MATHEW OLANIYAN, retired educationist and public affairs commentator recently had an interview with newsmen in Ilorin, Kwara State, where he spoke on socio-political issues in the country. Our Reporter, DELE MOSES, who was at the session, presents an excerpt of the interaction.

The call for a Sovereign National Conference has been persistent in some quarters. What is your view on it?

The British came through their representatives, settled and controlled Nigerians. The initial control was by force until they were fully accepted on peaceful terms. As time progressed, they realized that the present Nigeria was large and was made up of diverse people. Hence, they brought about the idea of protectorates for effective administration. As the years went by, the colonialists foresaw the potentials of Nigeria as a single country and were convinced of the idea of amalgamation of the Southern and Northern protectorates in 1914.

From the past experience of the British in their other colonies and their experience of what was on ground here, they knew very well that Nigeria is an amalgam of different peoples with varying cultural, native administrative and political backgrounds. This led to the idea of creating a near federal system of administration which was the cause and beginning of all past conferences in Nigeria. The initial conference bordered on discussions to prevent ethnic domination. Subsequent conferences were about finding ways by the nationalists to shake off shackles of colonialism while the prevailing recent ones were about finding ways of how all can live together in peace and unity in one country.

President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2005 convened the national conference for political reform. This was to ensure that Nigeria remains a single entity and that Nigerians could live in peace and unity wherever they may choose to stay and also to offer reasons and ideas for strengthening the weak links in the existing constitution and to midwife home grown democratic principles that can best suit our situation in Nigeria. It was then well thought of him bringing into the conference a number of members who have had inputs into the previous constitution provisions since 1950. Some of them had opportunities to participate since when they were students.

Notwithstanding these series of conferences, another national conference in the 21st century cannot be too many and unwanted. Nigeria is lucky in that those that took part in a number of past conferences are still around. They will easily note the shortcomings of former conclusions; recommendations and their implementation.

Also, if these people are going to be sincere and they avoid sentiments, they will easily set the pace for providing alternative conclusions and recommendations that will help in evolving a workable people's constitution which will be devoid of colonialists' and military input thereby putting on ground, a modern united stable and peaceful Nigeria for all.

Majority of Nigerians irrespective of where they come from, have come to the conclusion that one geographical entity known as Nigeria has come to stay and the unity amongst Nigerians is non-negotiable. Since Nigeria is made up of many diverse ethnic group that have come to live together in peace and unity, there is need for conference delegates from different ethnic groups to recommend all necessary conditions for our togetherness which will bring about true federalism in Nigeria.

What do you think should form the agenda of the delegates?

The corners upon which to build a solid foundation for true federalism in Nigeria are devolution of powers, resource control, judiciary, foreign affairs and security. As it is now in Nigeria the powers being exercised by the federal government are so much that the states are reduced to puppets which go cap in hand monthly for federal monetary allocation before they can perform. Each state should be empowered to control the resources available therein and be asked to pay agreed tax or royalty to federal government to service the whole nation.

Another crucial point to be considered is judiciary. A united country like Nigeria should have one legal system. No state should have state legal system different from that of the federal government. The best that can be tolerated in our form of home grown democratic true federalism is what obtains now in some states where in addition to the accepted federal normal courts; Sharia courts are allowed to exist for Muslims who want application of Sharia law but not forced on other citizens who live in such States.

The other areas of foreign affairs and security should be in the hands of the federal government as it is now for obvious reasons. But when one considers the recent security defect in getting to the root of what is happening in some parts of the country, it is advisable that in case of the police, they should be posted to their states or language areas.

A significant area to consider by any conference concerns the presidency and national assembly. Delegates should recommend limiting the president to having only one minister per state and federal capital city and to do away with aggregate of politicians termed advisers and assistants of categories to save cost. The permanent secretaries and caliber directors can do the work of advisers and assistants. As regards the assemblies, the delegates will do well to agree and recommend combining the Senate and House of Representatives into a single National Assembly to also save cost. The single chamber will have two elected representatives per senatorial district. If this works out all concerned ministers, permanent secretaries, directors and national assembly members will have enough to attend to.

