IGWEBUIKE: An African Journal of Arts and Humanities. Vol. 7. No. 4. (2021) ISSN: 2488- 9210 (Print) 2504-9038 (Online) Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Tansian University, Umunya 215 THE NORTH AND THE REST OF US: A HISTORICAL EVALUATION OF THE PARADOX OF ONE NIGERIA, 2007-2020 Festus C. Ajeli Nwafor Orizu College of Education Nsugbe actionblack28@gmail.com, ajeli.festus@nocen.edu.ng DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.29332.65925 Abstract Nigeria, a country with a population of about two hundred (200) million people and about two hundred and fifty (250) ethnic groups with the Igbo, Hausa and the Yoruba as majority is currently under the domination of the North. Under the 1960 constitution and subsequent constitutions, Nigeria was to practice a Federal System of Government which implies that all governmental powers are to be shared between the central government and the component units. Thus, one Nigeria was born under a federal system. But from 1960 when Nigeria gained her independence till date, it is evident that one section of the country (North) is heavily dominating the rest. Thus this paper seeks to answer the questions bordering on the following; is Nigeria really one? Is Nigeria actually practicing federalism? Is the north actually dominating the rest of the country? What are the evidences to show the dominance of the north against the rest of the country? What is to be done to ensure that equity is achieved in Nigeria? Methodologically, the paper adopts the historical investigative method. Data for this paper was from both primary and secondary sources. The paper found that Nigeria is one in theory but in practice is heavily divided with most of the section marginalized. It therefore suggests true federalism as a panacea to the problem of Northern domination against the rest of Nigeria. Keywords: Nigeria, Amalgamation, Federalism, Domination, Restructuring. Introduction The lowering of the British Union Jack and the mounting of the Green and White flag which symbolizes the independence of Nigeria from her colonial overlord was greeted with such enthusiasm like that of an apprentice who served out his master with high hopes of becoming his own master. The British through lord Lugard had on 1914 amalgamated the northern and southern protectorate made up of different ethnic groups and gave it the name Nigeria by Flora Shaw, a British journalist who was later to become the wife of lord Lugard. With the birth IGWEBUIKE: An African Journal of Arts and Humanities. Vol. 7. No. 4. (2021) ISSN: 2488- 9210 (Print) 2504-9038 (Online) Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Tansian University, Umunya 216 of Nigeria in 1914, Nigeria became the official property of the British until October 1, 1960 when they handed the reins of power to Nigerians in a parliamentary system of government in which the Queen of England was represented by the President, in the person of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe. Nigeria was looking forward to feeling the great joy that India felt in 1948, or perhaps the joy that Ghana must have felt in 1957, when they eventually laid off the British apron string which tied them to their then colonial master, (Achebe, 2012). But it was unfortunate that unlike India or Ghana, Nigeria had no idea of where she was going or even how to get there because the union in which they are about to enter had no solid foundation as was the case of India and Ghana. The British had lured the different ethnic groups into a forced union for their own selfish interest. Perhaps to use the riches of the south to develop the north and get the best of its resources for onward repatriation to their home country. The amalgamation negated the saying that two cannot work unless they agree. Thus the north and south had nothing in common. They have different cultures, language, religion, educational abilities as well cordial human relations with one another. Soon after independence, the two separate but now married regions began to sow seeds of discord among themselves resulting in ethnic, tribal and religious competition for resource control in the country. Prominent among the crisis was the Kano riot of 1953, Census crises of 1962-1963 and the Electoral crisis of 1964, (Anyaele, 2003). These crisis was mainly ethnic in nature as different ethnic groups try to consolidate and retain the state power which is a vital tool for any region or state to survive. According to Mbalisi and Okeke (2020), the fusion of northern and southern Nigeria in 1914, under British colonial rule laid the foundation for ethnic based politics in Nigeria. This is so because even before and after independence, the leaders of the different ethnic groups developed ethnic consciousness in their dealings among other ethnic groups. For instance, political parties were formed along ethnic lines. The Northern People’s Congress (NPC) was formed in 1951 which metamorphosed from the Northerner’s Cultural Organization