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Suitable constitution II
Sunday, 01 January 2012
(Continued from last week)
TIV and Wukari Divisions. Population -1.5 millions. (Tiv National Group.)
7) Old Brass, Degema, and Western Ijaw Divisions, Population -0.9 million. (Ijaw National Group.)
(8) Old Benin and Ishan Divisions, plus Menmai Division excluding Akoko Edo District Council Area. Population - 0.9 million. (Edo National Group.)
(9) Old Urhobo Division. Population -0.6 million. (Urhobo National Group.)
(10) Bida, Kwara, and Lafiagi-Pategi Divisions. Population 0.6 million. (Nupe National Group.)
After all this has been done, we are left with about II million Nigerians, spread over 41 linguistic groups, who have to be organized into constituent states. In tackling this problem the following important factors must be borne in mind.
ONE: In doing the grouping exercise, we must not make the mistake of bringing any of the minor linguistic groups into the same constituent state as any of the major ones. Vis-a-vis the majority national groups, the minority nations have fears - real or imaginary - which can only be allayed by making it possible for the latter to live apart from the former in separate states. In this connection, we must remember that countries like the U.S.S.R., Yugoslavia, and Britain, which recognise minorities, and make suitable constitutional arrangements to allay their fears, are reasonably free from the political troubles which usually emanate from this source. But countries like Iraq and Ceylon which have tried to ignore the existence of minority linguistic groups have been incessantly plagued with violence involving considerable loss of lives and property.
TWO: Though it sounds superfluous, yet the point must be made that all the national groups being brought together must be territorially contiguous. Contiguity is used here in contrast to the Pakistani model wherein two parts of the same state are separated from each other by a vast expanse of alien territory. This must not be permitted in this exercise.
THREE: Every linguistic group should be made to remain as an undivided unit in anyone constituent state. In other words, no linguistic group should be divided into two or more constituent states. FOUR: The linguistic groups being brought together must be large enough in population to be administratively viable; but must not be too large territorially to necessitate extensive travelling on the part of the functionaries of the resultant state.
With these considerations in mind, we propose the following seven groupmgs:
(11) Old Adamawa, Biu, Muri, and Numan Divisions. Population - 2.7 millions.
(12) Bauchi Province and Potiskum Division. Population 2.7 millions.
(13) Plateau Province, Southern (i.e. non-Hausa speaking) portion of Zaria Province, Akwanga, Lafia, Keffi, and Nasarawa Divisions. Population - 2.6 millions.
(14) Idoma, Igala, and Igbirra Divisions. Population -1.5 millions.
(15) Abuja, Borgu, Kontagora, and Minna Divisions. Population - I million.
(16) Old Ahoada and Ogoni Divisions, together with the municipality of Port-Harcourt. Population -0.8 million.
(17) Old Ikom, Obubra, and Ogoja Divisions. Population 0.6.million.
At this stage, we would like to make two comments. In the first place, as long as the four factors mentioned above are observed, there is nothing rigid or sacrosanct about the grouping of the minority nations in Northern Nigeria into five constituent States. Any other intelligent combination will do just as well. In the second place, unless we desire to follow the Pakistani model, which we have rejected; or ignore the first of the four factors mentioned above, which would be most unwise; the only course open to us is to group the nine minority nations in Old Ahoada and Ogoni Divisions on the one hand, and Old Ikom, Obubra, and Ogoja Divisions on the other, into two separate constituent states.
It is very noticeable from the figures supplied on pages 236 and 237 that the estimated populations of the minority linguistic groups vary widely. It is, therefore, not impossible (though the feasibility is very remote) for two or more minority national groups to combine to lord it over the others in the constituent state to which they belong, unless there are provisions in the Constitution designed against such an eventuality. To this end, the following constitutional safeguards are proposed:
ONE: There should be provision in the Constitution to the effect that every linguistic group, however small, should have a minimum number of Seats, say two, in the State Legislature, in addition to its normal entitlement of representation based on population. By way of illustration, suppose a State with 10 linguistic units has a Legislature of 60 members. Twenty of these would go to the 10 linguistic units at the rate of two each. The remaining 40 would then be distributed among the 10 national groups on the basis of population, but so that every national group would have a share.
(To be continued)
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