Full Text of communique on What South-East, South-West leaders decided in Enugu

A meeting of the South-East, South-West leaders and other regions has ended in Enugu with a 17-point communique.

The despatch was signed by Chief Nnia Nwodo, President-General, Ohaneze Ndigbo and ‎Chief Ayo Adebanjo, on behalf of Afenifere
Communique – handshake Across The Niger:

A] Notations.
After today’s meeting of all strata of persons of Igbo and Yoruba origins in Enugu, the erstwhile capital of eastern Nigeria, the conferees comprising leaders of the South West (SW), South East (SE), the South South (SS) the middle Belt (MB) made several observations and resolved as follows:

1. Noted the immense strength of Igbo-Yoruba close affinities of kinship and brotherhood, shared origins and cultural/ethical values, a common world view and inherent love of freedom and justice;

2. Noted that the Hand Shake Across the Niger (HSAN), anchored on the heroism of Major General J.T.U. Aguiyi Ironsi and Lt. Col. Adekunle Fajuyi, although long overdue, has finally burst the myth of Igbo-Yoruba irreconcilable differences and spiteful rivalry, thus, providing new impetus for resurgence of the same bold, patriotic and nationalist solidarity of the two ethnic teams from the 1930s to the 1950s that earned independence for Nigeria in 1960;

3. Noted that in a long history of shut relations and association, the ethnic group and Yoruba haven't any recorded instances of violence against every other’s grouping, such as inter-ethnic mass killings and destruction and/or seizure of property; that instead, they have lived, worked and prospered together, accommodating and respecting their differences;

4. Expressed awareness that grievances generated by past errors on both sides can no longer justify or sustain dissention between the two groups whose solidarity and mutual collaboration have the capability to dramatically change the fortunes of Nigeria, thereby also, changing the fates of the African continent and the black race;

5. Noted that the HS has brought about a new dawn of irreversible amity in the horizon of Igbo-Yoruba relations, that they have today declared time-up for, and permanently buried, the hatchet of distrust and spiteful rivalry, resulting in a credible tipping-point of optimism and opportunity in realizing the destiny of Nigeria as a start-up nation-state that may achieve great things.

B] selections and Commitments.
In consequence of the fore-going, the conferees of the HS arrived at the subsequent decisions and commitments:

1. decided to collaborate closely to form mutually beneficial opportunities, build a powerful alliance to advance their ever growing mutual interests, while striving together to fulfill the common responsibilities of building a united, coherent and prosperous nation – state of free peoples, freely relating to each other across the dividing lines of tribe, religion, region and politics;

2. Declared unflinching support for a truly federal union of Nigeria that's democratic, stable, secure, peaceful, just and honest to all its citizens.

3. Committed to work in close partnership and through peaceful means to reconstitute Nigeria, reducing and restricting the duties of the federal government to solely matters of national import on the exclusive list, while granting the federating units the right to take full responsibility for local, developmental and residual matters, as this will cause healthy competition and cooperation among the federating units, in place of the present dysfunctional arrangement that merely superintends over the sharing and consuming of rents, and holds some States and Zones down for others to play the elusive game of catch-up;

4. Committed to insistence therefore, on peaceful devolution of powers, fiscal federalism, land/resource ownership/control, reforming component structural and systemic institutions to radically cut back the escalating cost of governance;

5. Committed to operating tirelessly towards joining the economically-performing nations – China, India, Brazil, Israel, Singapore , South Korea, Malaysia and Thailand etc. – not as a dependent State, but a competitive producer and exporter of knowledge-based goods and services;

6. Committed to immediate implementation of professional federalism recommendations of the 2014 National Conference, in particular those affecting the potency of governance.

C] The way forward.
We believe that the fore-going measures can reposition Nigeria to succeed in credible nationhood, attain its full potential and respect within the community of countries thereby enabling us to effectively lead the campaign for the political and economic renaissance of Africa and also the black race – the very goals that the Zik of Africa and the sage Chief Awolowo and a host of different founding nationalists lived and sacrificed so much. The conferees of the HS have therefore:

i] decided that today’s Hand Shake (HS) isn't a one off event, however only the first of a progressive and continuous re-socialization project that will, in short order, reach out to embrace different compatriots within the South South (SS) , Middle Belt [MB], North Central (NC) North East (NE) and North West (NW) zones of the country;

ii] decided thus, to establish a standing Joint Action Committee to drive this method, and to continually articulate fresh ideas and techniques to sustain the present zeal and momentum of mutual understanding and cooperative actions aimed toward resuscitating Nigeria politically and economically so as to position her to earn her rightful place among the contending nations within the world.

The composition and mandate of the Joint Committee and its sub-committees, along side the full report of today’s Hand Shake, will be posted in due course.