Nigeria needs a bloodless revolution, says Maitama Sule
Yusuf Maitama-Sule
For Nigeria to move forward and take her leadership role in Africa, there is the need for a revolution without bloodshed, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Sule, the Dan Masani Kano has said.
Sule stated this in Gombe yesterday in a keynote address titled: “Restructuring Nigeria: Implications for National Unity and Integration,” which was delivered at a seminar organised as part of activities marking the 20th anniversary of the creation of the state.
While decrying the country’s inability to positively harness its abundant natural resources, the elder statesman charged the youth to initiate a bloodless revolution that would bring lasting change in the country.
“We have problems in this country today but we shall overcome. The youth are the panacea to our ills, the solution to our problems, vehicle of change and vanguard of the revolution. I am not calling for a bloody revolution; I am calling for a bloodless revolution, reorientation, change of mind. And we can do it.
“We can have a revolution like that of Mao Tse Tung who killed so many millions, but he succeeded. We can have yet another type of revolution, that of Mahatma Ghandi who did a non-violent revolution and he was able to succeed. Let’s do that of Mahatma Ghandi, we will make it,” he said.
On the call for restructuring the country, the elder statesman expressed reservation on the agitation to tamper with the structure of the country.
“People have been calling for the restructuring of the country, allow the country to go its way. I don’t pray for that, I don’t believe in that. It is not for nothing that God has put us together, different tribes, cultures and different climatic conditions. We all need God together, He has a purpose for us,” he said.
He dismissed claims that differences in religion was behind the crises being experienced in the country, stressing that proponents of such theories “either do not understand the teachings of their religion or we deliberately refused to practice what we have been taught.”
He quoted copiously from both the Bible and Qur’an to show that the two predominant religions in the country have the same goal, to love one another in the worship God, “the mode of worship may differ but the objective is the same.”
“God wants Nigerians to unite, to understand one another because of the role they are to play in Africa, Nigeria is to play the role of leadership in Africa, to inspire blacks all over the world. Unless we enjoy peace at home, unless we love and respect one another, we shall lead nobody,” the former envoy said.
Sule hailed the attributes of the country’s founding fathers, who he said became leaders only to serve and not to be served, recalling that but for the failure of leadership, Nigeria would have progressed like India and Brazil.
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I have always admired Alhaji Maitama Sule for his wisdom.and unity for Nigeria. He has been Nigeria’ Ambassador to the United Nations in New York. Malam Aminu Kano also had the same philosophy. Yes, no matter our differences in religion, Muslims and Christians can live happily together.
When we properly master our course codes in this open university of hard learning that is life
Sule said some things good but it is hardly to have bloodless revolution even Ghandi lost some blood before he could succeed in his aim. some of his follower were murdered by government and persecuted to death. the problem in Nigeria is not ethnics or cultures but religions. it is due to religion that brothers and sisters from the same mother and father will kill each other. we kill each other because of God that wants love. this means that we do not understand our religion. Hungry men and women can’t do bloodless revolution. Confederation can be the saviour of Nigeria. the FG should act as a coordinator of states. each state should decide and provide for themselves and stop the so called quota system, the best should take the post mostly for vital positions. another thing is that Nigeria should act as a secular state.
If Sule does not understand “restructure” may be he will understand “reverting” back to the old order, when regional governments enjoyed 50% resources control and when regional governments enjoyed relative autonomy under the Federal system that we practiced. When Northern elements takes by force 90% oil blocks from the former Eastern Nigeria, and when the current President has 95% of his cabinet from the North, DO YOU CALL THAT A UNITED NIGERIA? IT IS CALLED SUBJUGATION AND EXPLOITATION OF OTHERS, AND THAT IS THE NEW WAR WE ARE CURRENTLY FIGHTING AND WILL KEEP FIGHTING UNTIL BIAFRA IS ACHIEVED.
nigeria needs a direct action revolution where corrupt politicians should be wiped out overnight.
