Faced with imminent disaster, where are Nigeria’s leaders?

By Dele Sobowale

“We have created Italy; now we have to create Italians” – Giuseppe Garibaldi, 1807-1882, Father of Modern Italy.

Italy did not exist on the world map until the Kingdom of Italy was created on March 17, 1861. That was after rivers of blood had been spilled all over Europe on account of wars lasting close to half a century.

The leaders of the new Italian nation faced a situation similar to what President Buhari confronts in an old country called Nigeria.

Italian leaders had to undertake the difficult task of uniting a country divided by language, culture and history. Buhari, who has my total sympathy on this matter, is similarly faced with a country – Nigeria – which is divided into ethnic groups based on language, customs and history.

By contrast with President Buhari, Garibaldi and the leaders of Italy had a very easy time. There were few ethnic groups and languages. After years of personal and painstaking research, I thought all Nigeria’s ethnic groups were captured in my book, IBRAHIM B BABANGIDA 1985-1992: LETTING A THOUSAND FLOWERS BLOOM. But, just this week, my colleague at VANGUARD, Obadiah Mailafia, jolted me by introducing his own people in Southern Kaduna – Adara. It is a safe bet that other than their neigbours, few Nigerians ever heard of them. That is not surprising. If an incurable and inquisitive rolling stone like me, who traveled to the area several times, could miss them, other Nigerians must be forgiven for not being aware of their existence.

Yet, like it or not, the presence of Adara people, as well as dozens of small nations, must warn our leaders everywhere blowing hot on RESTRUCTURING that this is not a matter just for the Hausa, Igbo, Fulani and Yoruba. In fact, the four mentioned constitute less than 40 per cent of Nigeria’s population and also less than 40 per cent of the landmass. In fact, close to 75 per cent of natural resources in Nigeria are located in minorities’ territories. We, the large ethnic groups, are the real parasites and we might inadvertently be sowing the seeds of its destruction.

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I have deliberately excluded Buhari from what will follow because, contrary to what most Nigerians think, I strongly believe that he is almost irrelevant to the decisions Nigerians will reach about the future of our country. In a way, Buhari is actually now a victim of circumstances. At no time in the history of this nation have we lacked people who can be called Nigerian leaders.

Gradually, virtually every prominent political leader, traditional ruler or even public opinion leader is now described in terms hyphenated – Northern, Southern, Middle Belt, Tiv, Ibibio, Igbo, Ijaw, Fulani, Yoruba. Most frightening is the fact that someone who had been in the public domain for 40 or more years is still contented to be called the leader of Arewa Consultative Forum, Pan Igbo Organisation or Yoruba/Afenifere or Middle Belt Forum, Ijaw Movement etc.