Retired Major General Zamani Lekwot, a former military governor of Rivers State, bares in mind in an interview with MUHAMMAD SABIU, on issues concerning the Middle Belt, true federalism, regionalism, creation of states, the 1992 Zango Kataf crisis, the trial of suspects and the aftermath. Excerpts:
Recently, you released a statement that the Council of Middle Belt Elders supports the clamour for true federalism. Kindly elaborate on your position.
For a complex country like Nigeria to be run efficiently, we need true federalism with all its component parts working and given equal opportunities. Local governments were created in order to bring government nearer the grassroots, so we have the federal, state and local governments. That was what the recent Supreme Court judgment affirmed in order to tackle the selfishness of some governors that have been strangulating the local governments. Now under the regional system before the January 1966 coup, the minority ethnic groups were marginalised by the major ethnic groups. However, in order to have a balanced system, General Yakubu Gowon created the first set of 12 states in 1967. And you will agree with me since that time, rapid development has taken place in the country. The present state capitals were provincial headquarters at that time with nothing to show for it but now, they are blooming cities, which means the creation of states provides a conducive atmosphere for competition. So, regionalism will add to the cost of running government. As I said, at the moment we have federal, state and local governments. If you bring in regionalism, that is another tier of government. Let the states under the present zonal system be the federating units. If you introduce regional government now, many people will be put together under a strange arrangement and there will be controversy and confusion. We don’t need regionalism at this point of our history. To me, regionalism is gone. Credible federations do not have regionalism. For example in the United States, the states are the federating units. Similarly, in Brazil, India and Australia, states are the federating units. So, regional government will be another bottleneck that will retard growth. In my humble opinion and that of the council of elders, we don’t need it. Under the present zonal system, even though not in the constitution, it’s being used for administrative convenience. So, what we need now is to fine-tune the present system. The Middle Belt is too big; it should be divided into two: the East and West. When you look at it from Southern Kebbi to Taraba, the land mass is vast. So, it should be split into two:- East and West. That was the recommendation of the 2014 National Conference, which the Council of Middle Belt Elders supports. We don’t need regionalism.
But some people are of the view that regionalism will cut government spending.
How?
Because they said if we go back to the regions, we will have premiers instead of multiple governors. They further argued that each region will have to manage its own resources.
Look let me repeat myself; regionalism will be another package that will be put on what we have. So, if we do that, we will have federal, regions, states and local governments. We don’t need regions. Let the states be the federating units. Then under the restructuring formula, devolution of power will come in because following the January 1966 coup, the regions were dissolved. So, power has to be decentralised. We need to have the states and local governments, while the Federal Government remains the supervising unit. If you bring in regions, you have to introduce the governor-general, apart from the present arrangements; every region will now have a governor-general. We have governors in the states; we don’t need a regional arrangement again.
So, what you are saying in essence; is that we should maintain the status quo?
Yes, but create more states. Like in Kaduna State, we are asking for Gurara State. Do you know why? Under the former Northern Nigeria, there were 12 provinces, Some of these provinces were very large. Like Zaria province now Kaduna state and Sokoto province. Sokoto province is now three states. They have nine senators, many House of Representatives members and many local government chairmen, and so on. But in Kaduna State, the former Zaria province is still one. And we are the third largest state in Nigeria with over seven million people now. The former Borno province has been split into two. Former Bauchi has now been split; ditto former Benue province. So, in the Middle Belt, we need Gurara State. In Southern Borno, they’re asking for Savanna State because Borno State is still very big. Southern Borno is part of the Middle Belt. We have tribes there. Then in Benue State, they are looking for Apah State.-the Idoma people. In Niger State, the Nupes are asking for Edu State. Something like that! If you look at it, Niger State appears to be the largest state now since Borgu was carved out from Kwara and marched with Niger State. Then people of Southern Kebbi are also looking for Kanji State or so. That is the Middle Belt. So, maybe boundary adjustments might be needed. Now every group likes to be identified and recognised. In human nature, every setup likes to be comfortable. Happily enough, the country has huge resources. If these resources are properly harnessed they will go down the line and everybody will be happy to rise and contribute. Marginalisation kills initiative. There’s no room for that. So, that is our position in the Middle Belt Council of Elders.
The president, Bola Tinubu, has just created the Ministry of Regional Development. What is your take on that?
That could be part of the strategies but like I said, we don’t need regionalism. I know we have something like the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the North East Development Commission and so on. Regions will be an extra burden. We don’t need them under the zones for administrative convenience. In the present arrangements, we have states as the federating units.
