The challenges facing Bendel
By
APPEARING like a street lamp glowing in a foggy dark night and very much set to play the role of a pathfinder in collaborative effort with his fellow Bendelities to locate their bearings in a distorted political landscape, Dr. Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia is back again in the front burner of public discourse. For a start, he facilitated recently with remarkable ease the coming together of his old pals, political associates and some other opinion leaders of the old Bendel to discuss burning issues in the polity as they relate to them, reviving the spirit of the old bonds that held Delta and Edo states together in common destiny. What crystallised out of the June 15, 2002 deliberation was an unambiguous challenge: that the people of the old Bendel must gird their loins, organise themselves and brace up for the challenge to produce the next president of Nigeria in the year of our Lord 2003.
The geographical entity under reference has been known by various names. First, it was called Midwest (August 1963-February 1976) then Bendel (February 1976 - August 1991) and presently it is represented by the two names of Delta and Edo states but the people conveniently refer to themselves as Bendelities. The region came into existence in 1963 when it was parceled out of the western region through a democratic constitutional process to become the fourth region in the federation, equal in status to the other existing three regions viz - the North (dominated by the Hausa/Fulani), the East (dominated by the Igbos) and the West (dominated by the Yorubas), the Midwest region is the home of Edos, Urhobos, Ijaws Itsekiri, Isokos and other sub-tribes. The first taste of injustice dished to the people of this young region was the failure on the part of the western region from which it was carved out, to pay her the share of her contributions to the wealth of that region in form of proceeds from the sale of her cash crops - rubber, palm produce, timber: and this issue has not been resolved till date; though a combination of other events and time lag have combined to blunt the sharp edges of the pains. The many years of military governance in Nigeria impacted adversely on Bendel in comparison with the other regions. The four regions which were hitherto equal in status in 1966 were progressively altered to produce the unequal number of states as follows: the old North is now nineteen states; the old East is now nine states; the old West is now six, and while the old Midwest is just a mere two states. These facts, which speak volumes for themselves, have been correspondingly replicated in several forms of other benefits arising from the share of the national cake, federal appointments and amenities that are shared on the basis of equality of states; whereas nobody talks of equal contributions to the baking of the national cake. A dispassionate reader should therefore make his deductions and would see that the cry of marginalisation by the people of Bendel is anchored on good grounds.
The proceeds from crude oil which is obtained mainly from Bendel and other parts of Niger Delta region is responsible for financing about 90 per cent of all government activities in Nigeria yet the host communities from which this wealth comes are left in squalor, often having to cope with life empty-handed, degraded environment and left to eke out miserable living. During the years of General Gowon, the oil producing states received some benefits on account of that status until President Obasanjo during his first time-out as a military dictator, rolled out the Land Use Decree, a decree that restored all lands to the government and which consequently wiped out any benefits to the oil producing states, among others. The people of Niger Delta have been constrained with the effects of this decree ever since. If the conditions of the oil producing states have received any treatment worth describing as a redress, it is the 13 per cent oil derivation revenue granted by late General Abacha. This uniquely human understanding displayed by General Abacha, a military ruler that is generally perceived as the greatest tyrant of all times can best be appreciated in the light of Shakespeare's immortal words written hundreds of years ago which says that, "Sweet are the uses of adversity which like the toad, ugly and venomous, and wears yet a jewel in his head". This rare show of benevolence by General Abacha, which was dutifully and magnanimously inserted into the 1999 constitution by the regime of General Abdulsalami Abubakar, represents one of the rare salutary contributions to Nigeria constitution by Abacha's regime for the benefit of the oil and gas producing states. Abacha was 'ugly', he was 'venomous' but the 13 per cent derivation from oil, which he awarded, is a 'jewel' to all oil producing states.