known as Jam’iyyar Mutanen Arewa (Anyaele, 2003). It had absolute political control in the north and had automatic northerner’s allegiance with a strong tradition of obedience to Islam and support for traditional rulers. The Action Group was formed in March 1951 through the conversion of the Egbe Omo Oduduwa - a Yoruba Cultural Organization. The party was a Yoruba oriented party with its leaders and executive officers from the west and also IGWEBUIKE: An African Journal of Arts and Humanities. Vol. 7. No. 4. (2021) ISSN: 2488- 9210 (Print) 2504-9038 (Online) Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Tansian University, Umunya 217 located in the west. Other minor political parties were also formed along ethnic lines which deepened ethnic consciousness and rivalry in Nigeria. Such parties include the United Middle Belt Congress (UMBC), the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU) and the Niger Delta Congress (NDC) (Ojiakor, 2021). Again, all the recorded military coups and counter coups in Nigeria was done along ethnic lines starting from the first to the last with the north having the highest coup plotters and executors all in a bid to maintain the dominance of the entity called Nigeria. This was in furtherance of their belief that they were born to rule not minding their lack of exposure to modern way of life and the development of human resources as they have the least number of educated elites and with the philosophy that western education is a taboo as envisaged by the Boko Haram sect, (Allison, 2020). This paper seeks to address the question of whether Nigeria as a country is really one as always acclaimed by our leaders who address it as one Nigeria. It will appraise the relevant areas that show Nigeria is not one in reality because of the tendencies of the northerners resolve to dominate the rest of Nigeria. Historical Evolution of the Nigerian State, 1914-1960 Nigeria officially came into being in 1914 when lord Lugard amalgamated the northern and southern protectorate into one entity, (Ojiakor, 2001). The economic motive of the amalgamation was to create a big trading empire for the purpose of sourcing raw materials for and markets for the British industrialized goods. In order to achieve this, it became necessary for the British to allow separate development of Nigeria economically, socially, culturally and religiously. Therefore, this informed the British introduction of the divide and rule approach in colonial Nigeria. The political development of Nigeria was characterized by many problems such as ethnicism, corruption, constant drifting apart of various peoples of Nigeria, hatred of which the climax was the military takeover and the resultant civil war. It was the British secretary of state for colonies, James Harcourt who presented a proposal to the British House of Commons to merge the southern and northern protectorate. According to Tamuno quoted in Ojiakor (2001) The protectorate of northern Nigeria proved a relatively poor neighbour without direct access to the sea, with large area and population, with costly IGWEBUIKE: An African Journal of Arts and Humanities. Vol. 7. No. 4. (2021) ISSN: 2488- 9210 (Print) 2504-9038 (Online) Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Tansian University, Umunya 218 railway construction, the protectorate of northern Nigeria experienced serious financial difficulties only slightly relieved by the annual grant in aid from her imperial treasure This proposal finally gave birth to what is called Nigeria today with the attendant consequences of using the riches of the south to develop the north. Although, this proposal was rejected by Sir Ralph Moore who saw no reason why the riches of the south should be used to develop the north, it was approved on Ist January 1914, apparently because Britain did not want any financial commitment to the development of Nigeria. Lugard was appointed its first Governor General. Nigeria’s constitutional development and movements to independence could be traced to 1922 with the introduction of elective principle by the Clifford constitution which gave birth to the development of first political party in Nigeria in 1923, the Nigeria National Democratic Party, (NNDP). The constitution was a landmark in the constitutional development of Nigeria. The elective principle which it introduced was the first of its kind in the whole of tropical Africa. The constitution promised more rapid progress towards self- government for Nigeria. But the constitution has one major defect. It was for the southern protectorate alone. The north continued to be administered by proclamation from the governor. Europeans and other business representatives from the north were in the Legislative and Executive councils and thus spoke for the north on matters of financial policy, (Onwudufor, 2017). The Hugh Clifford constitution of 1922 increased political agitations in Nigeria. Several newspapers also appeared such as the Lagos weekly records and the Lagos