By Chimennma Okolo
Few days ago (whilst we all attempted to obliterate each other with pro and anti Viagra sentiments), a legislative bill introduced by Hon. Chukwuma Onyema and 42 others to establish a South East Development Commission was unfortunately and arrogantly killed by our Northern task masters on the premise that enough consultation was not made. 
During the debate majority of those who didn’t support the bill were from the Northern hemisphere whilst the South Easterners supported the bill with some support from their South South brethren. Still the bill got shot down.
A little peek at Bill shows that it seeks to pull out some of the allocations coming to the South Eastern states from federal allocation for the purpose of developing the south eastern part of Nigeria.
Now the people of the South East have oil, gas and other mineral resources which are constantly exploited by the Nigerian state. Yet a bill to develop their land from their own resources was not supported.
Only recently a bill for the establishment of the North East Development Commission was passed and currently awaits presidential assent.
Now the North East contributes nothing to the Federation account and the funds to be used for the rehabilitation of self inflicted devastation in the North East is partly to come from the South East. There was no whimper against the bill.
Yet a people whose lands have been development neglected and ravaged by nature and who contribute to the federation account can’t develop even with their own funds?
I understand that what the bill sought to achieve in the main was a more integrated development especially at the inter-state level. This opportunity has been denied them. Sad. So sad.
First I must commend the courage of the proponents of the Bill. But I know that even they knew the possible futility of the bill becoming law.
Again we have been politically trumped by those we like to denigrate.
But imagine if there was a Southern solidarity already established amongst the people of Southern Nigeria. This bill wouldn’t have been treated with the disdain and levity it was treated to.
Imagine that as the members of the south east staged a walk out, they were joined by their south southern brothers and south western neighbours (refusing to return until the bill is taken).
Imagine that many of the legislators from the other two regions of the south were available that day in their numbers to lend their voice and support to this Bill.
Imagine that we had shown that in matters affecting southern (any southern region) development we jettison partisan representations and regional enclaves.
Nobody would take us for granted.
I have severally preached southern unity, harmony and solidarity because if we go it on the individual basis we won’t get what we seek. And that’s because our Northern traducers have found a way to be united on matters concerning them irrespective of religion, region or partisan stand.
I don’t know how many of you have had the agony of reading the NDDC Act; I assure you will weep. In establishing an otherwise regional development commission, the Act as a sup to our Northern overlords provided for board representatives from the northern hemisphere. Now I ask, does the North East Development Commission Bill have such southern representatives on the board? Your answer is as good as mine.
Still we bicker over inconsequential- “my house is bigger than yours”, kind of arguments while our northern overlords laugh at us and use such bill as the South East Development Bill to mock us.
I pledge my support to any movement for southern harmony, unity and solidarity because I have a firm conviction that together we would pull down the prevailing oppressive and debilitating system which has limited our potentials to do great thing as a people.
From today let’s stop seeing ourselves as enemies, our real enemies are those who would have us continue in subjugation to the north.
Let’s work from the position of enlightened self interest.
Chimennma Okolo is a lawyer, equal rights campaigner and environmental rights activist
