08/10/2025
Nigeria: The New Yugoslavia In Waiting
Who is Killing who and who is beating the drum of war?
Since 1914, the British Government has been trying to make Nigeria into one country, but Nigerians themselves are historically different in their backgrounds, religious beliefs and customs and do not show themselves any sign of willingness to unite. Its unity in diversity is only a British intention for the country and not the willingness of the people. Ever since, Nigeria has been in the eyes of this powerful nation, watching how long the Nation would last.
The amalgamation of southern and northern protectorate in 1914 by the British to let the people forgo their differences, as adherents of different faiths (Muslims or Christians) or ethnic groups(Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba) and come together as one nation has not yielded any good results, hence the nation seems divided as ever.
With the aim of Integrating the future generation after the civil war, NYSC schemes was also introduced for the promotion of national unity. But the scheme has failed to meet up with the dream of national integration. Many graduates of today prefer to serve in their own region than being deployed to areas where their culture, tribes and religions are not alike. So the aim of National Youth and Service corps failed to make the people forgo their differences and has also contributed to the nation’s injuries of diversity, likewise given a chance to let the people see the reasons why they have to protect their religions, faiths and tribes which are detrimental to our peaceful co-existence as a nation.
Therefore, doubting the country’s division along tribal and religious line and hatred amongst its so called ethnic groups and religious bodies is like trying to abort a baby that has been born. Our marriage as a nation is certainly falling apart just like that of Yugoslavia.
A political associate of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Sir Olaniwun Ajayionce once said, while reacting to the agitation of the Niger Delta and Biafra region that failure of Yugoslavia’s leaders to recognise the fact that the country was a confederation of republics led to the series of bloody war which eventually made the country disintegrated into several nations.
He said, “Yugoslavia has about eight nationalities. They have done all they could to make sure that every nation in the country went in its own way, but their leaders said no. They tried all what they could not to disintegrate until they began to kill themselves before later divided into Croatia, Slovenia, Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina. His statement and those of some other well-meaning Nigerians attest to the fact that the Nation is sleeping on a gun powder.
For those that need to be reminded, the old Yugoslavia was similar to Nigeria in terms of its ethnic diversity and religious plurality. It was a marriage of various ethnic nationalities and religions, comprising of orthodox Christians, Catholics, protestants, the Muslims and so on and all the different nationalities- the Croats, Serbs, Kosovars, Bosnians (Muslims), and many others; very diverse, just like Nigerian Nation. But when what brought them together started fading away, other tribes, mostly Serbian (Christians) had been involved in stockpiling arms in preparation for war, years before it actually broke out.
Bosnia tribes (Muslims) were the only ethnic group in Yugoslavia that was not prepared for it. They kept talking, writing newspaper articles, appeasing the aggressors and their tormentors, praying and hoping for peace whilst all the other ethnic and religious groups and warring parties were quietly preparing for war. When the fighting started, they suffered immensely for their lack of understanding, insight and foresight and their civilian population paid a heavy price. They were killed like flies and their women and children were r***d and enslaved.
Today, things of such are being perpetrated in this country. There was a report of Ex- Niger Delta militant, Mr. Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo of purchasing seven decommissioned Norwegian battleships during the administration of Doctor Goodluck Jonathan which was said to have been re-armed with new weaponry (https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/182368-norway-regrets-selling-warships-to-ex-niger-delta-militant-tompolo.html). Till today, no one is talking about this anymore. It has gone under the carpet. But the question we keep asking is,“what will a militant do with the seven war ships when Nigeria is not at war?
Apart from that, since the end of the civil war between Biafra and Nigeria on January 15th 1970, the people have never for once given in to see the Independence of the Republic of Biafra resurrected. It is well known that only the government of Nigeria has the power to train military personnel in the country and not by one region. But how could a region (Biafra) send 500 military personnel to the State of Israel since 2014 to be trained as Pilots and Engineers and for what purpose (https://www.nairaland.com/1531962/biafran-zionist-movement-sends-500)? It would sound ridiculous for every right thinking person. There was also a promise made by the American President elect, Donald Trump at his presidential rally to the Biafra flag waiving man,“If the people of Biafra want Republic of Biafra, it will be a reality during my administration” Trump reaffirmed.