daily news which helped to create more consciousness on Nigerians. The formation of the National Council for Nigeria and the Cameroon in 1944 gave more impetus to the struggle. It was led by Sir Herbert Macaulay with Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe as secretary. Its views were propagated by the West Africa pilot. By means of these media, Nigerian nationalists agitated against British misrule and lack of constitutional progress as promised by Clifford constitution in the last 20 years. These agitations therefore gave rise to the Richards constitution of 1946 which was another milestone to the achievement of the independence of Nigeria (Falola, 2003). In 1948, the British colonial administration in Nigeria at the instigation of the British government took a number of measures to address several of the nationalist grievances. This included the revision of the much hated Richards IGWEBUIKE: An African Journal of Arts and Humanities. Vol. 7. No. 4. (2021) ISSN: 2488- 9210 (Print) 2504-9038 (Online) Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Tansian University, Umunya 219 constitution, acceleration of the Africanization/ Nigerianization of the civil service, rapid and substantial democratization of from the native authority system and the extension of facilities for higher education. The year 1948 was significant in two ways. First, there was political reforms as demanded by the nationalists since 1945, (Falola, 2003). Secondly, an important segment of Nigeria’s population previously inactive or opposed to the ideas and methods of National Congress for Nigeria and the Cameroon (NCNC) became increasingly articulate and started to agitate, though along different lines for the same self- government. In 1951, for reasons of expediency, the NCNC, also opted for regionalism which was earlier favoured by most educated elites of western and northern origin. This resulted in the establishment of Houses of assembly in the regions and in the federal parliament in Lagos. Between 1954 and 1957, the country witnessed yet another important political development. These developments were the holding of election into the House of Representatives and the attainment of self- government by western and eastern regions of Nigeria. The Western and Eastern government of Nigeria were to attain full self-government in 1957. At the last major constitutional conference of 1957, the North opted for self-government in 1959. At the conference a ‘national government’ under the leadership of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was established. On January 14, 1960, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa moved the independence motion which was unanimously passed. On October 1, 1960, a united Nigeria became an independent sovereign nation within the Commonwealth. When it became independent in 1960, Nigeria comprised of three autonomous regions of varying sizes. But in August 1963, the Mid-West region was carved out of western Nigeria. Thus Nigeria became a Federation with four regions. Nigeria and the Practice of Federalism Federalism is a system of government in which all governmental powers are shared between the centre and the component regions i.e. the state and local government. Federalism in Nigeria is a product of the colonial administration. The Richards Constitution of 1946 provided the ground work for the take-off of the federal constitution. But it was the Lyttleton constitution of October 1954 that introduced real federalism in Nigeria which was made up of three regions of north, west and east. In 1963 the mid-west region was created making it a federation of four regions. The aim of this federation was to carter for the diverse IGWEBUIKE: An African Journal of Arts and Humanities. Vol. 7. No. 4. (2021) ISSN: 2488- 9210 (Print) 2504-9038 (Online) Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Tansian University, Umunya 220 elements that made up the Nigerian nation and to protect the interest of the minority (Anyaele, 2003). On 29th May 1967, under the administration of General Gowon, the four (4) existing regions were subdivided into twelve (12) states with powers and functions similar to those of the regions. This was an attempt to weaken the administrative area of Lt. Col. Odumegwu Ojukwu, the then governor of Eastern Nigeria, and to prevent him from seceding from the federation with the whole region. The four regions were restructured into twelve states with the former Northern region having six, the Eastern region having three, the Mid-West having one, the Western region having one, and the old Lagos colony with some parts of the Western region making up a state. A military government headed each state with the exception of the East Central State with a civilian administrator. The General Murtala Muhammad regime created additional seven states on 3rd February 1976 making a total of nineteen states. In 1987, the Babangida administration created two more states and in 1991, under the same