International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) |Volume II, Issue XII, December 2018|ISSN 2454-6186 The Paradox of 1914 and the June 12: Nigeria‟s Unending Nightmares Olayinka Kehinde BINUOMOYO Postgraduate Studies, Department of Economics, Lead City University, Ibadan, Nigeria Abstract: The name Nigeria appears to bring multidimensional But 1965, meanings to different people. Nigerians and foreigners have been amazed at the endurance the country has made amidst several expectations ruffled military conflicts and civil disturbances over the years without sweat and blood made vain. eventually disintegrating. It has therefore been pre-supposed that the country will continue as one entity in spite of its cycles of instability following perennial political and social upheavals. But two events in history: its amalgamation in 1914 and the events That June, the war came surrounding June 12 1993 (pre- and post -) have been seen to be You, me, all important landmarks in the country’s destiny. This paper showed the significances of these two dates (and related ones) as Everything down, wasted well as their impacts in shaping the future of the country, which have been both nightmarish and positive on the country’s A sacrifice, a vanity present. Two broad perspectives are examined: the political construct of the Nigerian nation and its social characteristics. Vanity, forgotten. The former was examined in detail as the determinant of the secondary characteristics which are borne on the latter. But June 12 Key Words: Nigeria; Political; Country; June 12; 1914; Military; Constitution; Conference; Niger Delta; Election Of crisis and hope: A darkened light I. INTRODUCTION Demand of sacrifice 1914 and Nigeria’s Destiny Sojourn1 Of life, for life. 1914 has its memoir: the birth of a nation May 29, or October 1 into decades of slavery. Yet, June 12 haunts 1960; the nation‟s liberty A grave for the past Omi-inira2 it was The nation‟s sacrifice. and that, the beginning; the long walk to freedom but captivity Today and everyday; a ruptured sojourn. May 27, May 29, or October 1 1963, a seeming reality June 12, the consolation of unity and prosperity. The ruins rebuilt. 1 This is a poem written as part of the research paper, of which the actual title is The June 12. June 12 yet haunts 2 Omi-inira is a Yorubalanguage word which literally means „water of affliction.‟ Ordinarily, it is spelt ominira and means freedom (or Nigeria‟s date with change independence). Omi-inira has been applied to jocular representation of the state of the Nigerian nation which has passed through years of poor Of freedom (from self-colonialism) governance with a resulting high incidence of poverty and underdevelopment in spite of the rich resources and varied many opportunities at the disposal of From life‟s bondage. the country. www.rsisinternational.org Page 289 International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) |Volume II, Issue XII, December 2018|ISSN 2454-6186 So everyday recorded in countries like Rwanda, Ethiopia, Sudan and Ukraine, following people‟s perception of these actions as It‟s June 12! being ethnic-biased. And in the midst of these, the United Somehow, Nigeria‟s political adventure, or national States (US) government in the year 2000 even predicted the existence could not but be dated to 1914, which saw critical collapse of the country in about fifteen years‟ time [4]. creations in the nation‟s existence. The country is the heart of Nigeria‟s birth in 1914 when the Sir Lord Frederick Africa. Karl Maier in his book noted that “to understand Lugard-represented British colonial government Africa, one must understand Nigeria.”3 It is indeed a country amalgamated the Southern and Northern parts started the of perennial ethnic tensions, a high level of poverty within sojourn which culminated in the independence in 1960. enormous wealth, and on the brink of collapse which would Between these years, it could be taken that the crises that be unprecedented. The implication of all these is reflected in evolved after independence were pictures of patched up, the words of Okehi Kalu, a former local council chairman in unsolved issues by the colonial government before the Union Abia state,followinga statement he made in 2009: Jack flag was lowered. The 1967-1970 civil war (following a There is hunger in the land. A trip to the villages move for secession by the Eastern part of the country towards becoming Biafra republic) which almost tore the country would convince you. There is no money to buy apart, the Kano riot of 1962/1963, the crises over Nigeria‟s the very few things in the market. Nigerians are membership of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) between 1969-1986 and 1997, and the annulment of the June starving and as a matter of fact, they have been 12 1993 presidential election results – all almost ended the stretched to the limit. It is so pathetic [2]. 