By Victor Terhemba , M. Hicks
Divorce is a word closely associated with marriage, but it is also used in other domains to carry the same meaning as it would when used in the context, especially when that subject has the same attributes as a marriage. The English dictionary defines divorce as a legal dissolution of marriage or to separate or dissociate (something) from something else, typically with an undesirable effect.
Divorce occurs in marriages mostly when the couples realise that the marriage is not going as they had expected and hoped. When the marriage becomes unevenly balanced, a threat to either of the couple existence or when they begin to experience unhappiness with each other, the couple may decide to agree to put an end to the marriage. Even when it is unanimously agreed by both couple, the one who feels most aggrieved may still go ahead and sue for a divorce.
It has been shown overtime, with crushing examples, that couples who are compelled to stay in unhappy marriages most of the times end up with regrettable and avoidable consequences. For example, a woman who refuses to leave her abusive marriage because of the fear of public perception or for the fear of losing her status, may one day get a permanent disability, or worse, get killed by her incessant abusive husband. Or, the couple who still decide to stay in an unhappy marriage despite the notorious infidelity of the other partner are most likely to continue living in despair and the emotional trauma of being cheated on. Whatever is not working and cannot be repaired should be abandoned.
The case with Nigeria bears striking resemblance with the picture of marriages painted above and the debate has been on for a very long time if Nigeria needs to be separated. There have been divergent and contrasting reactions to this debate, some even consider it to be a “too holy a topic” to discuss. But we say, more than ever, this is time to divorce Nigeria.
Before the wisdom of Lord Fredrick Lugard prevailed upon him to create a contraption called Nigeria, they were known separately as the Southern and Northern protectorates before they were married together and rechristened Nigeria by Lady Flora Shaw, the wife of Lord Fredrick Lugard.
In his book, Path to Nigeria freedom, Chief Obafemi Awolowo had said that Nigeria is not a nation, it is a mere geographical expression. There are no Nigerians in the same sense as there are English or Welsh or French. While Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa in his speech at the legislative council of 1948, he had said “Since 1914 the British Government has been trying to make Nigeria into one country, but the Nigerian people themselves are historically different in their backgrounds, in their religious beliefs and customs and do not show themselves any sign of willingness to unite, Nigerian unity is only a British intention for the country”.
These are words of our “revered” founding fathers that still sound true till this day. The surgical wounds from the amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914 had not even healed when the country gained independence in 1960. Political leaders have thought the best way to address the wounds was to cover them up with a plaster with the hopes that it will make the cracks go away. They are still yet to realise that cosmetic makeover is only temporal beauty.
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