administration, nine more states were created, bringing the number of states to thirty, with Abuja as the Federal Capital Territory. The Abacha regime finally created six additional states on 1st October 1996 to bring the total number of states to thirty-six which it presently enjoys. The replacement of the regions with states hijacked the regional status of Nigerian federalism and made it a kind of Federal-Unitary state with the federal government controlling almost everything in the country as against the provision of a regional government which stipulates that different regions control its resources. To this end the federal government controls the affairs and resources of the thirty-six states which formally gave the federal government the right to use the resources of one region to develop other regions while neglecting the affairs of the regions which owns the resources. This implies that Nigeria is not practicing federal system of government. The North and the Rest of Us: An Appraisal This section seeks to appraise the unequal relationship of the north with the rest of the regions that made up Nigeria. The north which comprised the Hausa/Fulani extraction since independence has been lording it over all other sections of the country despite their educationally disadvantaged status in the polity. The north has the highest number of non-educated persons, highest IGWEBUIKE: An African Journal of Arts and Humanities. Vol. 7. No. 4. (2021) ISSN: 2488- 9210 (Print) 2504-9038 (Online) Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Tansian University, Umunya 221 number of out of school children, uneducated women because of their Pudah status (Chukwuokpala, 2020) as well as people with disabilities. How this low profile status of the north improved to be the ones controlling the affairs of Nigeria is unimaginable. It was because of this low status of the north and the fear by the northern leaders that they may be dominated by south that delayed the attainment of independence of Nigeria (Falola, 2003). But from 1960 when Nigeria achieved her independence, the north had devised means and strategies through which they manipulated and control the rest of the country against the stipulations of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Because of their land mass, they claim the highest population in the country even when they population is only measured in quantity without quality. From independence till date, the north had produced the highest number of presidents both military and civilian as against the true nature of federalism which should have been rotational so that all sections of the country would have a taste of the national leadership as is found in a federation. For instance, out of the fourteen presidents of Nigeria (civilian and military), the north had ten while the rest had four. (www.google.com). Thus, the north had made marginalization of the rest of the sections of the country an instrument to weaken them and maintain absolute supremacy over them. Let us examine the regimes and administrations of northern leaders and how they have clearly allocated everything that belong to Nigeria to themselves that informed our decision to title this article the north and the rest of us. First, in Nigeria’s 60 years of existence, the north has presented ten leaders at the top made up of six military men and three civilians. This is not because of their excellent leadership abilities and good performance but because of their burning desire to be at the top and dominate the affairs of the country. In fact, from records of presidential administrations by leaders of northern (Fulani) extraction with the exception of late Umaru Musa Yar’dua, the northern leadership in Nigeria is adjudged the worst since the independence of Nigeria with the current administration of General Muhammadu Buhari as a template, (Igwe, 2020). It is equally true that all the Nigerian leaders so far have performed beyond expectation, but that of the north is absolutely worrisome. Nigeria is a secular state with major religions as Christianity, Islam and the African Traditional Religion. But the north has constantly tried to make Islam the official religion of the country and this happened during the leadership of a northern extraction. Aitah (2020) writes that Nigeria joined the Organisation of IGWEBUIKE: An African Journal of Arts and Humanities. Vol. 7. No. 4. (2021) ISSN: 2488- 9210 (Print) 2504-9038 (Online) Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Tansian University, Umunya 222 Islamic Cooperation in 1986 under the leadership of General Ibrahim Babangida. This was to make Nigeria an Islamic country. What a foolishness? His action was in solidarity with his northern kinsman, General Buhari. Buhari had in 1983, when he was the Nigerian military head of state diplomatically wishes to promote Nigeria membership of the conference by writing to the Nigerian foreign affairs ministry under Ibrahim Gambari who ostensibly advised against the move since Nigeria