The Case for Regional Activists

The sixties changed America; a lot of the change resulted from activists whose activism was
devoted to specific, targeted segments of society.
We know their names; Martin Luther King and Malcolm X for African Americans, Gloria
Steinem for feminists, Cesar Chavez for farm workers and Latinos and many others.
I intend to make the case for what I term Regional Activists in Nigeria in this brief essay.
Nigeria is too large and complex for anyone to be all things to all men. I think we have two
alternatives, we either make Nigeria better by fighting for our corners or dissipate energy in
trying to be all things to all men.
Ken Saro-Wiwa is a good example of my concept of a regional activist. His environmental
rights activism was focused on Ogonis. Initially, he was enthusiastically Nigerian, in a
boilerplate patriotic way. His views however, evolved after the bitter experience of the
impact of Nigerian state on his people. In his anguish he wrote; I am unfortunate to be a
Nigerian. I would rather not be, but I am doing my level best to be one, and a good one at
that.
Saro-Wiwas story had a tragic ending. Sentenced to death by a kangaroo court, hanged,
body doused in acid (a final humiliation, even in death). But his legacy lives on; an
environmental rights movement and Ogoniland being considered for environmental cleanup.
I have come to realize this; if you dont fight for your corner, nobody else will fight for you. I
left the University of Nigeria on an Ifesinachi bus to seek economic opportunities in Lagos.
Why did I have to leave? Because there were few economic opportunities back home. Why
were they few economic opportunities? Largely due to the lack of critical enabling
infrastructure such as roads, bridges and ports.
On my way to Lagos, I passed the crumbling Enugu/Onitsha Expressway and the dilapidated
Niger Bridge. They are even in worse shape today.
Having attended quite a few Save Nigeria events in Lagos, it is clear to me nobody in
Lagos (except residents from relevant regions) cares whether Ibaka gets a deep sea port, or
whether the Second Niger Bridge is built. You are more likely to be made fun of or accused
of having useless leaders when you bring this up in Lagos, than given any support.
This is expected, we are human, and human beings have limited spans of knowledge,
attention and empathy. It will be unrealistic to expect a person who was raised in Lagos and
identifies with Lagos to think beyond the Fourth Mainland Bridge and lobby for similar
projects in say, Uyo. Conversely, it will be extremely foolhardy for anyone who has an
attachment to Uyo and wants to see progress in Uyo to dissipate his/her energy with people
whose primary interest in Nigeria, is Lagos.
We all have to fight for our regions, for critical infrastructure and full economic inclusion. It is
inexplicable that Nigerias only true port is in Lagos and the Niger Delta (with massive
potentials for port development) either has ports which are operating way below capacity or
basic issues like dredging have rendered ports almost useless.
When you fight for critical infrastructure, full economic inclusion and security for your region,
resist the temptation to be distracted by this nonsense: but the rest of Nigeria equally
suffers from the Federal Governments dysfunction. That is not true, and even if it were true,
sounds like the argument that all women suffer spousal abuse, so women who suffer

spousal abuse must not talk about their specific abuse, they must only talk about the abuse
of all women.
That argument is designed to dissipate your energy and render your activism ineffective. If
Saro-Wiwa focused on poverty in Northern Nigeria and male dropout rates in Igboland in
addition to his environmental rights activism in Ogoniland, he wouldnt have accomplished
much, or anything at all.
When we all fight for our corners and make demands on Abuja, it will be obvious Abuja
cannot meet these demands with the present structure and constitution. We will be
inadvertently making a stronger case for devolution of power and true federalism; the only
true options for this nation, if it is to endure as a single entity this century.
I will not leave my advocacy for a Second Niger Bridge and port access for traders in Aba
and Onitsha to fight for education of the girl-child in Northern Nigeria. That is the job of
Northern activists. I can play an important supporting role, but not the lead role in bringing
the genocide in North Central Nigeria to the attention of the World. That job is for Middle Belt
activists.
Everybody should fight for his/her corner. We need regional activists.