I will now summarise my arguments. One, the proposal for the balkanisation of Nigeria, as attractive as it is to Southerners, is not a magic formula for the nation’s problems. Two, the notion that the Igbo and Yoruba can live happily together in the imaginary Republic of Southern Nigeria is exaggerated. Three, the thinking that a purely Yoruba or strictly Igbo republic will suddenly experience peace and prosperity is subject to further interrogation given the fact that the trillions of naira that have gone into Yoruba and Igbo states and councils, ruled by their own sons and daughters since 1999, have not transformed their regions. It is clearly not enough to demonise the North as the stumbling block to anyone’s progress. I conclude. No matter how many countries you break Nigeria into, there will always be cause for conflict. There is no country in the world - mono-ethnic or multi-ethnic - that does not have internal divisions to deal with. Diversity is, therefore, no cancer. It is the political management of conflicts and divisions that will determine the level of social cohesion a country will enjoy. The lazy mind always thinks balkanisation is the magic cure, the easy way out. Yugoslavia started disintegrating in 1991. But there are still internal conflicts in the republics that emerged from the rubble. Break Nigeria into 36 republics and conflicts will not disappear, I promise you.- Simon Kolawole
Posted on: Sun, 25 Aug 2013 05:01:28 +0000
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