But lets first wipe out our cynicism,our idiosyncracies,,our hates and hatreds,our impunities,our presumptions,,our ethnicisms,our diabolism,our pretensions to spirituality , our licentious demagogery. Then there will be nothing bad left to wipe out! Then you achieved real revolution,which includes the mental revolution without violence if it so transpires!!
It can happen with thoughtful mind, BUT the big problems ,Nigerian dont TRUST EACH OTHER to get things done, Its very difficult from an outsider to see any changes without Bloodshed ? My opinion is Nigeria should start all over again, by sharing things equally also respect each other opinion , Its has been one side rules for years for Civilian and Military and Religion , why ? you will have Problems , Nigerian.s is not United State of Nigeria as yet, The Country staying together with a gun on their head ok, North , East or West, have complex issue , they are not the same people with different thinking ,They should start to look for ways to correct their mistakes , Their Politician make things worse as well, Who want to sit on the table with good idea should be welcome, , too much big English would not help Nigerian , You cant mix Religion Sharia Laws with the Constitution in some part of the Country with different Laws to judge people , allot of things is wrong , I wish the Country Well,
Possible if everyone lit a candle of vicarious attitudinal transformation. It would generate such a tremendous luminosity like a star of first magnitude in any nebulosity
Words of Wisdom, hopefully one day
i understand your passion for a better Nigeria, but to disappoint you Nigeria is a failed country that isn’t working and will never work. We are very tolerable to suffering and unproductivity that is why we are just existing together. one thing I ask people who scream one Nigeria is for them to define what one Nigeria means and they cant. Truth is bitter but we cant continue running from the truth.
Revolution starts with honesty and conviction. A hypocrite like Yusuf Maitama-Sule cannot preach revolution. The only sensible revolution Nigeria needs is complete BREAK-UPS that will lead to INDEPENDENT NATIONS-That is the only Revolution that will make sense in our deplorable state of affairs. Break this RUBBISH-UP
Sule Lamido is an elder statesman, he was there Pre independence, he saw it when it a regional system, he had a good feel of the oppression and killing that caused the civil war. Today he is a fake prophet of revolutionary theory, right he does not know what restructuring means because it doesn’t favour his kith and kin. Please let’s inform him that we want states to control 50% of their resources to run their government. Image states like kano and jigawa having L.G.A.s more that four states in the south with huge resources allocated to them. The other day Tambuwal told the world that a local government in his state does not have secondary sch. He refused to tell us the reason. But investigations has reveal the L.G.A is a desert area with a population of less than 2000 inhabitants.
Fellow Nigerians, I sympathise with Elder Statesman Alh.Maitama-Sule.The contraption Nigeria nd the amalgamation of North nd South in 1914 is just a deceit.To claim that Nigeria is one is another false hood. The ethnic groups in the country do not have one culture,language,tradition, custom,religion nd even identity.We differ in whatever ramification you can think of.If we must stay together True Federalism is the answer where each federating state will be allowed to explore nd exploit whatever mineral resources God blessed it with nd only contribute to the center a percentage that will be agreed by law.God is not mistaken by depositing whatever mineral resource in a particular region. He the creator has known their soil texture hence the type of mineral resource to enable that region make its developmentmental strides.By this arrangement there will be stability,peace nd progress.Revolution is a far cry.There is no revolution that is bloodless. Every revolution must go with a cost no matter how small.To fight corruption:The center must be made less attractive. Law making must be part time.Fellow Nigerians TRUE FEDERALISM is the PANACEA we need to
calm frayed nerves nd have one indivisible Nigeria.Outside this we are just deceiving ourselves, sine die.Engr.Atuegwu Emeka (KSP)
i agree with you 100%, the government knows this truths but they hide it from us. Some even try to make access to internet info and social media more difficult cos they dont want us informed. Nigeria as it is cant work out
We will review and take appropriate action.