Before Our Beloeved Country Deteriorates

Paul Akan Obi

Once again, the occasional muscle flexing between the Federal Government and Lagos State over the 37 local government development areas has brought to the front burner the sustainability of our quasi-federalism as well as erect a signpost of a collapsing structure. In fact, analysts and legal luminaries have even jumped into semantics in order to decipher the meaning of the contentious words and phrases like “shall”, “ratification”, “inchoate” and “consequent” found in the 1999 constitution; words that have also become a lacuna to the constitution both in its interpretation and implementation.
Beyond the nerves raised by their Excellencies on this issue, it also depicts the impending consequences that have been hanging in the balance based on the voodoo constitution, with a cooked-up intro of “we the people” – a constitution whose drafters have continuously refused to own it up because of its poor nature. Whether we accept it or not, the 1999 constitution remains an albatross to the smooth operation of true federalism. And until we amend the lapses therein, no preachment will do magic in terms of taking Nigeria from a state of nadir and wanton failure she has found herself.
Still, spending time to argue, both as proponents or opponents of the actions of Lagos State government on the creation of the new local councils is a waste of ink and energy. Because, that constitution is nothing more than a pot of confusion-it contradicts and confuses itself here and there with reckless abandon. You will recall that Cross River State has been rendered bankrupt by a fictitious interpretation of our constitution amid slow pace of presidential intervention. So, the solution is not about throwing misiles, but sorting out the way to save Nigeria before she self-destructs.
When you x-ray the various provisions of the 1999 constitution, it becomes glaring that there is and was a desperate move to stagnate the country. These days, it has become increasingly worrisome when you see elders argue and take stands in the area of Nigeria’s existence and constitutionalism, which runs contrary to a Boki proverb that says “an elder does not seat in a place while palm nut burns in the fire”.
Going down memory lane since the advent of democracy in 1999, there is hardly any action that has been taken by any tier of government that has not been challenged in the Law Court. From the introduction of Sharia, resource control, joint states’ accounts, decamping, political parties’ primaries to the metamorphosed local government palaver; these are signs of a nation adrift. The captains of the Nigerian ship appears to be doing more harm than rescuing the nation. With the antics of the political class, there is no light yet at the end of the tunnel to suggest that we are prepared for serious business of governance.
Whether it is Boko Haram, Niger Delta militants, OPC, Halliburton (now buried), a mountainous pile of election cases, ASUU strike where government often backslides from agreement signed or an Obama’s refusal to visit Nigeria, it is deeply rooted in our law books. Vividly, our constitution lacks order. And since “order is heaven’s first”, it (order) will continue to elude us until something urgent and drastic is done. Otherwise, we will keep moving from post to post enwrapped with conflicts and limitations. Notwithstanding the innuendos of rule of law, without a resolute mind disposes to positive changes, specifically constitutional amendment, this country will be doomed to perpetual retardation.
Yet, the gory story about the contemporary post-democratic Nigeria lies in the organised and well orchestrated lukewarm attitude and laxity towards the reform of the polity on the part of the executive and legislature. What is obvious is that these tactics cannot be isolated from the deliberate intention of both the occupants of the Presidency and National Assembly. While they double-speak, sugar-coat the sordid deeds of the ruling class and rebrand the unrebrandable, time is ticking out, with a crippling danger. As much as they would keep dancing to the muddy tunes of poet-sycophants, who are likely to paint white black for the sake of penny, a sane voice is calling for their repentance, to address Nigeria’s problems squarely, urgently and with sincerity of purpose.
Obi wrote in from Abuja