Nigeria’s problems rooted in regionalism adopted at independence — Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that the principle of regionalism, which was adopted at independence and is still being carved today, is the root of Nigeria’s problems.

Rather than thinking about which part of the country a leader comes from or which region should produce the next president, he urged Nigerians to focus on nationalism and on who is best suited for positions of governance.

The former president stated this in Abeokuta, the state capital, when he hosted a group known as the “League of Northern Democrats,” led by the former Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau, at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Obasanjo noted that at independence, Nigeria was among the few African countries with three leaders at the helm of affairs in different regions, rather than one.

“Maybe we have made mistakes in the past; maybe I, too, have made mistakes. But whatever our mistakes were, we must not repeat them. You said I am a believer in the greatness of this country—yes, I am.

“I am also an incurable optimist about this country. I am totally committed to its goodness. But if we look back and are sincere with ourselves, we will see some of the mistakes of the past that we must avoid repeating.

“So, anytime I hear North, West, or East, I feel frightened, and that is my honest opinion. One of the things that brought us to where we are today—and which still lingers—is regionalism.

“At the time of independence, we were probably the only country or one of the few countries in Africa that did not have a single leader. We had three leaders.

“We attained independence by merging three regions into one country, and that has remained part of our problems for a very long time—and it hasn’t left us completely.

“So, when you named your group the Northern League of Democrats, I thought, ‘How I wish it had been the National League of Democrats.’ But I also acknowledge that you have to start somewhere.

“One of the things I often ask myself is, why should I take pride in being a Yoruba man? I could just as well have been born in Sokoto. My birth in Yorubaland wasn’t my choice—it was God’s. I could have been born in Maiduguri, and I would still be a Nigerian.

“I do not believe that where I was born should conflict with my Nigerian identity. Any sensible Nigerian should feel the same way—I am enriched by belonging to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, more than I would be by belonging only to the Republic of Oduduwa.

“I am a Yoruba man, and I am proud of that. But my Nigerian identity should not conflict with my Yoruba identity, nor should my Yoruba identity conflict with my Nigerian identity.”

In his remarks, Shekarau explained that the group is an amalgamation of like-minded individuals from the northern region.

He noted that the group, comprising 400 members, was formed three months ago following extensive consultations and discussions.

According to him, the group aims to influence political decisions and the process of recruiting leaders at all levels in Nigeria.