Since President Obasanjo came in on May 29, 1999 he had been trying to twist the interpretation of this 13 per cent derivation clause, adopting antics that are more military in nature and which are clearly out of step with the nature of civilian governance. It is the rigmaroling and chameleonic handling of this aspect of the constitution that has been very vexatious not only to the oil and gas producing states but also to all fair-minded people who cherish sincerity and keeping faith with the spirit of a federal constitution. He unilaterally refused to pay the 13 per cent from May 29, 1999 when the constitution came into effect, delaying till January 2000. Behaving like a snake in a dark night whose head or tail is often difficult to locate as it is difficult to accurately gauge his attitude towards the minority in general, and the oil producing communities in particular: the Odi massacre is still fresh.
Secondly, the federal government introduced some confusing terminologies "off-shore" and "on-shore" dichotomy, paying also unilaterally only 13 per cent of the on-shore contributions; thirdly, the government went to court to have judicial determination of what is constitutionally due to the states but sadly enough, the same federal government now appears reluctant to implement the resultant Supreme Court judgement. Instead of the government implementing its victory, he has set up a committee to work out a political solution to the judgement of the Supreme Court; whereas a realistic window of opportunity existed all along. Can the federal government be trusted to work out a political solution that will sincerely benefit each of the oil producing states proportionally? All these brazen display of executive arrogance, unnecessary foot-dragging are manifestations of unwholesome manipulations and spiral self-centredness in the handling of a subject that is simple and straight, and should be devoid of complexities that have been introduced into it. The logic that flows out of this is that in the election of 2003 the people of Bendel must adjust their thinking cap to negotiate in advance those things they want as an oil-producing region or face the challenge, frontally, by presenting an alternative presidential candidate. One thing is clear - this problem and such others that the minority tribes feel strongly about will be resolved one way or the other. But certainly with what has happened since May 1999, things should be different as from 2002. And herein lies the testy challenge confronting the people of the Bendel state in particular and the people of the south-south zone in general, who feel reduced to the level of a footnote in the political scheme of things.
The present initiative being spearheaded by Dr. S.O. Ogbemudia, unquestionably one of the leading political lights in this region represents one of the boldest moves by the elites to free Bendelities from the shackles of timidity and the follow-follow mentality, an attitude that has imparted negatively on the people's psyche. Is history on the verge of repeating itself? At various times in the past, Ogbemudia had been a man of history, appearing at critical times and playing momentous roles. Remember 1967? He was almost caught by the rampaging Biafran forces, escaped to Lagos from where he joined the forces that liberated Midwest from the invaders, appointed the military governor and some of his monumental contributions are visible in the region till date. Or in 1983 when he emerged on the political scene, and with avalanche of goodwill and the felt need for his administrative skills, he easily won the gubernatorial election that followed. Is he set to re-enact his unique, well-known magic once more?
However to make a meaningful headway in this project of self-assertiveness, a good foundation must be laid, brick by brick, with good thoughts, good deeds coupled with openness and a prepared mindset to sincerely reach out to all stakeholders who are ready to stand up to be counted. Bendel politics has floated for too long on the surface, blown up and down with manifestations of doubtful relevance because it has been unconnected with those core values of its founding fathers. Dr. S.O. Ogbemudia working in tandem with his colleagues in the Bendel Consultative Council, it is hoped will result in a harmonious meshing of events that will commence its irreversible movement to push the gears of the various sub-groups into motion much like the movement of a cart is brought about by the repetitive circling of its wheels.
Unlike in 1999, the challenges are much clearer now, the stakes higher and the goal far more obvious. With the political elites in the vanguard, the ordinary voters are massing behind the Bendel Consultative Council, courageously recalling to mind the noble exploits of their sagacious leaders who successfully brought Midwest into being as the forth region of this federation, did not intend a second-class role for her. And Bendel having paid her dues as a good "follower", she must now rise to the challenge of leadership, bearing in mind that one can neither get oil from an olive by baking it nor become an accomplished swimmer by sitting in an easy chair.
Nov 2002