Thread by @OrjiUka

The accuracy in this tweet has given me an opportunity to discuss something I have been forgetting to. We from the South always find it convenient to blame the North of having a "born to rule" mentality. Assuming that's true, a fair share of the blame belongs to us.

https://twitter.com/AfamDeluxo/status/1311003857837752323

From my study of the political system in Nigeria I can say confidently, and proceed to demonstrate, that apart from President Buhari who appears to have the mentality of "what will you do?" Northern political leaders have simply been more strategic than the Southerners.

I will use just one example to drive home this point. While one example should not constitute sufficient sample size, when something happens consistently for 30 years, you should be able to rely on it as authoritative. What's that? The appointment of the Chief Justice of Nigeria.

I understand that it took the North 30 years to produce the first lawyer from that part of the country, after the first lawyer in Nigeria, Sapara Williams from South West Nigeria of course. Yet, before Onnoghen CJN, the South hadn't produced CJN for 30 years. Even wondered why?

I have the theory that the person who determines the CJN of Nigeria is not the President but the Governors of the States who appoint Judges in the first place. A Northern State Gov is 3ce more likely than his Southern counterpart to appoint a lawyer with 10 yrs PQE as a Judge.

I have my mates from the law school from the Northern part of Nigeria who are just waiting to clock 10 years at the Bar and they will be appointed as High Court Judges. From the South, the average year for appointment as a High Court Judge is 20 years PQE or more.

Imagine I am appointed as a Judge by my State Governor in 2032 (20 years PQE) while my mate at the Law School from the North is appointed by his Governor in 2022. By the time I am appointed in 2032, my mate may have got to the Court of Appeal, or at least close to that.

By the time I get to the Supreme Ct say in 2052 (20 years after appointment as a HC Judge and 40 years after my call to the Bar), I would have just 3 years to retire. Meanwhile my Law School mate would have been at the SC for 10 years. He would be 3 times more likely to be CJN.

I know life does not work like mathematics but you get the general sense. So next time, before we blame the North, let us ask ourselves whether we have not put ourselves at the disadvantaged position that made domination easy. For appointment of Judges, we certainly have.

That said, as I said from the beginning, none of what I have said in this thread justifies the clannish actions of the current administration. Even after a Southerner emerged CJN after 30 years, they contrived to remove him against the expression provisions of the Constitution.

See also what the President has done with the appointment of Supreme Court Justices (a topic for another day's discussion). I hope that by the time he leaves offices, there is still something left in the fabric of the society esp national cohesion.
vanguardngr.com/2020/09/buhari…

"I hereby present for confirmation by the Senate, the appointment of the underlisted Eight (8) Justices of the Court of Appeal as Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, ACCORDING TO THEIR RANKING OF SENIORITY AT THE COURT OF APPEAL.”