Ahead 2023: Stabilizing Atomic Rivers

IntroductionProfessor Emmanuel Ayandele, according to Max Amuchie, defined the atomist society as a society "perpetually at war with itself". The lack of cohesion and the preponderance of fragmentation qualify it as such. Its conflict is a direct product of the opposing racial/group interests between the privileged majority and the disenfranchised minority, as evidenced by segregated America and the First Republic of Nigeria, for example.

Conflict could also be on the agenda where a dominant minority imposes its will on a sleeping majority as in apartheid South Africa. Those favored by the status quo are always suspicious of the oppressed and overreact to the slightest manifestation. Chilling laws are vigorously enforced at the expense of the victimized group.

Steve Biko, in "Fear-an Important Determinant in South African Politics", puts it best, "It's not enough to say 'I've been to Pondoland and the natives are well behaved and peaceful and contented. ' This is unsatisfactory, as the perpetrators of evil are aware of the cruelty of their system and therefore do not expect the natives to be satisfied, so the security boys are sent back to Pondoland to find out who is the spokesman who claims people are satisfied and to beat him until he admits he is not satisfied, at which point he is either banned or presented for trial under of one of many laws."

A statesman stabilizes an atomistic society through just laws. Lyndon Jonson stabilized America by signing the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Frederick de Klerk and Nelson Mandela jointly established democratic South Africa. And General Yakubu Gowon liberated Nigerian minorities by creating a state.

Atomistic RiversIn the months leading up to the party's 2022 primaries, Rivers State was dangerously divided along ethnic lines. After twenty-four years of governing the highlands, the riparians claimed it was their turn to rule because no riparian had ruled since 1999, marking the advent of the Fourth Republic.

Still suspicious that another Ikwerre man might succeed Ikwerre-born governor Nyesom Wike, who succeeded two other Ikwerre-born governors in a row, the river was openly hostile. Their argument made sense until Senator Bennett Birabi, from the highlands, took the floor.

In his press release of January 18, 2022, Senator Birabi based his argument on the "six (6) fundamental principles of justice, fairness, equity, reason, conscience and morality Politics". Appealing to Wike and Amaechi, leaders of the ruling People's Democratic Party, PDP, and the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, he made a strong case for marginalized Ogonis to have a chance to become governor in 2023. p>

Senator Birabi presented figures showing that since 1967, when Rivers was created, all but the Ogoni had ruled as governor, deputy governor, president or chief justice," The Ikwerre/Etche bloc produced: 1. Three Governors - Omehia, Amaechi and Wike 2. Two (2) Deputy Governors - Frank Eke and Dominic Anucha 3. One (1) Speaker of the State Assembly - Rotimi Amaechi 4. Four (4) State Chief Justices – Iche Ndu, PNC Aguma, Daisy Okocha and currently S. Amadi.” The Orashi bloc has had: 1. One (1) Deputy Governor – Gabriel Toby. 2. One (1) Governor - Dr. Peter Odili. 3. One (1) Speaker of the National Assembly - Stephen Ezekwem. 4. One (1) Chief Justice of the State – Hon. Judge Ichoku. The Kalabari Block: 1. One (1) Deputy Governor - S. K. Dagogo Jack. 2. Three (3) Speakers of the State Assembly - R.R. Briggs, Tonye Harry and Otelemaba Amachree. 3. One (1) Chief Justice of the State - Justice Donald Graham-Douglas.

"The Igbani Block: 1. Two (2) Deputy Governors - Sir Gabriel Toby and Dr. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo. The Andoni Block: 1. A Deputy Governor - Hon. Tele Ikuru. 2. A (1) Speaker of the State Assembly - Ikuniyi Ibani The Okirika bloc: 1. A Governor - Chief Rufus Ada George "Then the Ogoni bloc (Eleme, Tai, Gokana and Khana, total number of votes 650,000 ): 1. Positions - Zero (0). 2. No Governor. 3. No Deputy Governor. 4. No Speaker. 5. No Chief Justice after fifty-five (55) years of existence of the state.

He posed the painful question, "If you were from Ogoni, would you be happy to be called a 'fellow citizen(s)' of Rivers State? It is a matter of conscience and I would like who in their right mind has the highest morale to claim that Rivers State has been fair to everyone involved."

The Rivers party primaries came and went with a political geography that looked like this: Tonte Ibraye, African Democratic Congress, ADC; Leesi Gborogbosi, Action Peoples Party, APP; Victor Fingesi, African Democratic Party, ADP; Tonye Cole, APC; Beatrice Itubo, Labor Party, LP; Dumo Lulu-Briggs, Accord Party, AP; Sim Fubara, PDP; Magnus Abe, Social Democratic Party, SDP; Danagogo Wenike-Briggs, Young Progressives Party, YPP, etc. In other words, Senator Birabi's appeal was not heard and the tension...