We Must Restore ‘Nigerianism’ Before It’s Too Late, Says German Based Activist

A Nigerian activist based in Germany, Mr Edward Nikagbatse-Oki, has called on the Federal and State Governments to enthroned what he dubbed as practice of ‘Nigerianism’ in every sector of the country.

He said that the country can become the envious and pride of the black race and the world if the leaders and common man (electorate) decide to embrace Nigerianism- which is love of country above self interest.

Mr. Nikagbatse-Oki, who said his organization, Friendship Is Peace International (FIPI), centered on promoting universal peace and friendship amongst humanity after its birth in Berlin, Germany in the 1980s, noted that Nigeria is standing on a precipice with cases of insecurity, corruption, tribalism, nepotism, jingoism and many more.

He said that only the practice of Nigerianism, an idea which he said runs the Ballot Box/The Common Man’s Revolution can save the country from not sliding into ethnic and tribal confrontations in nearest future.

Addressing newsmen at the NUJ Press Centre in Warri, Delta state on Monday, Mr. Nikagbatse-Oki, said that the ballot box revolution, which he also termed the “common man revolution” is tailored to correct the age-long oppression, cheating and deprivation of the common man (electorate) from enjoying the dividends of democracy in the country.

He however lamented that those born from 1^st of October, 1960 till date who ought to be the ‘New Nigerians’ and ‘True Nigerians’ including some governors, are among those trying to frustrate and sabotage the nation as one indivisible entity today.

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Mr. Nikagbatse-Oki, said that the nation’s founders who after living for 44 years (1914-1958) as Nigerians went to London to negotiate the independence of Nigeria, not otherwise at the constitutional conference, denounced their respective Hause/Fulani emirates, Igbo/Biafra, Yoruba/Oduduwa, Bini, Izon, Itsekiri/Iwere, Urhobo, Isoko, Ibibio, etc independencies and opted for one indivisible nation, Nigeria didn’t make any mistake.

“We must practice Nigerianism, shun ethnocentric, hate and inciting speeches and actions. There is no Christian Nigeria and there is no Muslim Nigeria. We must believe in one indivisible Nigeria and stop paying lip services to Nigeria. We must think Nigeria and develop this country for the good of the common man”, he said.

While displaying a “Nigerianism calendars for 2020 and 2021entitled: Nigeria In The 21st Century – Time for Ballot-Box Revolution”, the activist said that the calendar is packaged to enlighten the electorate on the power inherent in the ballot box ahead future general elections.

He said that Nigerians, practically referring to common man (electorates) must realize the power in the ballot box and use same to vote out ‘bad politicians’.

“Whether you are a Christian or Muslim, you are a common man. Restructure Nigeria anyhow you want to restructure it, the common man will still suffer until they realize the power they have and they can save the country from all this court processes. They can dare the politicians to say we are the kingmakers, we will take you out if you don’t dance to our tone but many Nigerians don’t care to enforce this rights even the journalists don’t care, sorry to say.

“A situation where government issue a contract to tar a road knows to all even journalists, the contractor dumps one trip of sand there and abandoned the job, two to three years nothing is done and nobody does anything about it. What do you except? So the politicians will continue to take the people for a ride at will and go scot free.

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He said that if restructuring is for the purpose of achieving a better Nigeria and not to divide the country to separate units, then if Nigerianism can be enthrone in every facet of the country, Nigerians would be better off.

Speaking more on the “ballot box revolution”, he said, it is a bloodless revolution through the ballot box for the common man to realize that they are the kingmaker and only sending the politician out to work for them.

On war against corruption, he said that President Muhammadu Buhari was yet to gain ground on the war against corruption because “corruption is fighting back” in every steps taken by the government.

He said that from 1999 to 2015, PDP under Obasanjo and co controlled the government for 16 years and entrenched corruption into the fabric of the nation, saying that development has become a clog in the will of progress for the Buhari’s administration.

According to him, Buhari is having a tough time combing corruption because “every Nigerian is a corrupt man”, saying that the Nigeria system is breeding corruption.

The activist said that chieftains of the ruling party, All Progressive Congress (APC), including former vice President Atiku Abubaker, former Senate President, Bukola Saraki who left APC for PDP fought Buhari against winning the war against corruption.

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“Since Buhari came to the government those who fought against him because of the war against corruption were formally in the APC. Saraki, Atiku frustrated Buhari because of the war against corruption. EFCC just announced that 22 ex-governors are under investigation, but do we really want the war to succeed, let face the truth. There are people who are fighting Buhari within the APC over the war against corruption. They don’t want him to succeed”.