigerians still don’t seem to believe that the National Conference is the balm needed to soothe a “battered and bruised” nation, whose existence has been threatened by frequent incidences of terrorism, kidnap, acts of corruption and impunity.

Mr Egenti while bringing to fore most of the problems facing the nation at present said, “Nigeria’s problem won’t be fixed until the minority cabals that are ‘jangroving’ with our wealth will have a rethink. Until then, for now the mission seems impossible or it’s a mirage. As I said earlier, the sovereign national conference is of no measurable importance because we already know our problem and the solution to it. What’s remaining is when that true federalism, patriotism, zero corruption and good leadership will come to play”.

Some other people who spoke to Daily Trust said it is only when there is respect for the rule of law that the country can make any meaningful progress. According to Francis Obi “National conference or no national conference where there is no respect for rule of law and order nothing will work.  As far as I am concerned, the amalgamation of northern and southern Nigeria has expired” he said.

But it is all not the same tale. Some other people even though seem indifferent to the whole National Conference issue, still believes there are a few lessons the country can learn from such an event.

Awal Samuel is a business consultant and he sees it is a welcome development. “There is every need for us to sit and discuss our future. But the main question is will Nigerians successfully implement the resolutions from this proposed conference? So we must keep our eyes open and not resist making changes when necessary to move forward. Now is the time to support the call for a true national conference”, he agreed.

 

History of Conferences

 

Persuaded that the country needed fresh ideas in charting the way forward for a more united and prosperous nation, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in 2005, set up the National Political Reform Conference (NPRC).

While the conference was going on, an Abuja-based analyst, Olatunde Afuwape, observed that a curious development occurred in the country. “U.S. intelligent report on Nigeria was released. The report diagnosed Nigeria as a terminally ill patient with 10 years life expectancy… It instilled in them (delegates to the conference) an exaggerated importance of their mandates,” he said.

With the report of the U.S. still hanging in the air, the delegates saw the conference as probably the last chance to extract the best for their ethnic groups. The discussion was robust, often marred by shouting, boycotts and walk-outs. Despite the huge resources government committed to the project and the expectation by Nigerians that something good could come out of the exercise, the report of the conference was ignored by the government.

The convener and the participants at that time adjudged the conference the most successful in the history of the country. Whether the assertion is right or wrong is still debatable.

The country also held constitutional conferences in 1976, 1978, 1988, 1994/1995 and 2005. In each of these conferences, there had been voluminous reports on what the problem with Nigeria is. But most of these reports have not been acted upon.

Shortly after the announcement by the president last October, former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu had lampooned the president on the proposed national conference. He questioned the sincerity and ability of the present regime to conduct the conference. Tinubu said though he remains an unrepentant supporter of a genuinely Sovereign National Conference but he is suspicious of this present concoction because it is half- baked and fully deceptive. According to the APC strongman, “Government’s sincerity is questionable, the timing is also suspect. Now that this government is sinking in a pool of political and economic hot water of its own making, it seizes hold of the national conference idea as if it were a life jacket”.

It is therefore only a matter of time, for the real intentions of the conference to come to fruition, and Nigerians would be able to judge if the proposed conference was one such conference different from the many others before it.