1914 dream of the country called Nigeria. Kalu‟s statement above could not be far from current realities While Nigeria experienced serious social and ethnic as the quality of governance has dropped significantly with conflicts in the years following independence, it was difficult negative consequences for the people. to understand the post-civil war Nigeria; why these conflicts yet remain after resolving the serious divisive issue following The recent republics (of Nigeria) have been under the civil war. [5] suggested a study of the civil war and its more stress and pressure than any others [3]. According to causes, as well as the analysis of the country‟s political and [3], “the crisis that befell the Western Region which economic situations over the years for the resolution of the collapsed the first republic, the malfeasance that led to the Nigerian question. collapse of the second republic in 1983 and the diarchy of the third republic which crashed under the weight of the June 12 The emergence of the fourth ethnic dimension in mayhem, cannot be compared to the catastrophe that has Nigeria could not be pushed aside because of its rich oil buffeted the fourth republic.” This is because right from May resources. The Ijaws-dominated region (being the largest of 29, 1999 when the fourth republic took off, it has been the ethnic minorities from the South-South region and traumatized by political, social, ethnic, religious and regarded as an ethnic minority upon which the trio of Ibo, economic crises. And that, there was a handover on May 29 Yoruba and Hausa thrive), through its militant youths, 2007 (a first successful democratic handover) and thereafter destroyed oil installations and lives, became a thorn in the till date, to new civilian governments is a testament to the flesh of the country having been marginalized for so long, resilience of the subsequent republics. from active political and economic participation. The issues of corruption, political thuggery 4 and The reality today is that of a sick Nigeria. The crisis godfatherism5, rule of law and gross injustice have dominated in the Niger Delta though now subsided, along with the the scene for the past years that this democratic dispensation recent protests in the South-East for the actualization of came into being. From the controversial removals of four Biafra republic, have continued to attract attention with governors, 6 to the perceived selective and president- negative implications on the economic and political orchestrated anti-corruption war by the Economic and landscapes of the country. Corruption is still a daunting Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) between 1999 and challenge. Political structure is yet an issue of contention. 2007, the country appeared subsumed in a collapse that will Poor infrastructure and a high rising poverty have also dramatically overshadow the serious socio-political crises become permanent features of the country. The country‟s top-2020 economy‟s dream appears unrealistic. 3 Karl Maier wrote the book, This House Has Fallen: Nigeria in Crisis. See Of course, national conventions have been [1]. advocated and activated, that will consider interests along 4Thuggery is a local word for youths who engage in social and political gangsterism and disorders. tribes and ethnics, religions, economics and politics. But on 5Godfatherism refers to a mentoring relationship whereby the mentored treats the need for a coming together to address Nigeria‟s social, the mentor as a god and a father. In Nigeria, it is commonly in the political landscape whereby the actions of the mentored are function of the mentor. 6 The four governors include Joshua Dariye of Plateau state, Rashidi Ladoja of Oyo state, Peter Obi of Anambra state and Ayo Fayose of Ekiti state. www.rsisinternational.org Page 290 International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) |Volume II, Issue XII, December 2018|ISSN 2454-6186 economy and political challenges, Ahmed Guinza Momoh, Faso, also believing like Kerekou, that the call for the reform Otoru of Auchi7 comments: conference was a coup d‟état. Ghana‟s president at the time, Jerry Rawlings also initially resisted political conference at a “In the process of development, we must fall and rise, point in time but later went on with a pseudo-type in 1990 since you cannot fall unless you move and cannot which was though not broad-based. In the case of Ibrahim rise unless you fall” [6]. Babangida, who was Nigeria‟s military head of state between Giving credence to the above and the need for a true 1985 and 1993, he instead established a political bureau to socio-political conference are calls by Cornelius Adebayo, a encourage dialogue between the Armed Forces Ruling former Kwara state governor, and Alfred Ileate, a former Council (AFRC), the ruling body, and the larger society.