is a secular state according to the 1979 constitution, (Aitah,2020). But the intentions of the Buhari regime concerning Nigeria’s full membership in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation never materialized as he was removed from office by General Ibrahim Babangida on August 27, 1985. The above analyses show how the northern leaders were hell- bent on making Nigeria an Islamic state despite the secular nature of the country and its constitutional provisions. Thus the north is in the business of making Nigeria a northern property. Second, the north favoured the introduction of Sharia law in Nigeria’s legal system which was not originally supported by the Nigerian constitution. In October 27 1999, the then governor of the northern state of Zamfara, Ahmed Sani, introduced Sharia for criminal law in the state. The Sharia Establishment Law was introduced in Zamfara State on October 27, 1999, and came into force on January 27, 2000. The introduction of Sharia in Zamfara State attracted a huge amount of attention, and Ahmed Sani became the self-appointed champion of Sharia in Nigeria (human rights watch, 2004). The controversies raised by this singular action raised the suspicion of what the north want to achieve with the Sharia law because after the introduction of Sharia in Zamfara state, other states in the north followed suit. Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Sokoto and Yobe adopted the Sharia in their states’ legal system. These twelve states are so far the only states in Nigeria where Sharia courts have the jurisdiction to try criminal cases. The primary concern about the introduction of the Sharia law is because, the states mentioned above comprised Muslim and Christians alike. Thus adopting the law of the north by the north in Nigeria means subjecting the while section of Nigeria to northern domination. The leadership of the Umaru Musa Yaradua, though acclaimed the best among his kinsmen was no better in his political appointment and the sharing of the national cake cum commonwealth. Otherwise how can you explain that notable ministries in the Federal Service including Petroleum Resources, Justice, IGWEBUIKE: An African Journal of Arts and Humanities. Vol. 7. No. 4. (2021) ISSN: 2488- 9210 (Print) 2504-9038 (Online) Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Tansian University, Umunya 223 Agriculture, Water Resources, Finance, Works and Housing, National Planning, Federal Capital Territory, Defence, amongst others are in the hands of the north. During his era, Minister of Agriculture Alhaji Abba Ruma is from Katsina state. The Minister of Federal Capital territory (FCT) Adamu Aliero is from Kebbi state. The Finance Minister, Dr Mansur Mukhtar, is from Kano state; Minister for National Planning, Shamsudeen Usman, also hails from Kano; National Security Adviser, Major Gen- Abdullahi Sarki Mukhtar (rtd.), Kano; Chief of Army Staff, Gen Dambazau,is from Kano state; Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Governor of Central Bank also hails from Kano. (Alazua, 2009) The Chief Economic Adviser to the President, Alhaji Taminu Yakubu is from Katsina. Again, in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the same lopsided arrangement also played out. For the avoidance of doubt, the Petroleum Minister, Dr Rilwanu Lukman hails from Kaduna state, the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Sanusi Barkindo hails from Adamawa state. The Director General of the National Petroleum Directorate, Alhaji Bello Gusau hails from Zamfara. The Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Mustapha Rabe Darma hails from Katsina. This is unfortunate for it seems the country is a northern country. Going by this appointment, it revealed that nobody from the south has ever been appointed Executive Secretary of PTDF; nobody from the south has ever been appointed Agriculture Minister; no southerner has equally tested the Ministry of Water Resources as a substantive minister, and nobody from the south has been appointed the FCT Minister since its creation. But that was just the beginning as the president of Muhammadu Buhari is to confirm the northernization agenda of Nigeria as is been justified by his appointments, developmental projects and security appointments/strategies and deployments. In 2015, Major General Muhammadu Buhari was elected the president of Nigeria. His election was as a result of what people believe about him ‘a man of integrity’, but they easily forgot that a Leopard can never change its skin. The north has one agenda which every northern leader pledges to uphold; the Islamization/Northernization of Nigeria. The first political appointment of the president left much to be desired. The rule of law was undermined; the federal character status of Nigeria was relegated to the background while glorifying northern supremacy over the rest of Nigeria. Premium times, The Guarding recorded that Buhari approved the appointment of the following as Service Chiefs of the