There’s a speculation that the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha had wanted to create Gurara State but because you said the boundary should be as far as Jaji and the northern elites protested to Abacha, the plan was eventually cancelled. What exactly happened?
Well, I saw a 1933 colonial map that marked the Northern boundary of Southern Zaria then at a stream near the post office in Jaji. So, during the 2000 crisis, most of the Gbagyis that lived on both sides of the road were driven away. The Gbagyis who ran from there now settled in Goni Gora. So, we have to shift the boundary to the Kaduna River in the metropolis. So, the presentation we made to the late General Abacha was Kaduna River, not Jaji. The rumour has it that Abacha wanted to give us Gurara State but some people ganged up against it. So, the creation of states is an opportunity for further development.
Has the position of the Middle Belt been tabled before the National Assembly?
Even in the First Republic, under the leadership of the late Joseph Tarka, the Middle Belt was there. The Middle Belt even had an alliance with the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. The Middle Belt is that area of Nigeria which is the lower part of the North and the upper part of the South. So, the area called the Middle Belt is the bridge that binds Nigeria together. If you cut it off there will be no Nigeria. Therefore, the Middle Belt is the foundation of Nigeria. The ethnic nationalities of the North are the middle belters.
What is the relationship between the Middle Belt and the core North at the moment?
We are brothers. We see ourselves as brothers, though the problem is with some short-sighted people who see themselves as the real northerners, while everybody else is a passenger. Where did that come from? The Sardauna legacy bounded the North together. The Sardauna, Sir Ahmadu Bello called us his children. No discrimination against tribe or religion. But since his death, his legacy has been abandoned. Some people see themselves as the real Northerners. We are all born and bred here. The funny thing is that none of them can tell you what they have done for the North. The people they looked down on have served this country with credit on the contrary. By the way the middle belt is the food basket of the country. Yes, we have large farmlands; a lot of resources under the ground. Our nature is good. We live in peace with others. We welcome people; we don’t discriminate. When the white missionaries came, they introduced the Christian philosophy of love your neighbour as yourself. You wouldn’t find a middle belter driving people away. But some people somewhere are using religion to divide us. We say no!. If Nigeria must progress, we have to embrace one another. Such people with myopic views, we are praying to God to open their eyes to accept every citizen as equal participant in the development of the country. And I think light has started appearing at the end of the tunnel.
What exactly do you mean that light has started appearing at the end of the tunnel?
After the death of Sardauna, some of them have seen how their selfishness is undermining our unity and progress. And they’re piping down. They need to forget that completely because life is short. And all of us will account to God whatever we do in our lifetime. I mentioned the states as the federating units, as encompassed in the 2014 National Conference report. You see every state is blessed with resources. What is required is the proper arrangement for every state to start marshalling its resources in order to provide employment for the youths. Take for instance, mineral resources are controlled by the Federal Government, it Federal Government doesn’t own land. When a company gets licence, they go to the local governments and the local government people don’t know them and usually, there’s misunderstanding. But it shouldn’t be so. The local government and the state officials should have a harmonious relationship in order to do things together. This is what over-centralization has brought. So, devolution of power is what is needed. Waiting for oil money at the end of every month is not in our interest. Look at the opportunities in the states; they’re just lying fallow. Agriculture alone can take us very far. We need restructuring. Take the Nigeria Police for instance, under devolution of power, a state should be allowed to set up state police. That is what we need now. State Police will enforce state laws; it will take care of security and other things. At the moment, the federal police on the ground cannot do it being very few in personnel and ill-equipped. A complex federation like Nigeria needs to tap in from what is available. There are so many unemployed youths; recruit them into police, and most of them are graduates.
Let’s look at the insecurity bedeviling the country. As former top brass in the Nigerian army, what advice do you have for those marshalling the country’s security?
I don’t have access to security report, but for us to succeed, all hands must be on deck. Security agencies need information from the people to be able to function well. The country is very large. The bandits, kidnappers, etc are all over the country. So, if the local people provide information, the security agencies will be able to tackle the situation. The bandits also have agents. Information should be given to these agencies. For example, how do they get the fuel they use? How do they get their food? How do they get recharge cards? So, proper security information should be provided so that proper action can be taken.
Also, some years back, we learnt of arms importation, especially in our airports and the perpetrators were not prosecuted. Even ships which were culpable were set free. So, the lack of proper political will accounts for it. I recall when Boko Haram started around 2009, they attacked a police station in Yobe, drove the police personnel away and took their arms. Nothing happened! Two weeks later, they (Boko Haram members) raided the Bauchi prisons and released their members. Nothing happened! Three weeks later, they surfaced in Maiduguri; that was when the military pounced on them, arrested their leader and handed him over to the police. Instead of interrogating him to find out useful information, he was killed. That challenged Boko Haram and the members took to the bush leading to where we are today. So, if the needful is done, there will be a solution.
