By Chuks OLUIGBO
Regional
economic integration is not a new thing. This is basically because no state or
country can claim to be self-sufficient. This reality is what gives rise to
economic interdependence and cooperation among nations/states. Across the
world, nations have always seen the need to join forces so as to leverage the
economic advantages within and among the cooperating nations. It is this
joining of forces that has given rise to such regional economic blocs as the
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the European Union (EU),
Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), Southern African Development
Community (SADC), Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), Gulf
Cooperation Council (GCC), the Arab League, among others. While some of these
have been fully in operation for many years, with verifiable qualitative
achievements, some are still being proposed.
What the
above demonstrates is the imperativeness of economic cooperation. And, as Ngila
Mwase, an analyst, said of the African region, “Successful regional economic
cooperation and integration can help the region attain greater economies of
scale, rationalise location of industries and other economic entities,
encourage specialisation in production, enhance industrial efficiency and
reduce both transport and transaction costs and, in turn, the costs of doing
business.” This is applicable not only to Africa but also to all other regions
wishing to pursue economic cooperation and integration.
In Nigeria,
analysts have continued to emphasise that the nation developed at a greater
pace during the era of regions than in the present era of states. Joe Keshi,
director general of the BRACED Commission, for instance, said in a paper
presented at the recently concluded South-South Economic Summit: “Both pre- and
immediate post-independent Nigeria operated a regional structure that allowed
each of the regions to grow and develop at its own pace and capability. The
healthy competition among the regions, the various regional agendas, and the
level of economic development were responsible for the huge optimism about
Nigeria in the 1960s. The balkanisation of Nigeria under military rule, the
creation of states, many with very limited capacity to succeed without the
Federal Government, and the revenue sharing formula have made it imperative
that each state, each geographical region or zone must be strategic in the
choices they make for the future of both the states and the country at large.”
Beyond this, he made reference to “the force of economic regionalism that is
impelling the creation of powerful economic blocs within countries, between
neighbouring countries, and even among countries in different continents”,
which presents solution to the inadequacies thrown up by current global and
national political structures.
In line with
this thinking, in many parts of the country, states are already integrating
along regional lines. The states of the South-West have come together under the
Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN), while the South-South states
have launched the BRACED (Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo and
Delta) Commission. Some northern states are also reported to be mooting the
idea.
One is
therefore shocked to hear Martin Elechi, governor of Ebonyi State, being quoted
as calling on Igbos to shun the calls for South-East regional economic
integration. According to the report, Elechi stated in a radio programme on
Ebonyi Broadcasting Corporation (EBBC) that each state in the South-East has
its peculiar challenges and economic needs which may not be in tandem with what
other states may need, pointing out that it was better for each state to
identify its peculiarities and go for them.
If the
governor actually made the above statement, then it is very unfortunate. But
his apprehension is easy to understand. He is afraid of losing his
‘sovereignty’. It is a general feeling among many South-East leaders who are
always more interested in carving out and maintaining ‘little fiefdoms’ for
themselves, where they would be the sole sovereigns wielding unchallenged
authority, rather than working for the good of the greater majority. It was
probably the same sentiment that drove Theodore Orji of Abia State to sack
non-Abians – fellow Igbos at that – in his state civil service: to show the
world that he is the ‘Unchallenged Lord of the Abia Ring’.
Be that as
it may, some points can bear to be made here. While Governor Elechi and others
who wish to are free to argue as much as they like about the peculiarities of
the individual states of the South-East, they should not forget that prior to
1967, the entire areas that make up the present day South-East Nigeria and
parts of the South-South were one entity: Eastern Nigeria. When Yakubu Gowon
carried out the first ever state creation exercise in Nigeria in 1967, he
excised the minority areas of Eastern Nigeria from the Igbo speaking areas and
the remaining part – today’s Anambra, Imo, Abia, Enugu and Ebonyi States – was
called East Central State. Murtala Mohammed in 1976 gave Nigeria 19 states.
That exercise split the East Central State into two – Anambra and Imo.
Subsequent state creation exercise by Ibrahim Babangida carved Enugu out of
Anambra and Abia out of Imo; and finally, Sani Abacha in 1996 created Ebonyi
out of Abia and Enugu. So, without doubt, the entire area that makes up today’s
South-East is essentially one entity, homogeneous in all aspects, with only
observable dialectal differences. As a result, integration is only natural to
the region.
To say that
the states of the South-East need economic integration as much as other regions
of the country – or even more so – is merely stating the obvious. There is no
doubt that the South-East is among the least developed areas of the country –
if not the very least – in terms of infrastructure, which is worsened by the
virtual absence of federal projects in the region. This is one reason the Igbos
of the South-East are scattered in all parts of Nigeria and the world where
they contribute immeasurably to development, while their home region remains a
backwater. Joining forces will likely reverse this trend. Working together, the
South-East states, rather than wait eternally for a sleeping – or politics
playing – federal government, can pool resources and commence work on the
direly needed Second Niger Bridge and such other projects, rehabilitation of
the badly damaged interstate roads in the region, and development of other
infrastructure that would bring the Igbos back home to invest. I often imagine
what Igboland would be if just a quarter of Igbo investments in Lagos alone is
brought back to Igboland!
Obviously,
regional integration will bring more gain than pain to the South-East. This is
not to say, however, that it is going to be one long night of romance. As the
BRACED director-general, Keshi, rightly warned, “No such venture provides
instant ‘nescafe’ solutions, nor is it without its challenges. It is a long
journey with ups and downs, twists and turns.” The path is going to be
tortuous, but the integrating states must brace up for the challenges, as a man
running for his life never tires out.
I will
conclude with Augustine Avwode’s incontrovertible submission: “In a society
troubled by economic stagnation and abject poverty, the best approach should be
collective rather than individualistic. And as no state can really claim to be
self-sufficient, it seems to make more sense for states that are contiguously
located and also bonded by historical, cultural and linguistic affinities to
explore jointly the potential available for development within such regions.”
This is the path the South-East must toe, and the time to do it is now.
*This
article was first published in BusinessDay on Tuesday, 29 May 2012.