federation. Major-General Abayomi Gabriel Olonishakin – Chief of Defence Staff is from Ekiti State. Major-General T.Y. Buratai – Chief of Army IGWEBUIKE: An African Journal of Arts and Humanities. Vol. 7. No. 4. (2021) ISSN: 2488- 9210 (Print) 2504-9038 (Online) Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Tansian University, Umunya 224 Staff comes from Borno State, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwes Ibas – Chief of Naval Staff, from Cross River state, Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar – Chief of Air Staff, hails from Bauchi state, Air Vice Marshal Monday Riku Morgan – Chief of Defence Intelligence, hails from Benue state, while Major-General Babagana Monguno (rtd.) – National Security Adviser is from Borno state, (The Guardian, July 2015). From the above, we can clearly see that the north had the lion’s share of the appointment as out of the six appointments, only the north had four (4) slots, South west, one, the South south had one while the south east had nothing. Where is the federal character in practice here? Where is the presence of one Nigeria? As if that was not enough for public outcry, below was his appoint of other security chiefs; the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Kpotun Idris was from the north, L. M Daura was appointed the Director General of the State Security Service replacing Ita Ekpeyong of South South extraction. The head of immigration was David Paradang from the north, the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Abdullahi Gana Mohammadu hails from the north, the Controller general of the Nigerian Customs Hameed Ali is also from the north, the director of fire service is from the north, the head of national emergency management agency (NEMA) is from the north. The chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) also comes from the north. It was only the Director of National Intelligence Agency and Federal Road Safety Corps that is from the South West (Saturday Punch, July 2016). What happens to the south south and south east? A breakdown of the following appoints revealed that out of the ten appointments, eight is from the north while only two is from the ‘Rest of Us’. It beats one’s imagination that in a country with different ethnic nationalities, languages, culture and orientation that only one group of people dominates the National Security Council which determines the safety, security and otherwise of the entire nation. This indeed is an aberration to democratic norms which Nigeria claims to be practicing. The constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria provides for the federal character commission which guides all federal appointment in the country. Thus all the states, tribes and regions are to be duly and equally represented in any federal appointment in the country, recruitment and distribution of both infrastructure and social amenities. It is surprising that the President who has been trumpeting constitutionality and the rule of law mantra could brazenly subvert without a sense of guilt the very Constitution he implored Nigerians to abide by. Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution clearly IGWEBUIKE: An African Journal of Arts and Humanities. Vol. 7. No. 4. (2021) ISSN: 2488- 9210 (Print) 2504-9038 (Online) Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Tansian University, Umunya 225 affirmed that appointments from the same state and ethnic group in a particular federal agency is a breach of the law of the land. In November 2015, Buhari approved the appointment of thirty high court judges distributed as follows; north 16, south west 4, south east 3 and south south 7 (Premium times, November 28, 2015). When did the north suddenly become educationally advantaged than the rest of us? It could be recalled that just before the general election of 2019, that the president removed the chief justice of the federation, Justice Walter Onnoghen with flimsy allegation and back by his northern apologist and replaced him with Justice Tanko Mohammed from the north. His decision was informed by his greed to perpetuate his stay in government despite his incompetence in the business of governance. The North, Boko Haram, Fulani herdsmen and the Rest of Us The Northernization/Islamization of Nigeria was to be carried out by Boko haram terrorist and killer herdsmen activities. In 2002, a northerner, Mohammed Yusuf, conceived the boko haram sect which is also known as Jamā'at Ahl as- Sunnah lid-Da'wah wa'l-Jihād. The group has since 2009 unleashed unprecedented terror on Nigerians through massive attacks on churches, mosques, markets and parks and killing thousands of people and destroying properties worth of billions. Abduction and kidnapping is also another strategy used by the sect to unleash mayhem on the Nigerian populace. Meanwhile, the term Boko Haram,” is derived from a combination of the Hausa word, boko which means (book), and the Arabic word, haram (forbidden). Thus, Boko Haram means “Western education is forbidden” (Agbiboa, 2013). However, since 2009, the Boko Haram sect based in the north east Nigeria, has been responsible for more violence than any other armed group in Nigeria. Bombing both military facilities and other installations and kidnapping people at will. In April 2014, a total of 276 students of Chibok in Borno state was abducted from their school (Abubakar, December 30 2020). Some escaped from their custody while some is still held by the boko haram sect. On December 25, 2011 boko haram bombed St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla killing at least 43 people—the highest death toll in a single church bombing (HRW, 2012). Again, the nation’s capital, Abuja, witnessed several Boko Haram bombings, including attacks on the United Nations building on August 25, 2011 and This Day newspaper offices on April 26, 2012. Boko Haram jihadists believed to be from the IS-supported faction loyal to Abu Mus’ab Al-Barnawi IGWEBUIKE: An African Journal of Arts and Humanities. Vol. 7. No. 4. (2021) ISSN: 2488- 9210 (Print) 2504-9038 (Online) Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Tansian University, Umunya 226 attacked three military bases in northeast Nigeria, destroying one military base and killing a soldier, according to the military and vigilantes, (Vanguard, 2017). In the face of all these attacks, the Federal Government led by a northerner had never taken any decisive decision on how to end the menace of the Boko Haram sect simply because according to them an attack against Boko Haram is attack on the north (All Africa news, June, 2013). The implication of the statement is that Boko Haram should be allowed to operate. The Fulani herdsmen of the same northern extraction descended massively on farmers destroying their farms and killing anyone who dare to challenge them. They were seen carrying arms prohibited by the government and the same government came out to say that the herders carry arms to protect themselves. This was in the words of Bauchi state Governor Bala Mohammed (Oyeleke, 2021). They are notorious for attacking poor farmers from trying to protect their farms. Sundry examples abound on the Fulani herdsmen attack on communities who try to stop them from destroying their farm. We shall use some communities in all the all the six geopolitical zones to buttress our examples. On February 2016, no fewer than 7,000 persons were displaced in the wake of a crisis between Fulani herdsmen and Agatu farmers of Benue State. The displaced persons who were sacked from Okokolo, Akwu, Ocholonya, Adagbo, Ugboku and Aila by the rampaging herdsmen were camped at the Ochi Idoma square in Otukpo, Ugbokpo, Adoka, Ojantele, Ikobi and other neighbouring communities. (Duru, 2016) In a related development, a middle-aged woman Mrs. Grace Zeku was attacked by suspected armed herdsmen who chopped off her left arm at Gboogyo village in Guma local government area of the state, (Duru, 2019). Vanguard reported in Enugu state, that on April 2016, about 40 persons were killed by some Fulani herdsmen at Nimbo in Uzo- Uwani Local Government Area of the State. About seven villages in Nimbo (Nimbo Ngwoko, Ugwuijoro, Ekwuru, Ebor, Enugu Nimbo, Umuome and Ugwuachara) were among the areas attacked. Ten residential houses and a church, Christ Holy Church International were also burnt by the herdsmen just as vehicles and motorcycles were destroyed and domestic animals killed, (Vanguard April, 2016). In Abia state, a community in Arochukwu council of was invaded and attacked by Fulani herdsmen, and another community, Ozu Item in Bende council was again attacked three weeks afterwards with scores of farmers sustaining life threatening injuries. IGWEBUIKE: An African Journal of Arts and Humanities. Vol. 7. No. 4. (2021) ISSN: 2488- 9210 (Print) 2504-9038 (Online) Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Tansian University, Umunya 227 In Benin, herdsmen raped a woman and beat her husband to a pulp, at a farm in Ubuneke-Ivbiaro, Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State. Husband of the rape victim, Umoru Agunu, confirmed that armed herdsmen, numbering six, invaded his farm at about 10.30am beat him up and raped his wife. (Vanguard, May 17, 2017). In Ikoyi-Ile in Orire Local Government area of Oyo State, farmers were alleged attacked by Fulani herders. They also cut off the hand of one of the workers and destroyed their farm produce. Another farmer was attacked with machete and two minors were also raped, (Ajayi, August 6, 2020) In all these attacks, the federal government had done nothing to stop its re- occurrence and that is why it keeps repeating every month and every year. The federal government may claim to have been doing something about it but they were only paying lip services to dowse tension from unsuspecting Nigerians. If we are one Nigeria, then the government should do something to protect the life and property of all Nigerians instead of treating some like sacred cows. In the recent