Let me ask you this question for posterity. We heard from the grapevine that you once saved General Abacha after he committed a crime when you were the governor of Rivers State. How true is this?
No, that is not true. When I was the military governor in Rivers State, the late Abacha was the Brigade Commander and member of the Executive Council. Each time I travelled, he was the acting governor. We were very good friends. We played squash and scrabble together. His wife was also very close to my wife.
Rivers State is today embroiled in a political crisis. Are you comfortable about what is going on?
No one can be comfortable with that situation. The River people are like other Nigerians who deserve credible leadership. But the problem is between Chief Nyesom Wike, who was governor for eight years and Siminalayi Fubura, the serving governor. Wike must have been instrumental to his becoming the governor. So, I think the ball is in Wike’s court, being his boss. The former governor must sheath his sword and find a workable solution. When there’s this kind of struggle, the masses suffer the most. We have no credible institutions. Some individuals are parading themselves as being very powerful. They want recognition. They want to be seen. That is not healthy for our nascent democracy. The political class should therefore rise and build strong institutions. Apart from the constitution of the country, every party has a constitution, but the problem is they don’t abide by their party’s constitution. Human beings come and go, but the institutions remain.
Looking back over the years can you tell us your saddest moments in life?
One of my saddest moments in life was during the Nigerian Civil War when my friend died; and also during the first military coup, where our leaders were killed. The shedding of blood has never solved any problem anyway. Then next was the Zango Kataf crisis. Instead of conducting an investigation properly, only the Kataf people were arrested. Sixty-one of us were thrown into prison without due process and in the end, a Kangaroo trial was arranged. And when the Babangida government noticed that we were going to be discharged, he hurriedly enacted Decree Number 55 of 1992 barring us from appealing and so forth. The government should have been neutral, but instead, the government took sides and at the end of the day, the death sentences were commuted to five years in prison. But people don’t know that we are brothers with the Hausa people in the Zango Kataf as the majority of them are offsprings of kataf women, which means we are flesh and blood. I am happy to say that peace has returned. Most of them are back. They’re our grandchildren and life continues.
I want to take you back to that moment when you heard the death sentence passed on you, what came over you? Were you afraid of death?
I was framed up. How could a General go to the village and start killing innocent people? So, irresponsible people in high places did what they did by breaking the law. I was not invited for my view. I was just lumped into prison and condemned to death without defence. Later, the sentence was commuted. In fact, there was no trial. When the decree came out, our lawyer, the late Chief GOK Ajayi, withdrew from the case. I begged the tribunal to allow us to get another lawyer; they refused and said we must defend ourselves. The following day, the only paper that wrote in our favour was the Nigerian Tribune newspaper which headlined it, I still remember: ‘Judgment without Defence?
What do you think went wrong that they would wish you dead?
Really I don’t know. I am not in his (Babangida) heart. He has to come out and say it. He broke the officers’ Code of Conduct. Yes, he broke the officers’ Code of Conduct. You can’t just condemn a fellow soldier without confronting him with facts. In fact, the Military Law stipulates that if a soldier is arrested for a crime and thrown into the guardroom, he must be told his offence in order to prepare his defence within 24 hrs, and that was not done. Nobody asked me anything. I have been a peaceful man. I respect others. I live in peace with my neighbours.
There’s this account that Gen Letwot was in Zango Kataf when the crisis broke out. Another account claimed Gen Letwot was not in Zango Kataf. Sir, where were you when the crisis broke out?
Doing what in Zango? My own village is even 14 kilometres away from the riot scene. When the crisis broke out, I was in my house in Kaduna as the chairman of ITTC; we were holding a meeting with our technical partners in Kaduna.
What are your happiest moments in life?
It was when I was posted to Rivers State as the military governor in August 1975. That was something I didn’t expect. I joined the Nigerian Army to serve as a soldier. I did not lobby for it. After three years, we were posted out. I thanked God for the successful accomplishments. When I was promoted to General also, it was a moment of happiness because every soldier in uniform aspires to be a commissioned officer. After the commissioning to become a general was another milestone. I thanked God. When I finally left the service, I thanked God also because my late father used to tell me son wherever you go, live in peace with everyone. He also used to tell me if you create a problem for your neighbor, you too will not have peace.
Do you have any regrets in life?
No. Throughout my public service, I did my best wherever I was posted to, even though they could be mistakes here and there. I don’t allow anything to weigh me down; I let bygones to be bygones.
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