In times of crisis, discontent, and marginalization either in actuality or perception.
Member fractions clamour for a number of interests stating their positions, highlighting their needs. Several of which are from heightened disfavor with mostly current leadership or continuance trend of same. It is sometimes abrupt to assume “breaking away” is entirely a viable option considering that every emerging state whether now or later is bound to face a variable sets of political and economic pressure and challenges that will admittently resort to clamor for breakaway!
Hence it is in the best interest of member states to reshape their democratic institutions to accommodate emerging differences and disconcerted groups in their minority or majority.
The equitable distribution of wealth, representation and fair hearing to the marginalized are some of many ways to quickly address agitations and vastly through referendums and sovereign national conference.
It is worthy to note that aggrieved member states are willing to come to the negotiating table in times of crisis and discord than when in the euphoria of the abundance of satisfaction.
The attention of government negotiators should be drawn drastically to elements of other state actors who may at their behest reject dialogue owing to resentment for other state actors. Attention also should be placed on major stake persons who are instruments of further disruption of the dialogue or furtherance of same, such stakes are supposedly to be incorporated to form a coalition to parallel the dialogue and achieve a verdict alongside the main dialogue
The abrupt clamour is not deep-rooted in the public space yet. There is no ruling out the power play from top-down to create unnecessary tension and achieve other goals shrouded in secrecy and personal gains.
There is also no rush to join a conversation that rejects the solutions of dialogue and democratic approach to revolutions that would roller coast in a set of unknown variables and factors not properly thought or planned for.
Nigeria would survive the weather under careful and ideal democratic practice as opposed to the pseudo-democratization of a few capricious state actors.
God bless Nigeria!
Sola Odukoya (Publicist)