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From: Celestin Atanga <celesngu@yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 3 Feb 2013 22:28:37 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Camreview] How to avoid Nigeria's breakaway in 2015 – IBB
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http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/02/how-to-avoid-nigerias-breakaway-in-2015-ibb/
How to avoid Nigeria's breakaway in 2015 – IBB
on FEBRUARY 1, 2013 · in NEWS, TOP STORIES
12:56 am
By HUGO ODIOGOR & CHARLES KUMOLU
Former Military president, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (rtd),
yesterday undertook a critical view of the predictions made by
soothsayers, including the United States of America that Nigeria will
disintegrate in 2015 and suggested ways to ensure the predictions do
not become a reality.
General Babangida spoke where he was the chairman of the public
presentation of two books in honour of former External Affairs
Minister, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi at the Nigerian Institute of
International Affairs, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Said he: "As Nigerians, we are aware of the great doubts that have
been cast about what 2015 portends for the continuing existence of our
nation. I am aware that Nigerians have taken great umbrage at these
predictions. Even Lord Lugard who founded what has been called Nigeria
gave it a life-span of 100 years.
Author; Dr Olusegun Mimiko, Governor of Ondo State and Guest of
Honour; General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, former President and
Chairman of the Occassion and Major General Ike Nwachukwu (rtd) at the
Book Presentation. Photo by Lamidi Bamidele
"I regard it as a challenge to our intelligence to ensure that these
portends and prophesies do not become self-fulfilling. We should
engage these predictions on an intellectual level, testing whether the
facts justify the conclusions.
"But on a practical and public policy level, we must import honesty
into our public policy assessments. Firstly, we must identify the
problems that need to be addressed. Secondly we must address these
problems honestly.
"Thirdly we must identify the most current and the most appropriate
mechanism for addressing these issues.
"Let me make this clear. My position is not dictated by the fact that
foreigners are making these predictions. We don't even need foreign
sources as a reference point. The Nigerian media is awash with
alarming news about our problems. My position is dictated by my
conviction that Nigeria is precious enough to be saved.
It deserves an investment of our time and resources to make Project
Nigeria a success. But the starting point has to be an admission that
we need to fix things. We need a new mindset about the Nigerian
project. Let us start off by admitting the mistakes of the past. Right
policies have at times been wrongly implemented. Temporary solutions
have often been turned into permanent policies, even though the
problems they were designed to address have long been solved".
Making suggestions on how to ensure the continued existence of Nigeria
beyond the predicted 2015, General Babangida said, "the issue of the
principle of federal character needs to be revisited. In a
multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-religious nation, the principle
of Federal Character is a sensible one and there is no alternative to
it. Each national group must be given a feeling of belonging.
What needs to be refined is the question of standards. Federal
character can go hand in hand with merit. 50 years after independence
and over 50 years after the establishment of universities in Nigeria,
there should be no national groups, no states, no zones, no hamlets
without qualified citizens. Therefore there should be no question of
employing unqualified people in the name of federal character, just as
there should be no question of abandoning the principle of federal
character in a Federation.
Principle of federal character
"We must admit that sacrifices have been made and sacrifices will
continue to be made for the survival of this Nigerian project. In the
past, maybe there has not been sufficient recognition of the fact that
those making these sacrifices have grievances which should have been
addressed.
"Maybe in the past, there had not been sufficient recognition of the
fact that each national group has legitimate fears and grievances.
Some of the mistakes of the past have now come to haunt us. But let me
make one thing clear. Not all these mistakes were made out of
callousness or bad faith or malice.
Most people in office do their best. They act to the best of their
ability. Unless we think that our leaders have divine ability, we have
to admit that even with all the best of their abilities and even with
the best faith and with the best of all intentions, human beings will
still make mistakes.
"That after nearly 100 years of existence, people and national groups
still have grievances provide us with an opportunity to address these
grievances. That these grievances are of sufficient magnitude for them
to demand a dissolution of the nation show the extent of the
grievances and therefore it should point to the magnitude of the
seriousness with which we should address the grievances.
From the creeks in the Niger Delta to the Sahelian areas of the North,
Nigeria is under pressure. Now is the time for us to regard the rescue
effort as a joint enterprise to secure maximum benefits for all and
not an enterprise to secure temporary advantage for one group over
another. We need to arrive at a grand consensus that will move this
nation forward rather than a panel-beaten system that satisfies no one
except the temporary holders of power.
"We can face the challenges together, united in the spirit of a joint
enterprise and propelled by the belief in the greatness of this
country and a commitment to make Nigeria a source of pride and
inspiration to the black race".
Centenary celebration
Speaking on the forthcoming centenary celebrations General Babangida
said, "in less than a year, in about 11 months and a few days, we as
Nigerians will be celebrating 100 years of our existence as a legal
united entity. We have cause to rejoice. During these 100 years,
Europe has endured two world wars, Russia had gone through a
revolution, a civil war and finally gone from being Russia to Soviet
Union and back to Russia.
During this time, Spain and Yugoslavia have gone through horrendous
civil wars. During this time, several countries in Asia, including
China went through civil wars that almost brought them to their knees.
"Yet today, Europe is one of the fastest growing economies in the
world. China is destined in a few years to become the biggest economy
in the world. Yes, during the past 100 years of our existence, we also
have gone through a horrendous civil war. The events that led to the
war and the war itself have left lasting effects on all of us,
including those who were not even born during those events.
"As other countries have overcome the mistakes in their history and
moved on, so we Nigerians also have cause to rejoice that even though
in our history we have met with obstacles, we have experienced ups and
downs, each generation had sought to the best of its ability to tackle
these obstacles. That we are still a united nation is sufficient cause
for congratulation.
Our problems are not over. Nation building is not like an electric
switch which you turn on and off. It is a continuous process which
makes a heavy demand on government and the people".
Eulogising Prof. Akinyemi, in whose honour the books were being
launched, he said "let me say a word or two about the man we are all
here to honour today. That he was my first External Affairs Minister
is an established fact. That before then he was the Director-General
of this Institute, the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs for
eight years is also an established fact.
The fact that as part of today's programme, there is a symposium on
the Technical Aid Corps scheme, one of Prof. Akinyemi's enduring
legacy in government, is ample demonstration of the relevance of Prof.
Akinyemi to Nigeria's Foreign Policy.
"My friend's friend can be my friend, but my friend's enemy should not
necessarily be my enemy." ~Celestin Atanga~
"A snake which missed biting you yesterday should not pretend that it
is your friend today or tomorrow." ~Celestin Atanga~
"The smallest deed is better than the biggest intention." ~Achu Raymond~
"God draws a straight line in a crooked way." ~Professor Victor Anomah Ngu~
"What is to give light must endure burning." ~Viktor Franki~
--
The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in
a thing makes it happen.
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