Weak Institutions, Lack Of True Federalism, Nigeria’s Problems – Statesmen

Erudite scholars and elders statesmen from the Niger Delta, Dr. M.T. Akobo and Professor Ben Naanen have blamed Nigeria’s woes on weak institutions and lack of true federalism.
In their separate presentations at the on-going Pan – Niger Delta Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, they also said that the on-going political crisis and Boko Haram insurgency would not lead to Nigeria’s disintegration.
Professor Naanen, who is a professor of History and Diplomatic  Studies at the University of Port Harcourt, described as erroneous assertions in some quarters that Nigeria is a mere geographical expression.
He said that crisis was not peculiar to Nigeria alone as a number of countries have at one time or the other experienced crisis.
The scholar, who was chairman of the defunct provisional council of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni people (MOSOP), predicted that inspite of the political tension in the country, there were forces that could hold the country together.
According to him, it is wrong for people to think that political tension will lead to division of the country, stressing there was hardly any nation that existed in total harmony.
He noted that Nigeria with her diverse ethnic groups and more than 250 languages cannot be expected to co-exist without only disagreements.
In his own view, Dr. M.T. Akebo posited that the conference must focus on things that unite the nation rather than those that divide her.
He said that what was required in the country was strong institutions and true Federalism, while the rights of ethnic minorities must be respected.
The Elder statesman, who described Nigeria’s 1914 amalgamation as an economic proposition of the British Colonialism, said that the forth-coming National Dialogue must address all the imbalances in the polity.