By Sunday Elijah
The Coalition of Indigenous Middle Belt Organizations (CIMBO), has called for the conduct of a referendum to see the emergence of a new Nigeria with a structure that will reflect the true composition of the country.
Chairman of CIMBO, Timothy Gandu, in a press conference in Kaduna on Monday, on the eve of Nigeria’s 64th Independence Anniversary, said, the Middle Belt region, often referred to as northern minorities wants to be identified with its own distinct identity.
According to him, the region does not want to continue in the present arrangement where a few from other region will take advantage of the system….
“We do not want to be North, West, East or South of Nigeria. We demand to be properly situated and known as the Middle Belt,” he said.
Mr. Gandu cited past efforts where attempts were made to create a distinct region for the Middle Belt, but were thwarted.
“The British in 1958, two years before the political independence of Nigeria, got “the Minorities Commission Report”, which was written with a view to granting the “Minorities” as the Middle-Belt was called, the right to have regions or a region of its own. It is on record that Dr. J.M. Muffet, the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) and the British government connived and denied the Middle-Belt a region separate from the North. In a similar vein in 1963, when the Mid-West region was created, once again, the Middle-Belt was denied a region. In 2014, the much-heralded National Conference recommended the creation of 8 States in the Middle-Belt. It is a matter of regret that this recommendation has not been acted upon,” he said.
“…. we demand that the 2014 National Conference report be activated. Our indigenous ethnic groups are tired of the mischief of being referred to as the “Minorities” of the North,” he said.
The CIMBO leader said, “We joyfully welcome and join the call for a new Constitution to be written for Nigeria, by all Nigerians. We reject and do not subscribe to the idea of the formula of Zonal representatives or selection by government for participation in the Constituent Assembly for the drafting of a new Constitution. We prefer referendum by all groups. We have shed enough innocent blood in 2 decades in Nigeria.”
Below is the full speech of the press conference.
Speech by Timothy B. Gandu the Chairman, Coalition of Indigenous Middlebelt Ethnic Organizations (CIMBO), Presented at a Press Conference on 30th September, 2024.
Dear Nigerians,
On the 31st of August 2024, the Coalition of Indigenous Middle Belt Organizations (CIMBO) issued a communiqué after its two-day conference on the 30th and 31st August 2024, which was attended by delegates representing over 400 ethnic groups in the Middle-Belt of Nigeria, cutting across Adamawa, Benue, Gombe, Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, Taraba and fringes of other Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Today being the 30th September, 2024, it is a few hours to Nigeria marking 64 years of independence from British colonial rule and not all Nigerians are excited about the occasion. While some Nigerians are marking the nation’s independence with fanfare, the ethnic groups of the Middle-Belt are groaning under the suffocating weight of internal domination, exploitation and marginalization derivable from the political structure called indirect rule that was left behind by the British.
The British in 1958, two years before the political independence of Nigeria, got “the Minorities Commission Report”, which was written with a view to granting the “Minorities” as the Middle-Belt was called, the right to have regions or a region of its own. It is on record that Dr. J.M. Muffet, the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) and the British government connived and denied the Middle-Belt a region separate from the North. In a similar vein in 1963, when the Mid-West region was created, once again, the Middle-Belt was denied a region. In 2014, the much-heralded National Conference recommended the creation of 8 States in the Middle-Belt. It is a matter of regret that this recommendation has not been acted upon.
With all that has been happening in the country, it is pertinent to ask a few questions. Is the Middle-Belt part of Northern Nigeria, and if it is, why is the region in the condition it is? Why has the Northern Nigeria political establishment been perennially opposed to the creation of a Middle-Belt region? By the same token, why was the Middle-Belt short changed in the creation of States during the military era and why is there very little appetite now for the creation of States in the region? Why must the Middle-Belt remain an integral part of the North? Who is benefiting from the continued lumping of the Middle-Belt with the North?
Let us spare a moment to further ask why the Middle-Belt has been treated so shabbily and unfairly in both pre-independent and independent Nigeria? The British claimed that the Middle-Belt people were “animists” and had no political structures of government, and thus was used as justification to subordinate them to the control of some feudal overlords and masters.
It can no longer be the case and certainly not tenable in the twenty first century for anyone to claim that the Middle-Belt lacks the political structures of government and governance. On the contrary, the Middle-Belt has the ability and capacity to have self-governing regions were this to be on offer as an option. Nevertheless, mindful of the fact that Nigeria is a federation with its underpinning political dynamics, justice would demand that the indigenous ethnic groups of the Middle-Belt be given greater voice and representation in the current political structure of the country. The suffocating hold of the internal “lords and masters” must be broken.
We should draw useful lessons from other countries. In 1956, India, a country that was at one time in its history under British Colonial rule, and composed of diverse ethnic and religious people just like Nigeria, took the decision to reorganize its state structure based on linguistic lines and cultural plurality that resulted in the creation of new Union Territories, Provinces and States. It is to be emphasized that since its attainment of independence in 1947, the boundaries of States in India keep changing year by year. Even this year 2024, changes have also occurred in the boundaries of State in India. The main reason for these changes is the need to maintain the linguistic groups/cultural plurality and also govern the large landmass and population with relative ease.
