THE resurgence of sundry regional meetings that took place in the country in the past few weeks signposts some deep-rooted problems in the polity, part of which is the degeneration to protecting narrow, rather than national interests. Presumably, the meetings were inspired by the need to find solutions to gripping national challenges such as security problems and development concerns. In the process, the meetings have respectively foreground key elements of the national question such as revenue allocation, fiscal federalism, national unity and the usefulness or otherwise of the Sovereign National Conference. But the meetings have sometimes canvassed these issues in ways that are more disconcerting than comforting for the polity.Leaders of the South-West blazed the trail by the public launch of a development agenda, the so-called Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN), a development vision that emphasised perspective planning underpinned by a progressive ideology of governance. Leading lights from the region were present and pledged their allegiance respectively to the agenda driven by the Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG). Similarly, the Northern Governors Forum also met 'to adopt common policies and programmes, build confidence among the people to promote economic prosperity in the North.' The climax of these regional concourses was the meeting of the former heads of state from the northern part of the country in Minna, Niger State, ostensibly to discuss the security challenges, especially in the North. While the western summit and the northern governors did not hide their regional complexion, the Minna meeting set out to be national but with an outcome that was regional thereby undermining the status of the former heads of state, who were the brains behind the meeting.The Minna meeting went below statesmanship to sectional talks. Its communiqu focused on the management of the economy of the North by means of expanded investments and diversification of the economy to harnessing the potentialities of the region. The communiqu also called for intensification of the search for solution to the prevailing security challenges in the region, engagement of leadership at all levels of governance with a view to fighting corruption and improving the wellbeing of the citizenry and improvement of inter-faith and inter-ethnic relations among others. These are obviously good exhortations but somewhat parochial, judging by the personalities of the conferees and its national remit.The former heads of state missed the symbolism of such an important occasion as a platform for rallying national unity. It is disappointing that the meeting, which ought to be pan-Nigeria and speak for the country, degenerated into a regional agenda. Generally, there is nothing wrong with regional meetings called for the purpose of regional challenges. This line of thinking is altogether not untenable, given the regional fundamentals of the Nigerian State. However, past heads of state should not be the poster icons of such meetings. They owe the country a duty to work at all time for its national unity and integration, defusing the disintegrating impulses therein.The former heads of state and indeed President Jonathan who also betrayed a tilting towards sectional trappings in recent times seemed to have missed the gravity of the Nigerian situation at the moment. Fellow citizens are leaving the northern part of the country in droves and the threat posed by the activities of Boko Haram challenges the security of the country. These are serious matters with far-reaching implication for the unity of the country and it would have been expected that the gathering of former heads of state should address such issues. The point needs to be made that former leaders and indeed the incumbent leadership in the country should not be seen pandering to sectional agenda. They are expected to display statesmanship at all times.Past leaders, who by dint of providence are still around, need to confront the challenges of the time with a great deal of statesmanship. The real challenge is to spot the subtlety of the upsurge of regional meetings such that it can be redirected to goals of nation-building rather than being driven as an obstacle to national unity and development. Indeed, there is urgent need, more than ever, to harness all sentiments of national unity to form a new centripetal core for national cohesion. The task falls on the present and past leaders of this country more than anyone; for these times call for exemplary leadership and statesmanship.
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