Not only that, for quite some time, there have been numerous cases of Serbian-like people in Nigeria involved in arm smuggling and these cases were widely reported in the media but no action was taken. Started from 2010, the Punch Newspaper reported the arrest of Five (5) Pastors “for operating an Illegal Military outfit” in Lagos, with their photographs published on page 11 of the Wednesday edition, 10th March, 2010.
There were also report on the arrest of CAN Military operatives by the police “for operating illegal security outfit” in Jalingo, Taraba State. Those arrested included Reverend Chaplain ShehuYakubu, a retired customs officer, Sunday Silas a retired SSS officer, Sulaiman Audu, a retired ASP, Y. Winew, a retired ASP, Isma’ila Makaniki and many others. This was reported by the Daily Trust Newspaper of Saturday, 2nd November, 2013 at page 10.
In Lagos, the Saturday Sun newspaper of 10th March, 2012, at page 10, reported that 11 cartons of explosives imported from SouthAfrica, which were carefully packaged to beat security checks, were intercepted by the Nigerian Customs Service at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos. The huge consignments were for Miero Marble Granite and Stones Ltd, in Kaduna State, withone Mr. Micheal Awara Ernest as the Company representative to collect the explosives at the Cargo terminal. The statement of the Customs Area commandant at the Airport, Mr. Charles EporweiEdike, which was profoundly insightful on the intent and probable consequences of the explosive, fell on the deaf ears of the then SSS. He said “if those items were released, they could have been used to cause mayhem. We are now going to hand him and the items over to the Police for further investigation”. Since the handover, neither the Police nor the Spokes woman of the SSS have said, or done anything on the case and where the explosives are being kept is yet unknown.
There was a BBC news report published by THISDAY Newspaper of Friday, 13th January, 2012 on page 6, on a British arms dealer, Gary Hyde being prosecuted in a London court for unlawfully arranging the shipment of about 80,000guns and 32Million rounds of ammunition from China to Nigeria in2007.
According to the release of the supreme council for sharia in Nigeria in December 2013, it was made known that there was a systematic robbery of the armoury of the Nigerian Army in Jaji, the 1st division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna, Ikeja cantonment involving Christian serving Officers and Generals. A Military inquiry was instituted and many Christian Officers, serving and retired including the Late General Azazi, were indicted, but nothing was done to any of them. More importantly, the arms were nowhere to be found? Not to even talk of former CAN President, Ayo Oritsejafor’s involvement in arms smuggling jet caught with $10million in South Africa. The examples are just too numerous to cite and this is how it started in Yugoslavia and Nigeria has been towing the same line.
There were views expressed twenty-two years ago by Yoruba people which are still being re-echoed today. These views are to return to the pre-1996 evolutionary path: a balanced federal structure which recognises fully the legitimate claims of all ethnic groups for self-determination and where no single entity among the federating units will be strong or powerful enough to hold the others to ransom.
The Yoruba in diaspora have been contributing significantly to this development. The leaders of Egbe Omo Yoruba in the United States and Canada, the worldwide Yoruba think- thank organisation, Odua Foundation, with headquarters in the United States and with members in various countries across the world have been intensely busy over the project of Yoruba Nation just like Biafra, Arewa and Niger Delta people. The manner that is similar to pre- Bosnia war.
Though Nigerian Leaders are trying to preserve the unity of the country but in a situation where many have been threatening violence and war; and have been stockpiling dangerous weapons, and making other kinds of war preparations, can the unity of such a country be guaranteed? From this report, we can all see the reality of what is happening and the false alarm about Christians being killed?
We just hope that what transpired in Yugoslavia would not replicate itself here, in our dear country, Nigeria.
The truth is, there is fire on the mountain.
Lukman Solahudeen Ayyubi
