May 4, 2021

A former President of the Senate, Pius Ayim, believes that in searching for a solution to the insecurity in various parts of the country citizens must be involved.

In an open letter on Monday, he advised President Muhammadu Buhari to make history by setting up a commission of inquiry into the violent and non-violent agitations to make recommendations on the immediate – short-term and long-term – solutions.

Ayim believes this will help to de-escalating the rising tension in the land and lead to a process for the renewal of the march to nationhood.

According to him, no action is deemed successful or completed until the buy-in of the people is secured through a democratic process.

The former Senate President warned against shutting the people out of the process of finding solutions to the conflicts, stressing that a permanent solution would be a mirage.

He noted the processes that led to the independence of the country, saying the colonial administration was confronted with reservations by minority tribes over fears of domination by the majority tribes.

Ayim informed the President that a similar commission of inquiry chaired by Harry Willink was set up and the panel produced a far-reaching report after extensive hearings of the complaints and suggestions from the people.

“It can be argued that no other document in the history of Nigeria has had a far-reaching impact on our political structure than the Willink’s report,” he said.

He noted that in the build-up to securing the Nigerian Independence, the colonial administration was confronted with reservations by minority tribes in the three regions of Northern, Eastern, and Western Nigeria about fears of domination by the majority tribes.

“In other to find a lasting solution, the colonial administration appointed a commission to ENQUIRE INTO THE FEARS OF MINORITIES AND MEANS OF ALLAYING THEM”.

“There is no gainsaying that reservations about the continued existence of Nigeria are building up to a dangerous time bomb. I make bold to say that no solution except one birthed by an independently conducted engagement with fact-based recommendations arrived at with the participation of the citizens will provide an enduring solution”.

I make bold to recommend that Mr. President should make history by empanelling another commission of inquiry to inquire into the violent and non-violent agitations in Nigeria and make recommendations on the immediate-, short- and long-term solutions as a way of first de-escalating the rising tension in the land and a process for the renewal of our march to nationhood.

It is important to note that in a democracy, no action is deemed successful or completed until the buy-in of the people is secured through a democratic process. This buy-in- is an imperative that is yet to be pursued in the fight against violent agitations in Nigeria. I must say that as long as the people are not part of the process of finding solutions to the conflicts, a permanent solution will be a mirage.