The coordinator of, the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), Dr Chido Onumah has said the forthcoming 2023 general elections have once again given Nigerians the opportunity to redefine a new vision of nationhood, citizenship, concrete options for our federation and nation-building.
Dr Onumah, who stated this in Abuja at a pre-election conference on ‘Democracy, Federalism and the 2023 election said the need to reconcile nation-building to the realities of geo-ethnic diversities of the country created by the British colonialist informed the option of federalism.
AFRICMIL is a non-governmental organization whose vision is to promote media and information literacy as a key component in the enhancement of democracy, good governance and the promotion of accountability and orderly society.
He further said building a nation includes; resource control, protecting the citizenship and residency rights of all people wherever they select to call home while identifying possibilities for advancing a national vision through group or collective engagement with the mainstream political parties ahead of the general elections.
The AFRICMIL coordinator maintained that prolonged years of military rule resulted in the recreation of the federal system at a critical period of the country’s constitutional and political history including a brutal civil war.
According to Onumah “although some form of federation seems to be surviving in Nigeria, there continues to be an intense debate on the nature, structure and future of the Nigerian federation. In the past, the demand for ‘true federalism’ emanated from ethnic nationalities including ethnic minorities who demanded for a Sovereign National Conference.
“This demand met with fierce opposition from controllers of state power at the centre and the hegemonic elite of ethnic nationalities whose fortunes are favoured by the skewed federalism that exists in Nigeria”.
He added that the recent increase in the call for a review of Nigeria’s federal system brings to the fore thought-provoking questions like, what is the problem with federalism and what ought to be done about it? what should be the federating entities in Nigeria? regions, states, zones or nationalities? What are the salient and historically deep-seated characteristics of the country’s political economy?
Keynote speaker at the conference, Dr Sam Amadi, said over the years, the focus of politics in Nigeria was made to be about acquisition for self and for group and not for national development. This he said calls for change to people-centred governance.
Amadi, who is the Director, of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts noted that, since 1960, the system has not really carried Nigerians along in terms of having a say in governance.
“The problem is that we have not developed a politics that is nationalistic or focused on the country as one entity so people in power see power as a way to win economic power for selfish or group interest.
“It is important for Nigerians to develop courage and think of ways to do things differently to tackle the root cause of the national problem and develop the political will to proffer lasting solutions.
“This can be through political organisations deepening engagement on tackling issues as we are seeing in this electoral process. People need to always ask the right questions, take courage, organise and put in authority persons who think as they do”, he added.