The least tier of government deserves a lot to be considered. The all embracing federal laws and minor localized state laws cover all the local councils. This being so, there is no need having permanent local council parliaments. The delegates will do well to recommend that the councilors meet only once a week to pass each wards request to the chairman who will in turn inform what the government can handle. In order to further save cost councilors should be paid sitting allowance only for that day.

What do you think of the multiparty system the country runs?

An erstwhile National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was credited in one of the national dailies in the second half of 2004 that “the British conservative party ran England for 300 years uninterruptedly until 1926; the Liberal in Japan had run the place for over 70 years; a party in Ireland has run the place for over 75 years and a party in Mexico was in power for 92 years”, This is a good history lesson for Nigerians to take note of, for their reactions.

In the recent past we were aware of the fact that there had been cases of Cuba where the ruling party has been on the wheels for over 40 years; Mugabe and his party have been firmly in control of Zimbabwe since the attainment of independence in 1980. Considering these one cannot but be scared by what was credited to the then National chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Vincent Ogbulafor who said that “The PDP will rule the country for 60 years.”

The PDP has been in the saddle in the last 13 years. The ineffective performance in the last elections by the other over sixty political parties seems to support the wish and ambition of the PDP as a party, bearing in mind the fact that only six out of over sixty political parties can boast of having one or more state governors. It is easy to wish away the rest 57 parties as mush room political parties.

Only two mega political parties are needed for peaceful, efficient and progressive development in Nigeria. All political parties apart from PDP should come together to form a single mega political party to put PDP on its guard. Such a party should come up with a single constitution, philosophy and ideology with a view of moving the nation forward in all areas. The desired new party, like the PDP, will have the opportunity to draw its membership from ethnic groups, cultural divides, religions states and geo-political zones and thereby afford different people of like minds opportunities to come together to produce party's workable philosophy for a peaceful united Nigeria.

With only two major political parties in Nigeria it will be easy to change the party in government at election if the ruling party is not performing well as imagined by the masses. This happens in the United Kingdom between Labour and Conservative; in United States of America between Republican and Democratic parties. Also two-party system in Nigeria will assist both the literate and the illiterate voters to make an easy choice between two parties instead of the very many parties on the ballot paper. Also only two parties will be funded by INEC if needs be instead of so many unreliable ones as at present. In addition, formation of conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) with very many philosophies of different parties in the conference cannot convince the masses to have a majority vote because the CNPP is an amalgam.

The formation and registration of very many political parties in Nigeria is desirable by three groups of people. The first group comprises the academicians who preach freedom of association of any number of people whether they have followers that can win a majority vote or not. The second group comprises self-serving politicians who know they cannot win majority vote but are out to collect supporting funds from INEC. The third group comprises people who want to remain in power perpetually to dictate the tune for as long as the mushroom parties will never agree to come together to form a formidable party-that voters can support to displace any unpopular ruling party when desired.

How do you think inter-ethnic crisis can be resolved in the country?

It is important that the Federal government and the legislators note the facts that can usher in peace and avoid thinking about the citizenship form that may not suit Nigeria. Some of the facts to note are, first and foremost that all Nigeria tenaciously believe in the unity of Nigeria through the diversity of its smaller units. For example unity of the country rests squarely on the fact that the former regions have been split into smaller unit called states. Secondly, the Federal government should note that the Nigeria citizenship as per the country's constitution serves well for the unity of all peace loving Nigerians. Thirdly, the government should note the simple understandable meaning of indigene as people regarded as “the original inhabitants of an area.”

In addition, the government needs to note that national unity can be better achieved when the indigenes and those from other places living together understand and love one another as Nigerians. It is important too for the government and the generality to realize that purchasing a piece of land to build a house does not make the buyer an indigene of his new place of abode.

If we area trying to equate the place of birth to indigenization like Britain, it will only amount to double indigenization. Let us just accept ourselves as Nigeria citizens anywhere. The nation has made a law that we are all Nigerians and therefore in a true federal setting any legislation on indigeneship should be the prerogative of each state government.

People of different tribes have been living together harmoniously in different parts of the country as Nigerians without any legislation. In view of the fact that Nigerians are peace loving, widely traveled people and who are proud of their roots the government's main concern should be a concerted effort to contain all extraneous forces causing trouble in parts of the country and to ensure speedy justice to punish all the people who cause disturbances, loot, main or kill other Nigerians in their midst under any guise.