Professor Azeez Olusola Olaniyan, Dean Faculty of Social Science, Federal University Oye Ekiti has advocated true federalism, state responsiveness, total inclusion, equity and Justice as panacea to separatism across the globe.
He posited further that purposeful leadership, good followership and adequate Security of lives and properties of citizens had great roles to play in curbing separatism agitations.
These were the recommendations of Prof. Olaniyan who delivered the eleventh Inaugural lecture of the University tittled: NIGERIA AND THE UNDYING SPIRIT OF SEPARATISM held at the school Auditorium on Tuesday.
The Professor of Political Science averred that separatism was a general phenomenal that were neither race – bound nor region- specific that hardly died. He stressed that true federalism where resource contol are evenly distributed, welfare of citizens and their securities are adequately provided and guarranteed would lessen separatist agitations. Saying separatism are more pronounced when a section or part of a country felt marginalized in the scheme of things.
Professor Olaniyan however attributed Nigeria and undying spirit of separatism to various factors which includes: Heterogeneous Ethnic Composition, Cultural diversity, large population, varied administrative practices, controversial/political, constitutional arrangements and absence of strong ideology during almagamation in 1914.
He posited further that leadership failure, state fragility, insecurity, poor bargaining strategy, different nationalities were lumped together by Colonial masters and too much power glotted to federal government were responsible for frequent separatism around the world.
Justifying separatism agitations with the almagamation of Northern and Southern protectorate in 1914, Prof. Azeez Olaniyan proffered four facts. In his submission, he said” Except for a few cases, Nigeria States are products of force, they are an agglomeration of different groups, the disparate groups were forcefully cubbled together by superior forces, convergence and divergence”
” All States posses varying measures, unifying and separating tendencies which means right from inception, the nation state has been under constant threat of centripetal and centrifugal forces” Adding that centrifugal forces remained albatross of the nation state which had resulted in failure, collapse and re- arrangement of several states.
To buttress his proposition that separatism was global phenomenon, Prof. Olaniyan mentioned some countries that witnessed separatism. According to him, Belgium separated from Northern Netherlands in 1830, Swedeen parted with Norway in 1905, Ireland parted from United Kingdom in 1922, Iceland broke away from Denmark in 1944, Bangladesh broke out of Pakistan in 1971 while Soviet Union splited into 15 States in 1991 among others. The Professor of Political Science added that states that have not outrightly broken up had at one time or the other faced severe onslaught of centrifugal at various levels. Citing USA as example.
While X raying separatist agitations during pre- Independence, post Colonial and the fourth Republic, Prof. Olaniyan mentioned various groups that had advocated for separatism to includes: Gani Adams led Oodua Peoples’ Congress ( OPC) ,MASSOB by Ralph Uwazuruike , Niger Delta militants, Boko Haram Insurgents, Indigenous people of Biafra ( IPOB) by Nnamdi Kanu and Oodua Nation by Prof Banji Akintoye and Sunday Igboho.
” With all these agitations, we can see that the spirit of Separatism is in every part of Nigeria, pursed, mouthed and acted on by different classes of people. The spirit of Separatism has always been alive in Nigeria. Prof Azeez conclded.
Prof. Azeez Olaniyan has won several laurels, authored and co- authored over 80 publications, attended over 50 conferences across globe and he is the Dean Faculty of Social Science. He hails from Ilawe Ekiti in
Ekiti South West Local Government.
The vice Chancellor of Federal University Oye Ekiti, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina represented by Prof Tajudeen Opoola , the Deputy Vice Chancellor Academics called on Nigerians to shun violence, unnecessary agitations and live harmoniously with one another.
On the present Economic situation in Nigeria, the DVC enjoined Nigerians to endure and exercise patience with Government to finding lasting solutions to sudden rise in dollar which has pushed the prices of consumables up.
Dignitaries at the Inaugural lecture includes: Royal fathers- Oloye of Oye Ekiti, Ologotun, Bishop Felix Ajakaye, immediate past Governor of Ekiti state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Hon. Sunday Adunmo, Oska Ayeleso, EKHA members representing Oye I & 2, Politicians, religious leaders, FUOYE management, families and well wishers.