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In celebrating the posthumous birthday of the great Cicero, Chief Bola Ige, on September 13, 2021. He was born on September 13, 1930. I searched my video archives. What I discovered almost brought tears to my eyes.
During the research, I unearthed a lot of videos about the activities of the Nigerian Alliance for Democracy (NAD) when I was chairman of the group between 1993-1999. During these years, the NAD was at the forefront of the struggle against military rule and domination.
In one of those videos I unearthed, the late speaker spoke passionately for 90 minutes in Atlanta about his intention to restructure the dominant Nigerian state in a good way through regional autonomy.
Listen to him: “Restructuring is the decentralization of power and greater autonomy for the regions. These are questions of freedom and justice. It’s the right thing to do, let’s embrace it. Without freedom and justice, any hope of unity is an illusion.
He continued, “For heaven’s sake, if power were vested in the regions of Nigeria today, would the Yoruba nation be the only one to benefit? The Ogoni, the Edo, the Urhobo, the Efik, the Igbo, the Kanuri, the Tiv; not to take advantage of moving away from authoritarian federal power? The Tiv, the Peuls, the Kanuris will they not be able to articulate local strategies to the problems of their locality? Isn’t that federalism?
He spoke these immortal words before falling under the brutal bullets of the assassins. One can only wonder if Chief Ige was killed by enemies inside to quench his relentless push for the achievement of regional self-government.
Although he may have made an error in judgment during the fight for the Alliance for Democracy (AD) primary elections with Chief Olu Falae, Chief Bola Ige has established himself as the voice of reasoning and restructuring. He lived and died for it.
When he resigned as Nigeria’s Attorney General to pave the way for the presidential bid against the administration led by former President Olusegun Obasanjo-Atiku, he was going to do restructuring – regional autonomy – the core of his campaign.
Indeed, he was the perfect candidate for Nigeria. Chef Bola Ige was raised in northern Nigeria. He spoke the three main Nigerian languages like Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa.
I believe so much that his death will not be in vain. He cries from the grave and says that restructuring towards regional autonomy must be carried out for peace to reign in Nigeria.
It reminds me of what Dr Martin Luther King Jr said: “The truth crushed on earth will resurrect and the arc of the universe bends towards righteousness.”
Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution possible. And this is evident in the country as the nation is under the yoke of insecurity and a myriad of challenges.
Those who oppose restructuring – regional autonomy especially in the north-west and north-east of Nigeria and some elements in the south will make the complete disintegration of Nigeria possible. It is only a matter of time and will come as soon as possible.
The struggle for freedom, life and the pursuit of happiness are inherent fundamental rights and not privileges granted by the state. It must be recognized and accepted.
We need to restructure. The fraud enshrined in the 1999 constitution which concentrated power in the center must be abolished.
I would like to conclude with the thoughts of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He said: “True peace is not simply the absence of tension: it is the presence of justice.
As we mark the posthumous birthday of Chief Bola Ige, Nigerians must rise up and embrace peace, justice, fairness, fairness under the law and freedom by demanding nothing less than restructuring – regional autonomy and the abolition of the fraudulent constitution of 1999 now.
Teacher. Babs Onabanjo, President: Nigerian Alliance for Democracy (1993-1999) and President / CEO of the AD King Foundation, USA.
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