The 450 ethnic nationalities and the many religious groups that make up what is known today as Nigeria were all politically, historically, culturally, economically, socially and religiously autonomous and independent from one another for hundreds of years before the coming of the European powers to Africa as colonialists.
Nigeria was formed and founded by the British Empire in 1914 without allowing all the ethnic nationalities and the religious groups to hold a national referendum to determine whether the various ethnic nationalities and the many religious groups were ready to live together or not, and if yes, under what terms of engagements would they be willing to live together as one nation to be named as Nigeria. This is the origin of today's major crises in Nigeria that started in 1914 and lingers till 2012 under the watch and the presidency of Jonathan Ebele Goodluck.
The successive governments (both military and civilian administrations) that have ruled Nigeria from 1960 to date have all refused to right these wrongs that were created by Britain by holding a national referendum or a Sovereign National Conference despite all the major crises and challenges that the Nigerian nation has faced to date. The Main Cries in Nigeria since October 1, 1960 to date remained the same issues under the military and the civilian governments. They are the following: "True Federalism", "Marginalization", "Secession into Independent Nations", "National Sovereign Conference", "Theocracy", "Resource Control", "Regional Autonomy", "Rotational Presidency", "State Police", "Devolution of Powers" and "Self-Determination".
The only way forward for Nigeria today under the presidency of Jonathan Goodluck is for this president to immediately send a bill to our national assembly to convene the much needed Sovereign National Conference of all the interset groups, ethnic nationalities and religious faiths in Nigeria that will then determine the best way forward for Nigeria in this 21st century human universe. The biggest questions that are left unanswered today are the following:(i) Does President Jonathan Goodluck have the political will do it? and (ii) Will President Jonathan Goodluck be willing to do it?.
The time is now fully ripe for all Nigerians from all walks of life to sit down together for the first time since the formation of this nation in 1914 by the British Empire and talk freely and openly about all their common regional and national problems or challenges and then fashion the best constitutional approach for a better and a working Nigeria that is going to be fair to all Nigerians of all ethnic and religious backgrounds.
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