By: Sayó Àlàgbé
NIGERIA has always been a study in paradox. The more one looks, the less one likely to see. The more one thinks about the fate of this noble nation, the less likely for one to see hope on the horizon. Frustration and hopelessness walk hand-in-hand with desperation. Nigerians are faced with dilemma. The irony of it all lies in the sarcasm: a blessed nation faced with loads of poverty across its existence. Such is the life of a nation in search of heroes.
TO find the heroes is not the herculean task at hand. The most important and crucial step is being able to find the unity of purpose that will lead to the emergence of the heroes – acceptable to all. Based on this premise, the aphorism that constantly echoes in my heart is: “One Country, One Nigeria.” This popular saying rings in the ears like the clash of cymbals—loud, repetitive, and forceful. Even today, the only lyric that our so-called leaders recite with unwavering monotony is: “One Nigeria is not negotiable.” They insist that Nigeria will remain one indivisible entity, united in peace and harmony. But at what cost can unity be attained and sustained?
FRANKLY speaking, these declarations, made time and again by our rulers past and present, raise serious concerns. One of the prevailing questions is: Is Nigeria truly one united entity? Is the unity a result of mutual agreement—or is it held together by force and coercion?
IN reality, Nigeria is a nation of discordant voices. Speaking with one voice toward a common goal appears to be a mirage. The unity that supposedly binds us was awkwardly stitched together, and it remains a far cry from true cohesion. Instead of pursuing genuine unity, each ethnic region appears more focused on dominating the others, often for hidden or self-serving agenda.
CONSISTENTLY, every day, the country grows more volatile, and innocent lives are wasted unrepentantly. Worse still, banditry, kidnapping and massacre of travellers across the nation, largely under the watch of the Fulani-Hausa hegemony; continue unabated.
THE spree of killings continues untamed. Farmers can no longer go to their farms and the implications eat us alive through famine and self-made poverty through killings of farmers that lead to food shortage and scarcity. Alas! The freedom of movement has been eroded, and anyone could become victim of violence and jungle justice at any time. There are evidences. What do we call this—an uprising, an insurrection, or a revolution? And over what?
THE question to be asked again is: what do you think the Hausa and Fulani want from Nigeria and Nigerians? What does the Igbo want from Nigeria and Nigerians? What role can Yorubaland play in sustainable Nigeria?
MOREOVER, could this wave of violence and bloodshed be traced l to the historical agenda and declarations of Uthman Dan Fodio, who advocated a Jihad to capture the southern regions for the purpose of Islamizing Nigeria? If not, why the persistent massacres and unrest? Even more troubling is the source of the sophisticated weapons being used. Where are these weapons coming from? Who is sponsoring these acts of terror, and to what end?
NOTABLY, it is alarming that Fulani herders now openly carry firearms such as AK-47s, along with machetes and knives, using them against innocent farmers and raping of their wives on farmland. This is even beyond the havoc wrecked on their farmstead by allowing their cattle to destroy their plantation and farm produce. . Successive governments have largely failed to check these excesses. It is simply like a script on pretence and chasing shadow.
SIMILARLY, the Igbo people, under the leadership of the detained Nnamdi Kanu, continue to beat the drum of disintegration and secession plan, through the Biafra Movement. They have expanded their presence across the country and now claim ownership of key areas, particularly in Lagos and other parts of the Southwest. Many Yoruba communities are now witnessing the influx of Igbo buyers acquiring and reconstructing old properties into modern buildings.
RETROSPECTIVELY, is this an attempt to dominate the Southwest in the event of future conflict? While it is true that “ One Nigeria” is a noble task, we must also ask: Is buying properties for strategic dominance a task that should be allowed? The Yoruba people of the Southwest must reflect on this question carefully and diligently.
INSIGHTFUL is the fact that the Nigerian constitution allows freedom of movement, residence, and business operations anywhere in the country. However, caution is essential, especially among Yoruba people; who are quick to sell ancestral lands and historic family homes to outsiders; often driven by greed and financial desperation. In cities like Ogbomoso, the rate at which Igbo buyers are purchasing and rebuilding traditional homes is alarming. Unfortunately, these properties are rarely sold to fellow Yorubas, but rather to wealthy Igbo or Hausa buyers.
CONCURRENTLY, this trend poses a potential risk. Yoruba people must reconsider the sale of family compounds and strategic properties to strangers, especially in uncertain times. No one prays for another war, but the future is pregnant and known only to God. We must learn from history: during past conflicts, Yoruba investments made outside their region were lost overnight.
SO, is Nigeria truly one as we are made to believe? If so, why are the drums of war still beating? Why is insurgency still rampant, especially in the North? Why are certain ethnic groups allowed to carry weapons when the constitution clearly prohibits civilian gun ownership?
THIS matter deserves urgent attention. The government must act decisively to restore law, order, and equality. For Nigeria to truly become one, the constitution must not only exist—it must work. It must be effective, respected, and enforced without bias or compromise by every ethnic group within the country.
ELSE, one can only pray that Nigeria, like Major General Alabi Isama classic book; will not become a tragedy of victory for the Nigerian nationalists. May the prediction of Chinua Achebe through his last published literature: There Was A Country; never come to pass!
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