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Published 11 December 2020
Nigerian politicians advocate federalism but by their action they consolidate the existing unitary arrangement. This pattern seen among state governors applies at the federal level as well, and lawmakers sent to Abuja fast-track the process. It’s there in how each lawmaker strives to get the Federal Government to shoulder more burdens. The news these days is always that lawmakers sponsor bills to get the FG to establish tertiary institutions in their areas, thereby giving Abuja more responsibility.
It’s the same way lawmakers have given their votes to some private organisation that called itself Peace Corps, a busybody that eyes taking over the job of the Nigeria Police. Years ago, lawmakers had empowered another private organisation, the Civil Defence Corps, to share the job of the police and thereby give more responsibility to the FG. Now that a Water Resource Bill arrives the floor, one that could give the FG more responsibilities, the same lawmakers and some ethnic champions are sending insults, blaming ethnic group other than theirs for its introduction. Here, I neither argue for nor against this bill. My point is that those who promote unitarism with their action at the state level as well as through the bills they pass in the National Assembly, cannot turn around to insult tribes other than theirs over a bill that strives to achieve the same goal. Whoever insults any tribe – Fulani, Igbo, Ijaw, Hausa – insults me as a Nigerian. As such those who promote unitarism, and then insult other ethnic groups for promoting unitarism in the shape of Water Resource Bill shouldn’t expect some of us to not point out the absurdity of their narrative. If they think they can demonise an ethnic group and everyone will accept it, rather than pursue their own agenda that promotes the federalism which they advocate, they’ve got it all wrong.