Abiodun Olusoga Fanoro
A political scientist, Prof. Azeez Olusola Olaniyan has raised the timely alarm that the legion of agitation and separatiist crisis confronting the Nigerian state, is real, more potent, hydra-headed and suicidal to the wellbeing, unity and continued existence of Nigeria.
He, however, canvassed a sincere, determined, detribalised and patriotic leadership to address it without further delay than the deception and lip-service stakeholders and leadership which had dogged the Nigeria’s project for decades.
The scholar of politics, who doubles as Dean Faculty of Social Sciences Federal University Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), raised the patriotic alarm while delivering his Inaugural Lecture themed "Nigeria And The Undying Spirit Of Separatism" at the Oye main-campus of the University, which was presided over by the Vice- Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina, ably represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Administration, Prof Tajudeen Bolanle Opoola.The political scientist in his presentation undertook a pain-staking and indepth historical research into the origin of separatism, which revealed that the concept, existence and organic characters of this volatile social activism is one globally, including the Nigerian variant, saying this explained why agitations and separatism had not disappeared from all parts of Nigeria.
This, Prof. Olaniyan said the destabilizing aftermath would continue to stare the country in the face, except the rudimentary causative factors were frontally addressed.
The erudite scholar made valid references to cases of historical and contemporary political agitations for self-determination across the country which transcended all the major and minor ethnic nationalities, to validate his undeniable claim of not just separatism, but its endemic and pandemic nature.
According to him, separatism had its root in the 191 amalgamation of the Northern and the Southern protectorates which resulted in the emergence of Nigeria as a country.
The Dean also took time to bring to fore some inherent factors that had continued to give renewed life, sustaining separatism in the country.In his view, some of the agitations for self-determination were on the fact that the ethnic -nationalities fused together to form Nigeria were strange bed-fellows which shared little or nothing in common, together and their views or consent were neither sought nor obtained before they were forced into the relationship.
The scholar also attributed the continued presence of separatism to massive prevalence of injustice, lack of equity and fairness to some members of the ethnic constituents, while some others were being accorded their rights and privileges without breaches to the consternation of those deprived.
He went further to identify disproportional and insincere practice of federalism as a form of a cementing factor of governance by successive political leaders of the country, especially from the aftermath of the 1966 military coup, where unitarism was foisted on the country, while federalism had continued to suffer setbacks in application.
He was also of the opinion that the country's misadventure of not having true father-figure and genuine leaders challenged and determined to work for the unity of the diverse ethnic-nationalities, transform the country and turn its challenges to assets, remained the main problem and factor separatism and agitation, stressing that Nigerians needed to widen who were truly ready for leadership and good governance as against what obtained in the past.
At the the Inaugural Lecture, the eleventh in the history of the fast growing university, the Vice-Chancellor was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Admin), Prof. Tajudeen Bolanle Opoola alongside Principal officers of the university and was attended by some traditional and political leaders from Ekiti State.
The scholar also attributed the continued presence of separatism to massive prevalence of injustice, lack of equity and fairness to some members of the ethnic constituents, while some others were being accorded their rights and privileges without breaches to the consternation of those deprived.
He went further to identify disproportional and insincere practice of federalism as a form of a cementing factor of governance by successive political leaders of the country, especially from the aftermath of the 1966 military coup, where unitarism was foisted on the country, while federalism had continued to suffer setbacks in application.
He was also of the opinion that the country's misadventure of not having true father-figure and genuine leaders challenged and determined to work for the unity of the diverse ethnic-nationalities, transform the country and turn its challenges to assets, remained the main problem and factor separatism and agitation, stressing that Nigerians needed to widen who were truly ready for leadership and good governance as against what obtained in the past.
At the the Inaugural Lecture, the eleventh in the history of the fast growing university, the Vice-Chancellor was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Admin), Prof. Tajudeen Bolanle Opoola alongside Principal officers of the university and was attended by some traditional and political leaders from Ekiti State.
