A SPEECH PRESENTED BY ENGR. COLUMBUS AKALONU AT THE 2019 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PHILOSOPHY STUDENTS (NAPS) WEEKEND SYMPOSIUM AT SEAT OF WISDOM SEMINARY UMUAHIA, ABIA STATE, NIGERIA

 GENERAL THEME: NIGERIAN POLITICAL SYSTEM: HOPES AND IMPEDIMENTS.

REVOLUTION OR RESTRUCTURING
~The credible alternatives to Nigerian Political quagmire

A SPEECH PRESENTED BY ENGR. COLUMBUS AKALONU AT THE 2019 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PHILOSOPHY STUDENTS (NAPS) WEEKEND SYMPOSIUM AT SEAT OF WISDOM SEMINARY UMUAHIA, ABIA STATE, NIGERIA ON 23RD MARCH 2019.

The Rector,
Seminar Organizers,
Erudite Teachers/Instructors,
Distinguished Guests
The President of NAPS.
All protocols observed.

Preamble:
I have the honour of standing before you at this hour to deliver this lecture as part of the activities marking the 2019 edition of your NAPS weekend. It is a thing of joy seeing you young men thinking politically and suggesting the road map for the nation's sociopolitical system. With your general theme of "NIGERIAN POLITICAL SYSTEM: HOPES AND IMPEDIMENTS" am not left with doubts that you people have been following up Nigerias' system and would perhaps be joyed to have our polity in good shape.

Per chance it eludes me, let me quickly state from the onset of this discussion that many of Nigerian young men and women have been feeding fat on propaganda. With the Advent of social network and the FoI bill, every Nigerian individual has become harbinger of information. This is not to talk about the huge abuse which has always been mixed with political analysis. Considering  your discipline, as students of Philosophy seeking knowledge, our discussion  must be based on facts.
   

As I grow older, I know I don't have the monopoly of wisdom, I recognise that the truth as I see it may not necessarily be the truth as it is but it is the truth as I see it.

This gathering today matters a lot to us as Nigerians more especially as Christians. To me I see it as an opportunity to find out the truth, examine the truth, accept and work on it because it is only the truth that can set us free.

The Un-united States of Nigeria

This sub title is not original to me. It's an adaptation from Professor Amadi-Azuogus' recent and best selling memoir where he described Nigeria as a "nation without nationhood", insisting that one of the most painful outcomes of the amalgamation is that it created a " country without a nation". And also it left us with a country without a united people and ethnic nationalities. This is a country without founding document(like the American declaration of independence) and without Founding Fathers ( like the Founding Fathers of American Society). Consequently, one could dare to ask, who are the founding fathers of Nigeria? Let me quickly observe that the founding fathers of Nigeria were not Nigerians but the British masters. Azikiwe, Awolowo and Ahmadu Bello were just children when the British manipulated the Nigeria project. They were only handed 'instability incorporated' and booby traps at independence. Today we are being asked to defend what is working against us to unite Nigeria and allow the neocolonialists ample space to insult the rest of us.

In an article he entitled "The FILTH" Dan Ugwu, a foremost writer laboured much to illustrate the situation of a country without nationhood; a nation pillage by her neocolonialists. The analyst wrote "Nigeria is at the crossroads of history. It has gotten to a point that being a Nigerian becomes abysmally frustrating and incredibly exciting. A pervasive feeling of betrayal and disenchantment is sweeping across Nigeria like the desert sand. The democracy that was hailed with loud ovation is now frowned at and loathed like a plague; from muffled grumbling to loud murmuring, and now angry outbursts. He captured more the beleaguered nature of Nigerian democracy where he wrote that “the besetting factors of our democracy is the uncultured self-depreciation, self-immolation, stone throwing, name calling, buck passing, bickering, treachery, blackmail and wangling that swing as pendulums among the politicians”. 
   