Why is the example of India relevant and worthy of emulation? India has a population of 1,450,935,791, whereas Nigeria’s estimated population is only 232,679,476. In terms of landmass, India is a territory of 3,287,590 square kilometers and Nigeria has a landmass of 923, 768 square kilometers. In other words, the population of India is six times more than Nigeria’s and also three and a half times bigger than Nigeria in comparison.
If India has been able to balance and manage its enormous population and landmass, why is it difficult for Nigeria to balance and manage its own population that pales in comparison to India?
The constitution of the USSR, established in 1922 gave the different republics, the freedom to disengage at any time they felt they wanted to. Gorbachev in 1985 brought Glasnost and Perestoika, which are “policies of maximum openness and freedom of information and the inadmissibility of hushing up”. It concerned itself with addressing economic restructuring, agitation by nationalities and political and systemic problems, from which 15 Republics were formed. Republics like Armenia, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Georgia, Latvia and Moldova to mention a few. These sovereign countries are smaller than Niger State in land size and population; and only Georgia is slightly more populous than Niger State.
It was possible for sovereign countries to emerge from the former USSR because the constitution was flexible. Closer home in Africa, the constitution of Ethiopia provides for secession by any region that desires to secede so long as the region can garner a threshold support from the other regions. With flexibility and better understanding, people can realize their aspirations without bloodshed or difficulties. The middle belt region people are at all times committed to unity and oneness of Nigeria. Why then in Nigeria, at 64, with over 40 million Nigerians occupying a land size approximately 360,641 square kilometers cannot have their cry acceded to? Who is benefiting at our expense?
On the occasion of the 64th anniversary of Nigeria’s independence, the Middle-Belt is calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, the National and State Assemblies to heed its cry for equity, fairness and justice. The voice of the Middle-Belt cannot and will not be drowned. Its people will continue to demand for redress. A tolerant people should not be taken for granted because they may not always be a peaceful people.
If India with a population six times that of Nigeria can manage its diversity and population, and if the USSR can craft a constitution where 15 Republics have successfully emerged as countries, with seats at the United Nations and other relevant international organizations, then we see no reason or justification for the refusal to tinker with the structure of Nigeria to give voice and representation to the people of the Middle-Belt. We are acutely aware however, that the failure and refusal to act is to satisfy the greed and desires of a tiny elite minority that is bent on perpetuating the internal domination and suppression of a significant group of people. By any account and standard, the Middle-Belt is one region, where you will find the grave of at least one soldier or victim in each family since the Burma, Congo, Nigerian Civil war, Boko Haram and now banditry crisis. The sacrifice of our heroes is enough for the cry of their kith and kin to be heard.
We do not want to be North, West, East or South of Nigeria. We demand to be properly situated and known as the Middle Belt. We are a Majority in our Minority, and we demand that the 2014 National Conference report be activated. Our indigenous ethnic groups are tired of the mischief of being referred to as the “Minorities” of the North.
We joyfully welcome and join the call for a new Constitution to be written for Nigeria, by all Nigerians. We reject and do not subscribe to the idea of the formula of Zonal representatives or selection by government for participation in the Constituent Assembly for the drafting of a new Constitution. We prefer referendum by all groups. We have shed enough innocent blood in 2 decades in Nigeria.
Mr. President, with your pedigree as a former NADECO chieftain and pro-democracy campaigner in Nigeria, you are now in power, and effectively the face of Nigeria’s democracy. Please open the door for true democracy to thrive in Nigeria. Release the Nigerian public into true democracy through the creation of States and writing of a new constitution. We are all creations from one God, with full equality, Moslem or Christian, Yoruba, Tiv, Igbo, Ijaw, Atyap, Bajju, Ham Idoma, Hausa or any other ethnic stock. Make the 64th independence anniversary of Nigeria to be a turning point in the country’s history. Create the conditions for Nigeria to be in word and deed, a peaceful and prosperous nation where no man is oppressed.
Others may argue against our request on the spurious grounds of viability of States to function. We vehemently disagree with this argument by looking at a few statistics. i.e Singapore on 730sq km, Qatar on 11,586sq km, Swaziland on 17,363km sq, Lesotho etc, all with populations below five million are thriving as countries. It is our firm belief that leadership with vision, driven by commitment, discipline, purpose, integrity and resilience will make a people succeed. The South Eastern states in Nigeria have started putting in place workable infrastructure to drive their economies, and the Middle-Belt wants to follow suit.
Mr. President, on behalf of the over 400 indigenous ethnic nationalities that are in the Middle Belt, with the estimated population of over forty million, we urge you to brave the storm and give this country a new lease of life from the stranglehold of a few, who have held this nation to ransom.
Mr. President, Sir, may we assure you of our unflinching commitment towards ensuring the activation of the 2014 National CONFAB Report that will see to the creation of more states, and writing a new constitution for the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Let it be known that we are totally opposed to the return to the four old regions of Nigeria. If regions must be created, the Middle Belt is requesting to have three regions of its own. Middle Belt West, Middle Belt Central and Middle Belt East. We are open to dialogue with other indigenous ethnic nationalities in Nigeria to craft out a system of governance that will free Nigeria from the hands of a few.
Sir, we are eagerly watching and waiting.
Thank you
