By Joseph Edegbo
A 2- Day National Delegates Conference of the Coalition of Indigenous Middle Belt Organizations (CIMBO), holds in Kaduna, North West Nigeria from 30th – 31st August 2024, featuring a convergence of Over 100 delegates from over 400 indigenous ethnic Nationalities of the Middle Belt
It was earlier scheduled to have been held August 9th to 10th, but for the Nationwide #EndBadGovernance Protest.
Delegates to the Conference are to discuss and consolidate their demands under the theme: “Restructuring and Enactment of the Peoples Constitution, Panacea to Peace and Good Growth of the Nation.
A statement issued by the Chairman, Coalition Of Indigenous Middle Belt Organizations, Timothy B. Gwandu, said the Non actualisation of the 2014 Confab Report and promulgation of laws and policies detrimental to the people of the Middle Belt has necessitated the call for all middle belt indigenous ethnic organisations to meet and reinforce their stand in Nigeria.
Principal amongst the issues to be discussed at the Conference, according to the statement, include the need to:
(1) Maintain our identity
(2) Have control of our ethnic lands, heritage and resources.
(3) Remove our ethnic groups from internal oppression, suppression and colonialism.
(4) To be part of the Nigerian Federation and to benefit equally and equitably like all other groups in the Nation.
(5) To support and reinforce all positive actions of Middle Belt Organizations, like the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Conference of Autochthonous Ethnic Nationalities Community Development Associations (CONAECDA), Kwararafa People’s Assembly (KPA)
Gwandu, in the statement, emphasized that CIMBO was birthed in 2023 after the Coalition of Ethnic Nationalities in Nigeria, CIEN advised that Indigenous Ethnic Nationalities across the nation meet in their respective bloc and come up with their positions on the restructuring of Nigeria.
CIMBO, the statement explains, is therefore of the strong view that Nigeria has an imposed Constitution on its populace, and has not given recognition to the minorities in consonance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of persons belonging to National, Ethnic, Religion and Linguistic minorities.
‘We shall through peaceful, but in diligent and persistent manner ensure that the goals set out by us are achieved. We shall meet with other indigenous ethnic nationalities in the country to put forward the demand to restructure Nigeria before 2027, to give room for the participation of the Middle Belt indigenous ethnic nationalities as equal partners in the Nigeria Federation”, the statement concludes.
HEREUNDER FULL TEXT OF THE PRESS RELEASE
PRE-CONFERENCE PRESS RELEASE BY COALITION OF INDIGENOUS MIDDLE BELT ORGANIZATIONS (CIMBO)
The Coalition of Indigenous Middle Belt Organizations (CIMBO) is hosting a National Delegates Conference on the 30th and 31st August 2024 in Kaduna, to discuss and consolidate on their demands under the theme: “Restructuring and Enactment of the Peoples Constitution, Panacea to Peace and Good Growth of the Nation”
The birth of CIMBO in 2023 became necessary after the Coalition of Indigenous Ethnic Nationalities in Nigeria (CIEN), advised that Indigenous Ethnic Nationalities across the Nation meet in their respective blocs and come up with their positions on the Restructuring of Nigeria.
CIMBO is of the strong view that Nigeria has an imposed Constitution on its populace, that has not given recognition to the minorities in consonance with the United Nation declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities (1992) and the United Nation Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007), and this includes the people of the Middle Belt of Nigeria, who have over 400 ethnic groups with a population estimated at over 44 million as at 2016.
The 2014 National Conference (2014 Confab) Report recommended the creation of more states and eight (8) geopolitical zones in Nigeria, with the Middle Belt having three (3) zones, given its land size and population, ie, Middle Belt-East, Middle Belt-Central and Middle Belt West.
The non- actualization of the 2014 Confab Report, the promulgation of laws and policies detrimental to the people of the Middle Belt has necessitated the call for all Middle Belt Indigenous Ethnic Organizations, to meet and reinforce their stand as a bloc in Nigeria.
Principal amongst the issues to be discussed at the meeting are the need to:
(1) Maintain our identity
(2) Have control of our ethnic lands, heritage and resources.
(3) Remove our ethnic groups from internal oppression, suppression and colonialism.
(4) To be part of the Nigerian Federation and to benefit equally and equitably like all other groups in the Nation.
(5) To support and reinforce all positive actions of Middle Belt Organizations, like the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Conference of Autochthonous Ethnic Nationalities Community Development Associations (CONAECDA), Kwararafa People’s Assembly (KPA) etc.
The meeting is attracting over 100 delegates, representative of the over 400 indigenous ethnic nationalities of the Middle Belt.
We shall through peaceful, but in diligent and persistent manner ensure that the goals set out by us are achieved. We shall meet with other indigenous ethnic nationalities in the country to put forward the demand to restructure Nigeria before 2027, to give room for the participation of the Middle Belt indigenous ethnic nationalities as equal partners in the Nigeria Federation.
Signed:
TIMOTHY B GANDU
Chairman, Coalition of Indigenous Middle Belt Organizations (CIMBO)