One cannot debate that the undeniable characteristics of the Nigerian democracy is the widespread inter-ethnic suspicion, deepening hatred and rapid deterioration of relationship between the people of the different geographical zones. The problem of the nation has been ascribed to the failure of leadership, with the resources of the nation which is capable of transforming the lives of the poor and needy being squandered in an uncontrollable portion through unrestrained importation of all kinds of useless merchandise from every corner of the globe and embezzled through inflated contracts. Hence, these instabilities and inequities have necessitated the call in many quarters for either REVOLUTION or RESTRUCTURING. Similar mantra and political formulations have also been gathered in this regard. And all of them are indicative of the need to position Nigeria properly. The list can include Rebranding, Repositioning, Next Level, Change, Rebuilding etc.

Drumbeats of Revolution

Revolution is a forcible overthrow of a government or social order, in favour of a new system. In political science, a revolution is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due to perceived oppression. Revolution can be voluntary or involuntary; it can be violent or non violent.

One cannot debate that the undeniable characteristics of the Nigerian democracy is the wide spread inter-ethnic suspicion and deepening hatred. Politics and public governance in Nigeria have been reduced to huge jokes, with political gangsterism and election rigging, fast becoming the norm. With all these, our dear country has been faced with the grim fact of being at the grips of antagonism and burst of violence, unleashed and executed by those who breed the rise of ethnic and religious militia. With criminality graduating to frightening dimension, our leaders squander in uncontrollable proportion the nations' resources till now and superintending over lopsided structures that confine people to the margin of poverty and oppression. According to Dan Ugwu, these unholy situation have led to various protests. "Now and then we see people carrying placards, demanding for their rights that are allegedly violated. All these are indicative that the country is perching precariously on the brink of disaster. These could form a catalysts for a revolution ; a revolution which will take a measure where the poor will not only demand for their share of bread but commandeer it. It may be sudden and involuntary. There may be no leader of the rebellion or anyone directing them to act. Hunger and the survival instinct could be the propelling force. And by then, the so-called affluent in the society will either be compelled to examine the plight of the poor or flee from their wrath. The situation appears to be quite like an earth tremor signaling a dangerous earthquake. The only way to abort any upheaval or revolt of the poor is for the wealthy leaders to turn a new leaf and begin to spare a thought for Nigerias' less privileged". This can only be achieved through restructuring and redefinition of our system.

THE NEED FOR RE-STRUCTURING

Restructuring is nothing other than to rebuild, repackage and re-address our nation more especially when the current structure does not suit the current demand. Over time, well meaning Nigerians, ethnic groups and social groups have called for restructuring as the only way for Nigeria to overcome its political and socio-economic challenges.

In a communiqué of the Southern Leaders Forum titled, 'Only restructuring will ensure the unity, peace and development of Nigeria, the southern leaders maintained that " Nigeria ceased to be a federation since 1966 after the first coup. The turning of Nigeria into a unitary constitution which is not conducive to peace and development in a multi-ethnic country is what the military imposed in 1999 constitution, which lied against itself with the 'we the people'. is all about. This is the taproot of the crisis of nationhood in Nigeria.

The church is not left out of the call for restructuring. The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) in a communiqué issued in Ibadan during the group's plenary, admitted the need for restructuring and called the authorities to remove sentiments, ethnic bigotry and selfish interest in handling the aforementioned.

It is the common reasoning of many Nigerians that the country needs a new constitution negotiated by the people of Nigeria'.

My submission
If Nigeria must work sincerely, then we need to restructure. If our country would avert any violent revolution, then the leaders must be sensitive to the plight of the people. If we must restructure and diversify our economy, then the Church which you yourselves form the leaders must not be held captive by keeping quiet or being indifferent in the face of inequalities. The Church must  discourage economic policies that lead to affluence, materialism, consumerism and wastage. Rather, she has to influence such policies in a way that they will lead to justice, peace and authentic development. The Church has over the years been vocal especially through preaching and social writings, this time, she must be involved in a more critical engagement with the society. To this end, I recommend Confrontational Evangelization to the Church. This is so because, the Church's divinity mission includes also a humanization, a project which could be expressed in the words of St. Ireneaus that the glory of God is in the living man.

Long Live National Association of Philosophy Students.

Long Live Seat of Wisdom seminary UMUAHIA.
Long Live Federal Republic of Nigeria.