Nigeria’s amalgamation, a mistake - Afenifere Chieftain

A Chieftain of Afenifere, a pan
Yoruba socio-political group, Sir Olaniwun Ajayi
said the  amalgamation of Southern and Northern
protectorate in 1914 was a mistake contrary  to the
submition by President Goodluck Jonathan.
The elder statesman  who is a member of  the
national confab representing Ogun state, said  this
shortly after the state governor, Senator Ibikunle
Amosun inaugurated the delegates from the state  to
the national confab.
The governor who had announced  six eminent
personalities that  are indigines of the state led by
Senator Biyi Durojaiye, explained that the state
would push decentralisation of Police, devolution of
power among others.
Others who were inaugurated were : Sir Olaniwun
Ajayi (Ogun East), the Olu of Ilaro and paramount
ruler of Yewaland, Oba  Kehinde Olugbenle (Ogun
West); pastor of latter rain Assembly, Tunde Bakare
(Ogun Central) ; former Ceo of Guarantee Trust
Bank and former Vice-Presidential candidate of the
defunct  Action Congress of Nigeria Fola Adeola
(Ogun centra) ; Bar. Bisi  Adegbuyi (Ogun East) and
Prof. Titi Filqni (Ogun West).
The octogenarian, who spoke on behalf of other
newly inaugurated confab delegates from the state
urged all delegates to prepare to correct what he
described as ‘serious error committed by the
British’.
While reacting to the statement by President
Jonathan that, the amalgamation of the Southern
and Northern protectorates was not a mistake, Sir
Olaniwun Ajayi disagreed with the President
saying,  it was the cause of the problems facing the
country.
According to him,” It  is important for us to realise
that those of who are going there are going to try,
God be our helper, to correct the serious error
committed by the British when they were here.
“Somebody was reported in the papers today that
there was no mistake in 1914 amalgamation, may
be, that person has not had time to read ‘my life’ by
Sardauna of Sokoto when the motion for
independence was moved in 1953 and Northern
members in the House Representatives got
annoyed and they all departed and went back to the
North and he said ‘Ha! Today, I remember the
mistake of 1914, that’s the course of our problems
and that mistake has been with us quite a long time.
“The problem really and truly is that Nigeria was
constructed contrary to political geometry, that is
why we have not arrived as a country because if
we have leave together for 100 years and yet
there’s no stability, there’s no concord, there’s no
harmony, there’s no progress, those other
countries like Brazil, Indian, China and Russia
which  were in the same bracket as we in 1960 are
now far, far above us and we are far below them,
why?.
“It is because of failure to observe political
geometry but we pray and hope that when we get
there, God being our helper, we will, as Nigerians
unitedly and in the spirit of give and take arrive at
solution that will bring peace and progress to this
country”.