My reply to the eminent American political scholar.
Eminent American political scholar, Professor Richard Joseph, yesterday wrote off the likelihood of Nigeria’s break up despite the current tension arising from agitation for secession and restructuring by various ethnic groups.
Professor Joseph of the Northwestern University, United States, declared this in a public lecture he gave yesterday at the University Of Lagos Main Auditorium. The talk examined the question: ‘Are Changes In The Federal Structure of Nigeria Required For Better Government?’
Addressing an audience of intellectuals on the occasion, the Professor of International Politics and History said that Nigeria as an entity was too important to Africa and the world to be torn apart. “No. Nigeria won’t break up,” he said.
“Nigeria has gone through and survived tough situations. Again, the country enjoys strong support at the international sphere. The report on the break-up of Nigeria was just a statement made by an agency. It is not factual and does not in any way represent the position of the US. Also Nigeria does not only represent the interest of Africa, but so many nations are looking up to Nigeria,” Joseph noted.
He called on all to eschew sensationalizing the issue of nationhood. “There’s need for calm and reason. We need to stop sensationalism and debating on the pages of newspapers. Rather we need taking the matter into the political forefront for proper deliberation. It is not enough to say ‘we should go to this or that system of government.’ Rather we should go back in history and see how we arrived to the present system we have now, and seek and think on how and where we can improve it,” he stressed.
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My answer to the renowned Professor Joseph. I shall not keep quite professor.
Addressing an audience of intellectuals on the occasion, the Professor of International Politics and History said that Nigeria as an entity was too important to Africa and the world to be torn apart. “No. Nigeria won’t break up,” he said.
Igwe: Prof. Joseph, was not the Soviet Union very important to Europe and the world before she tore apart and disintegrated. Was not European Union important to UK before she exited (was she torn apart). Why is it that when it has to do with Africa and Nigeria that people like you say things with prejudice especially if it going to serve your interests. Prof., Was it not your government that predicted before the exit of the previous administration that Nigeria will break. Are you changing your disposition on this matter?
“Nigeria has gone through and survived tough situations. Again, the country enjoys strong support at the international sphere. The report on the break-up of Nigeria was just a statement made by an agency. It is not factual and does not in any way represent the position of the US. Also Nigeria does not only represent the interest of Africa, but so many nations are looking up to Nigeria,” Joseph noted.
Igwe: Was it not in the interest of the US to have stayed back as British established colony. Why did US separate. Prof. how many of your daughters and sons are in Nigeria or in the said north. No!!, Prof. I will take you serious if you relocated to the north with your family or the international supporters of Nigeria come to live with us in the north.
Igwe: Prof. you said Nigeria has gone through enough and has survived tough situation. You are right but where you here with us going through it. The said suffering you mentioned was it at the expense of who? you, your people or your family? was the international community here with us, suffering it. The US are they here with us. How many of their citizens are here in the north like every other Nigeria making a living. Did they not all relocate and flee from Niger-Delta at the news of kidnappers on the loose. why didn't the international community workers stay back to feel what we felt and are feeling.
You equally said this country has enjoyed strong support at the international sphere. you are right professor but this I want to know, these nations that gave their support for a united Nigeria, how many of their sons and daughter died continually unabated in the hand of the deadly Boko Haram terror group, or the continual ethnic cleanses and attack of the herdsmen or the gloss military intimidation in the east, strong military and police extortion on our roads. How many of the international community whose support we have enjoyed are having their human right violated with impunity every day. Therefore prof., she will still enjoy it like any other nation that had disintegrated. If her support be only if she were in the abusive union may they withdraw their support. It is a support that I and my people do not need.
Prof: The report on the break-up of Nigeria was just a statement made by an agency. It is not factual and does not in any way represent the position of the US.
Igwe: So Prof. Nigerians should wait on the US to determine for them what is factual and what is not. When what you call a statement by an Agency is carried out on a regional scale, their attacks, will you be there to defend the innocent men and women, will US be there. How many of our women and children did they save from the terror group, they described as the most deadly. Did not US fight along side our enemies (the terror group) when they denied us arm purchase and went further to close every other option only because the previous administration did not favor their agenda. How many of the US military personnel are here keeping away terror, and intimidation and molestation by the Nigeria officers.
Igwe: In case you have forgotten Prof. was it not the position of the US in the Nigeria context that predicted the breaking of the Republic on or after the 2015 general election. What other position do the US stands or holds?
Prof: Also Nigeria does not only represent the interest of Africa, but also many nations are looking up to Nigeria,” Joseph noted.
Igwe: Prof., should we all die because many nations are looking up to Nigeria. These nations, are their children dying as us, are they living in ethnic tensions and gross impunity and abuse of power and rule of law?
Prof. I do not know where you get your information but until you and your supporters have felt our plight, you have no right to speak to us about what should or should not be of Nigeria.
Prof.: He called on all to eschew sensationalizing the issue of nationhood. “There’s need for calm and reason. We need to stop sensationalism and debating on the pages of newspapers. Rather we need taking the matter into the political forefront for proper deliberation. It is not enough to say ‘we should go to this or that system of government.’ Rather we should go back in history and see how we arrived to the present system we have now, and seek and think on how and where we can improve it,” he stressed.
Igwe: Prof. , If you were a Nigerian or you knew Nigeria as you claimed, being a professor of international politics and history, you would know our history, you will know how we got here, where we are now, but it is apparent you do not know because you have proffered no solution neither have you done justice to any of us in your presentation. The dilemma of the Nigeria situation cannot be resolved by you or what your project represents. You have but left us wondering whose agenda you project-----an alternate form of slavery as the first responder to your article implied?
Igwe: Prof. you said we should calm down and reason... may I say something about calming down and may I remind you that after the first reprisal attack by the north against the easterners in 1966/67, our leaders told our fathers to calm down and asked some of them who had returned home to go back to their normal businesses in the north after that the killing had abated, they hearkened only to be greeted by the second attack.......Prof. , how many love ones did you loss that day? These are men who built this nation, her commerce, public schools, defended her enemies both foreign and domestic, they ran public offices, these were killed with no regrets and no apologies were given.