THE BREAK OF THE NATION

THE BREAK OF THE NATION
By
Salim I. Hassan (Salimullah)
Education Department, BUK.
salimanology@yahoo.com

Hints For Notice
The only tie that keeps the political unity of diverse people of Nigeria is PDP’s zoning policy, and now it was recently put to an end. This means a total disintegration of Nigerian geo-political unity. The zoning policy is neither in the interest of Southerners nor in the interest of the Northerners, but that of the PDP’s elders both from the North and South to keep their personal ambitions alive. Yet, it means a lot to both of them. The more intelligent one side is the more he knows how to exploit the opportunity. It seems to me Obasanjo is the winner coz he knows better how to exploit the opportunity. Since the beginning of democracy era in Nigeria, the Southerners ruled more than the Northerners. Even when the Northerners’ turn came, they were deprived by the Southerners not by the use of force but by smart and strategic political brilliance and prudence put forward by Obasanjo.

What Went Wrong?
The zoning policy had been facilitated by PDP in consonance with both the Southern and Northern elders of the party, both driven by vested-interest. The Southern elders cautiously work both for their personal benefit and for that of their people in their distinct geo-political zone; while Northern elders worked only for their personal benefit. However their personal target has fallen. The policy shows the Northerners’ generosity to grant the minority their rights in leadership as opposed to democratic notion of ‘Majority Rules’ despite of the hidden agenda by the Northern facilitators. How I wish that the hidden agenda was meant for the interest of Northern patriotisms. Alas! It is for their personal interest. Through this policy agreed upon by the PDP elders, the democracy began to usher in Nigeria, given the Southerners the first turn, beginning in 1999. The reading error by Northern elders of PDP in the phase of the zoning policy is that they confined all their hidden agenda on how to achieved their personal future ambition; while the Southerners widen their hidden agenda on how to secure the future well-being of their people in general and make them the potentially perpetual Nigerian Leaders in the future. Obasanjo’s failed third tenure aspiration and assigning the age-old Yar’adua to take over are typical examples of Southerners attempt to deprive the Northerners of their right to rule Nigeria in sooner or later future. This is a point not clearly understood by until now.

Obasanjo, who was lucky to be the first beneficiary of zoning policy, had tried to betray the agreement by earnestly seeking for third term tenure, but only God forbids. On realizing this, he resorted to alternate political strategy and assigned the age-old ‘sick person’ of the North, whose last breath had been presaged to exceed not his office tenure, to take over the presidency, meaning the presidency would must have automatically return to the Southerners, and indeed did it so and it exactly happened. Don’t take what Obasanjo did just for granted; it is a deliberate scheme and all-purposeful agenda.

On the demise of the Northerner (may Allah bless him), the Southerner acting as VP automatically took over. His main mission is to continue from whence Obasanjo had stopped – to dismantle the zoning policy and monopolize the leadership and power, leaving the Northerners dying for their lust and hunger of power. Painful as it might be to admit, our representative elders in PDP have been deceived from behind the scene, and yet they must be blamed for any falling future that may likely to affect the Northerners.

The Possible Implication
Now G. Jonathan put to an end the only tie for Nigerians’ political unity. The impending implication would divide the Nigerian politics and democracy not only on geo-political basis but also on religio-political one. It is clear to all now that politics and election started to be preached in mosques and churches. Hence, the Christians are urged to vote for Christian candidate from the South and Muslims are urged to vote Muslim candidate from the north. Despite of the religious outlook now appeared in the politics one cannot describe it wholly as either religious or tribalistic; but it is a combination of both – one half masked in tribalism and the other half masked in religionism. Nigeria will inevitably come to stall as a single multi-ethno-religious political entity; hence the beginning of bitter political and religious conflict – a prelude to an imminent Civil War. This will, in the near future, evolve to geopolitical disintegration of our beloved ‘Motherland’ Nigeria. If the emerging demarcation between Northerners and Southerners or Muslims and Christians persists in our politics, without any prior consensus on basic rights and limitations of each, the result will be disastrous. It is not my wish to admit, but a matter of necessity.

The Possible Way-out
I therefore, opine that only military take-over will prevent any imminent political disaster that may likely to affect this nation. As the politics and election now being divided on the basis of religionism, tribalism, regionalism – both the South (Christians) and the North (Muslims) determine to fight back in case of losing the chance – what would be the end? Disastrous! I guessed. The military should now intervene and save the union of this nation. Let them imprison and encage mysterious situation created by this irrational, thoughtless, un-intelligent, unscrupulous and unpatriotic democrats whose ideas and thought can be best described as “Thought of the Thoughtless”. Let the military officers to takeover the government; only to return it to the democrats when all things are set aright in the state.