past, the federal government declared the non-violent, armless and course fighting independent peoples of Biafra a terrorist group while granting amnesty to boko haram sect and Fulani herdsmen whom the international community classified as the third terrorist groups in the world. This is simply because the IPOBS are not from the north and are not Muslims. If the IPOBS had come from the Fulani extraction, will the federal government treat them the same way as they are doing to the eastern agitators who are fight a just cause. What cause is the Boko haram and Fulani herdsmen fighting? The above assertion is support by a statement credited to the federal government when they insisted that Fulani herdsmen would be treated with deodorant, while the IPOBS will be treated with insecticide. According to the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, "IPOB is a threat to Nigeria's unity and we the federal executive must crush them and their activities by fire by thunder. So we beg true Nigerians to provide our security agencies with IPOB's information/plans/activities for proper action to be taken immediately!" But when asked about Fulani herdsmen killings, he had this to say; “I plead to Nigerians, don’t retaliate Fulani herdsmen killings, pray for them instead; just as we the Federal Executive are praying hard now" (www.nairaland.com). What an injustice coming from one who is supposed to make peace and reconcile all aggrieved sections of the society as a solution to the problem plaguing the country. IGWEBUIKE: An African Journal of Arts and Humanities. Vol. 7. No. 4. (2021) ISSN: 2488- 9210 (Print) 2504-9038 (Online) Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Tansian University, Umunya 228 Concluding Reflections The Federal Republic of Nigeria as enshrined in the 1963 republican constitution is only in theory than in practice since the creation of twelve state by General Gowon. From henceforth, the federal government seem to have taking the place of the regions in practical terms while the regions operate only in theory. A federal structure entails that the regions have their own powers and maintain their own separate administration while maintaining close tie with the central government. In a federal system, the regions share governmental powers with the federal government among other things. In Nigeria, the federal government is the custodian of all powers. They control all security apparatus such as the Army, the Police, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Immigration service. But since the northern Fulani have been in the helm of power, the federal government have hijacked all the government apparatus with which they use to intimidate the rest of the regions in Nigeria. This is simply because of their agenda to dominate the rest of the country. The northern leaders don’t believe in the leadership of any other tribe in Nigeria that is why they do everything to remain in power. They therefore ensure that all strategic positions in the country are controlled by their northern kinsmen as was recorded above. They clamour for one Nigeria because they are using the riches of the south to develop the north knowing fully well that the north offers nothing. If the country is really one, the federal government should be fair in dealing with all sectors of the country and ensure equity in the distribution of all resources and amenities. For instance, the ongoing construction of rail way has not found its way into the east while the north and some parts of the west had as many railways as possible even ones constructed to connect the north to its Niger counterpart. The federal government controlled by the north is clearly dominating the rest of the country and they knew it. It is the position of this paper that Nigeria is not practicing federalism of any sort. Therefore, we recommend that for the term one Nigeria to reflect its meaning, the following must be considered by the federal government, otherwise one Nigeria will remain a paradox. First, the constitution must be altered to ensure that true federalism is practiced, so that the regions that made up the federation have a sense of belonging and IGWEBUIKE: An African Journal of Arts and Humanities. Vol. 7. No. 4. (2021) ISSN: 2488- 9210 (Print) 2504-9038 (Online) Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Tansian University, Umunya 229 develop at their own pace. In this way, the whole region will control its resources and end marginalization of the federal government against the regions. Second, the constitution must be revisited to include rotational presidency so that each region will be allowed to produce the president when it is their turn. This way, domination of one section of the country (the north) against others will be a thing of the past as each section should know that whatever evil meted against one section should be remembered against them when they assume the leadership of the country. 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