A Yoruba Perspective on Hon. Kalu’s Indigene Bill and Igbo Political Ideology
The proposed constitutional bill by Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu has sparked serious national controversy.
It seeks to grant indigene status to people who have lived in a state for ten years or married a native.
This bill, though presented as progressive, hides a deeper political agenda.
It is part of a pattern of Igbo political ideology aimed at territorial influence beyond their homeland.
The proposal is not merely administrative—it is ideological.
It echoes the unitarist visions of early Igbo politicians like Nnamdi Azikiwe.
The Igbos have historically pursued political centralization in Nigeria.
This centralization threatens Nigeria’s federal foundation.
The bill is viewed by many Yoruba as a constitutional Trojan horse.
It attempts to resurrect failed unification ideologies from the 1960s.
Nigeria was founded as a federal state to respect its ethnic diversity.
The 1954 Littleton Constitution enshrined regional autonomy.
Nigeria’s original regions were essentially autonomous nations.
Each region had the right to develop at its own pace.
Chief Obafemi Awolowo strongly believed in this federal structure.
In contrast, Azikiwe and the NCNC pushed for central control.
Azikiwe’s ambition in the Western Region was rejected.
His attempt to become Premier of a Yoruba region was seen as overreach.
This marked the beginning of Igbo disregard for regional boundaries.
It revealed a desire to dominate, not just participate.
The 1966 coup intensified this ideological trend.
It was led largely by Igbo officers.
Major General Aguiyi-Ironsi took over and dismantled federalism.
His infamous Decree No. 34 imposed a unitary system.
This was centralization by military fiat.
Regions lost their autonomy overnight.
The unification decree erased ethnic protections.
Ethnic distrust deepened, leading to civil unrest.
The move helped ignite the Nigerian Civil War.
Over one million lives were lost in that tragic conflict.
Ironsi’s unification dream failed spectacularly.
Yet the same idea resurfaces today in civilian disguise.
Hon. Kalu’s bill is a modern echo of that unitarist vision.
His proposal undermines the spirit of federalism.
The timing and intent behind the bill are deeply suspicious.
It is not just about inclusivity—it’s about access to power.
If passed, it would erase traditional indigene rights.
Residency and marriage would replace ancestry and history.
A Yoruba village could be politically controlled by outsiders.
Cultural dilution would follow legal assimilation.
The Yoruba have seen this pattern before.
We remember how political language is used to mask conquest.
This bill is part of a long-standing expansionist agenda.
Igbo leaders use both secessionist and integrationist tactics.
They push for Biafra in one breath and national integration in the next.
This is not unity—it’s strategic infiltration.
It is contradictory and hypocritical.
You cannot ask for a separate nation while trying to control others.
The Yoruba see this double agenda clearly.
We will not be silent or deceived.
Nigeria’s survival depends on preserving federalism.
Our ethnic nations existed before Nigeria itself.
The Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, Ijaw, and others are distinct peoples.
Our languages, customs, and histories must be protected.
The American model of unity does not fit Nigeria.
America was formed by settlers; Nigeria was formed by nations.
We are not a melting pot—we are a mosaic.
Forcing unity by law will only sow discord.
True peace lies in mutual respect, not forced integration.
Igbo expansionism threatens that peace.
Indigene status is not about length of stay.
It is about lineage, ancestry, and sacred belonging.
You cannot legislate heritage.
Ancestral lands are not mere residency zones.
They hold spiritual and historical value.
Only those with ancestral ties should claim indigene rights.
Yoruba identity must not be diluted by federal legislation.
The proposed bill is cultural sabotage.
It endangers ethnic harmony.
It must be rejected by all ethnic nationalities.
The North must also see this danger clearly.
So must the Niger Delta and Middle Belt.
A coalition of indigenous nations must resist this bill.
We cannot be passive as our rights are legislated away.
We must not allow the rebirth of unitarism through legal loopholes.
The past must teach us to be vigilant.
Civil war erupted once due to such ambitions.
Do we want to repeat that history?
The consequences of ignoring this bill will be grave.
It will breed resentment and possibly conflict.
Nigeria is not a blank slate for ideological experiments.
It is a union of proud and distinct nations.
Unity must respect identity, not erase it.
Any law that weakens federalism must be opposed.
Yoruba leaders must speak out forcefully.
Our traditional institutions must defend our heritage.
Our youth must be educated about this threat.
We must lobby legislators to oppose the bill.
Our media must raise awareness and spark national debate.
Silence will be seen as consent.
Yoruba land is not for sale.
It is not open to political manipulation.
We reject any attempt to dilute our sovereignty.
We remember Azikiwe.
We remember Ironsi.
We remember the Civil War.
We will not forget.
We will not repeat the mistakes of the past.
We demand respect for our identity, culture, and rights.
We say with one voice: this bill must fail.
Credit: @Julius_Afolabi
