A Yoruba friend ask me: under what conditions would you support One Nigeria and let go of the Biafra agitation and let it died down and finally laid to rest for good ?. Here was my response:
- Close down Lagos ports and Open up PH, Calabar, Onitsha and Warri ports.
- Cancel all direct and major connecting flights to Lagos and Abuja airports only local connecting flights will be allowed. While this is being done, open up Enugu, Owerri, Asaba, Uyo and PH to international flights direct and major connecting flights.
- Ask all international and diplomatic missions to move their embassies and consulates from Lagos, Kano and Abuja to Enugu, PH and Calabar.
- All federal governments’ agencies in Lagos and Abuja shall be relocated to Enugu, PH and Calabar. CBN, NNPC, e.t.c shall and must relocate to PH, Calabar and Enugu.
- All multinational companies in Lagos and Abuja, shall and must relocate their offices to PH, Calabar and Enugu.
6.All oil companies must relocate their head offices to PH, as the oil capital of Nigeria . - Let the northern children gain admission into federal schools with 300 score points while the South Eastern Children should gain admission with only 20 score points .
- Let all federal road projects in the North/SW should be handled by one local companies and the one in the SE/SS should be handled by Julius Berger and foreign construction companies.
7.. If these conditions can be fulfilled and implemented for 50years , we can try one Nigeria and let see if you the North and SW will like it for a month. Meaning, Yorubas and Hausas needing to get visas shall travel to PH, Calabar or Enugu to do that. Same with flying or connecting flights, same with shipping and importing their goods, e.t.c.
The Yoruba friend replied: you can’t be serious, this is wickedness. I said really? Don’t you think South Eastern part of Nigeria have been suffering and enduring this very same wickedness for over 50 yrs?
He was quiet for a few seconds and said: wow, you are right but it never occurred to me. I said, that’s the problem with One Nigeria, those who are benefiting from it, love it and would love to maintain the status quo.
Let each region develop at her own pace , with airport, sea ports , industries , major projects open to be develop in any part of Nigeria without government interference or strangulation due to tribalism and nepotism !.
Let Nigeria be fair to all irrespective of tribe, religion and place of birth. Let there be true federalism and resources control, with the elimination of quota system and federalism character in Nigeria .
Let have equal respect for one another irrespective of where the person is coming from in Nigeria.That is what Independence is all about.