Between Constitutional Review And Nationhood

“Tonight, more than 200 years after a former colony won the right to determine its own destiny, the task of perfecting our union moves forward.

It moves forward because of you. It moves forward because you reaffirmed the spirit that has triumphed over war and depression, the spirit that has lifted this country from the depths of despair to the great heights of hope, the belief that while each of us will pursue our own individual dreams, we are an American family and we rise or fall together as one nation and as one people”.

This excerpt from President Barack Obama’s re-election speech last Tuesday night aptly captures the aura that surrounded proceedings in last weekend’s Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency Peoples’ Public Session on the Review of the 1999 Constitution.

Last Saturday, Nigerians, no doubt, got the opportunity they had long craved for. Divided into the 360 Federal Constituencies, they came together in their clusters to be able to contribute to the constitution that binds the country together, to be in a position to attempt to right the numerous perceived wrongs warranted by what many a Nigerian term as ill-written constitution.

It was the first time in the life of the 52 years old country, with ten Constitutional reviews, that the people have been given this opportunity, and none, going by what transpired in the Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency, was ready to let the opportunity slip by.

In the task of moving the country forward, all the participants showed eagerness to correct those areas of the constitution considered to be the cloak under which various ills are executed in the body polity of Nigeria.

In all 43 items of the tentative template provided as guide for voting on key issues by the House of Representatives, participants at the Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency exhibited such unbridled candour that is reminiscent of the American spirit.

All 170 participants, including those representing key segments of the country and volunteers in the constituency, exhibited such maturity that left no one in doubt that Nigerians are ready to determine their own destiny and move forward as a nation.

Going by what transpired at the Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency, all 360 constituencies have their mindset on what they want in the constitution, and what to expect given the exigencies of the moment, based on the interests of their peculiar constituency.

Currently, though, the determination to move forward at the end of last Saturday’s proceedings is just at the level of the 360 Federal Constituencies. The real determination to work and reason as a nation, however, is in terms of merging all the determinations of the various constituencies into one indivisible work plan accepted by all segments of the country.

This, in fact, is where the true determination of Nigerians to coexist as a nation will be tested most. Areas likely to cause disagreement among the constituencies and States may include state creation, indigenship, zoning of the Presidency, immunity for the President and Governors, State Police, true federalism and revenue allocation.

The reason is that in all of such matters, each State has special interests that would be difficult to compromise. One way or another, each State or geo-political zone feels either sidelined or victimized in at least one of these issues.  They are therefore likely to seek redress by way of compensation in agreement to their stand to be recognized in the constitution.

This is where another of Obama’s post-election speech comes to bear. Realizing the enormity of the divergent group and personal interests in politics generally, he said, “I know that political campaigns can sometimes seem small, even silly. And that provides plenty of fodder for the cynics that tell us that politics is nothing more than a contest of egos or the domain of special interests”.

He explained that beyond this stance, a knowledge and understanding of what politics should be and how it should be viewed can only be appreciated in the context of peoples’ willingness to make certain commitments.

“You’ll hear the determination in the voice of a young field organizer who’s working his way through college and wants to make sure every child has that same opportunity. You’ll hear the pride in the voice of a volunteer who’s going door to door because her brother was finally hired when the local auto plant added another shift.

“You’ll hear the deep patriotism in the voice of a military spouse who’s working the phones late at night to make sure that no one who fights for this country ever have to fight for a job or a roof over their head when they come home.

“That’s why we do this. That’s what politics can be. That’s why elections matter. It’s not small, it’s big. It’s important. Democracy in a nation of 300 million can be noisy and messy and complicated.

“We have our own opinions. Each of us has deeply held beliefs. And when we go through tough times, when we make big decisions as a country, it necessarily stirs passions, stirs up controversy”, Obama said.

Nigeria may not be a country of 300 million people, but going by the rate of the country’s increasing population, it might not be too far before it attains that status. However, what the country currently lacks in population, comparatively, it makes up in multi-lingual and ethnic dichotomy. These twin phenomena have been the remote causes of most disagreements in post-colonial Nigeria.

For the final stretch of the constitution review to record the same success as it did at the constituencies, therefore, the interests of Nigerians as a people with peculiar geographical needs and problems must be foremost in the hearts of those we have elected to represent us. No matter the fora they find themselves.

As Obama puts it, “but despite all our differences, most of us share certain hopes for America’s future: We want our kids to grow up in a country where they have access to the best schools and the best teachers; A country that lives up to its legacy as the global leader in technology and discovery and innovation, with all the good jobs and new businesses that follow.

“We want our children to live in an America that isn’t burdened by debt, that isn’t weakened by inequality, that isn’t threatened by the destructive power of a warming planet. We want to pass on a country that’s safe and respected and admired around the world, a nation that is defended by the strongest military on earth and the best troops this world has ever known.

“But also a country that moves with confidence beyond this time of war, to shape a peace that is built on the promise of freedom and dignity for every human being.

“We believe in a generous America, in a compassionate America, in a tolerant America, open to the dreams of an immigrant’s daughter who studies in our schools and pledges to our flag. To the young boy on the south side of Chicago who sees a life beyond the nearest street corner. To the furniture worker’s child in North Carolina who wants to become a doctor or a scientist, an engineer or an entrepreneur, a diplomat or even a president — that’s the future we hope for. That’s the vision we share. That’s where we need to go — forward. That’s where we need to go”.

Even in his conviction, Obama acknowledges that “Now, we will disagree, sometimes fiercely, about how to get there. As it has for more than two centuries, progress will come in fits and starts. It’s not always a straight line. It’s not always a smooth path.

“By itself, the recognition that we have common hopes and dreams won’t end all the gridlock or solve all our problems or substitute for the painstaking work of building consensus and making the difficult compromises needed to move this country forward. But that common bond is where we must begin”.

One point to begin is to set eyes on developing our homes, streets, communities and States both as individuals and as a government so that we will always feel comfortable in them any day. We need to develop an innate love for our roots to genuinely be able to claim love for other parts of the country.

If for nothing else, to encourage others to also feel free to visit or reside in them, just as we seek to improve other areas to our comfort. Every State in Nigeria has what it takes to develop and attract people to it. It’s the determination to do it that’s lacking.

In Obama’s words, what makes America exceptional are the bonds that hold them together as the most diverse nation on earth: “The belief that our destiny is shared, that this country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another, and to future generations.

“The freedom which so many Americans have fought for and died for comes with responsibilities as well as rights. And among those are love and charity and duty and patriotism. That’s what makes America great”, according to Obama.

We can develop the same mindset. If we begin it from this point, we know in our hearts that the best is yet to come.