The quest for solutions to the myriad of challenges facing Nigeria currently is fast assuming various dimensions. While some people are clamouring for disintegration due to marginalization, others are opting for a new system of government, with yet another group demanding for a new constitution. Every individual in the country appear to have woken up to the consciousness of their right of free expression opinions.
Though, all the proposals are tended towards the answers to a common problem – bad governance, it is important to first of all recognize that those problems exist and that their resolution requires collective inputs from citizens. In arriving at this, it is equally necessary to look into the reasons that led the nation to her present condition of hatred amongst the federating units and individuals. The divergent views of the people was brought to the fore once again during the last nation-wide hunger protest tagged #EndBadgovernance. It was observed that the different regions of the country observed the protest in different ways for different reasons but all pointing towards the direction of lack of confidence, love and trust for one another. The youth of Northern Nigeria engaged in destroying lives and properties in addition to foisting Russia’s national flag on citizens. In the same vein, a section of the Southwest of the country was promoting #Igbomustleavelagos campaign. For the South East, it was a sit-down-look protest.
Arising from these, it has become imperative therefore for the federal government to urgently set up a Truth Commission to holistically wade into the reasons for the current state of affairs. There is no need for a new constitution. The only two items lacking in the present one are love and discipline which cannot come without continuous spread of relevant knowledge.
According to Wikipedia, an on-line encyclopedia; “A truth commission, also known as a truth and reconciliation commission or truth and justice commission, is an official body tasked with discovering and revealing past wrongdoing by a government (or, depending on the circumstances, non-state actors also), in the hope of resolving conflict left over from the past”. It is often focused on the past with a view to correcting errors there from. Given the speed with which things are degenerating with tendency towards worst scenarios, the truth commission must be mandated to examine the issue of tribalism and nepotism in Nigeria. There is no proof of any tribe actually creating its citizens in peculiar ways. And if all are created by God, it becomes inhuman for one to discriminate against the other. All the major ethnic nationalities must come with their grievances against each other, going forward. Those that have contributed in one way or the other to the issue of bad governance in terms of corruption, nepotism, fraud, electoral manipulations, human rights violations and so on must be identified properly in order to attract appropriate apologies from them or sanctions for their unpatriotic acts.
Elements in the 1999 constitution that are constituting problems must as well be pointed out for the attention of experts and those saddled with the responsibility to correct them. For example, quota system and federal character should hence forth not be allowed to take the place of competence. At independence, the nation began the use of the 1960 constitution that vested the headship of government on the Prime minister. This was changed in 1963 after attaining the status of a republic with the President as the head of government. From this, the country changed her constitution again in 1979 to reflect the executive power of the president. All the changes notwithstanding, President Olusegun Obasanjo assumed the position of leadership with yet another set of documented laws in the name of 1999 constitution. In contrast to all these, the South Africa’s constitution of 1994 is still much in use, just like that of USA which the country has maintained since 1789. What this means is that there are fundamental issues to be resolved before paying further attention to the constitution.
There are many who are seeking for entirely new constitution that will grant autonomy to states or geopolitical zones while others want the retention of the present federal system with reduced cost of governance. These suggestions were present in the 1951, 1954, 1960, 1979 and 1999 but hardly implemented properly.
So, instead of asking for entirely new laws that may not change the disciplinary attitude of the people, let the nation, with sincere heart set up a truth and reconciliation commission with mandate to chart a new course for the country before further changes in styles of government. Just as the National anthem was changed, government can adopt any of the past constitutions with amendments to reflect current trends in governance.
