|
New Page 19
Switzerland: A confederation under nations
VICTOR C. ARIOLE
APART from
one’s research on Francophonie, the tendency somehow was to agree with some
Nigerians who think of emulating the Swiss type of confederation. However, a
deep look into that confederation supported by a visit gives the impression of
an antithetical nation, people brought together to fuel and sustain cantonal
greed. In effect, the cantons are the nations but their survival depends on how
they play good brides to attract the patronage of nations they rely on; Nations
like France, Germany and Italy. A confederation modeled like some private
American Universities where departments in the university depend more on their
external donors and work more in line with the interest of such donors than in
the interest of the university as their apex agenda setter. And the president is
a mere coordinator and not in authority.
A business executive from either
German-speaking, French - speaking or Italian speaking Swiss will narrate to you
more about the activities of the German chancellor, French President and the
Italian Prime Minister than the President of the Council of State of
Switzerland. Some even do not know or care to know the name of the President of
Switzerland.
Citizens are interested more in cantons
that generate better economic activities and require their services and can pay
them more than political events. Thus, the German cantons seem to be dominating
in economic activities as you see many products labeled and instructed in
German. Hence Zurich becomes a place that bubbles with activities than other
places.
For the French Swiss, they are aware they
cannot compete effectively with the German cantons so they devise a means of
coming together and taking up the name Swiss Romansch with Geneva as a centre of
attraction and Lausanne as the main industrial centre. In effect, they are the
only competitor against the Swiss Germans because both the Italian Swiss and the
Romansch Swiss are very weak and are in minority and even dispense of their
languages while carrying out debates in the Confederal Assembly (Diete).
However, something good about the Swiss
confederation which internally is called Confederation Helvetique, and not
Switzerland, is the economic challenge they care to overcome instead of
political bickering. Each canton strives to prove itself economic wise, allowing
business to operate freely while taxes and fines are remitted willingly by
people to the treasury of the cantons. German-speaking Swiss make up almost 78
per cent of the area with the following cantons: Zurich, Lucern, Uri, Schwyts,
Obwald Nidwald, Glaris, Zong, Solwer, Schaffhouse, Apenzell, St. Gall, Grison,
Thurgovie and Friburg. French speaking Swiss controls about 19 per cent with
cantons as Valais Berne, Geneve, Bale-Ville, Neuchatel, Vaud, Jura, Bale
Campagne and French Friburg while the Italian speaking Swiss known as Tessinois
and the Romanch speaking control about 3 per cent - Argovie, Tessin, Jura and
Appenzell are their cantons. With the four distinct peoples, languages and laws
in Switzerland or betterstill Confederation Helvetique are not rigid or strict.
Cantons make their laws to suit the people living therein, the laws can also be
made in respect of intercantonal lapses as some cantons cannot be said to be
totally German, French, Italian or Romansch. Hence, the need to enter into
agreement with other cantons on some "Municipal" laws. The confederal laws
operate in areas of immigration, foreign affairs and internal security. They are
laws debated upon by the cantonal councilors in Berne and found to be agreeable
to the cantons.
The language problem arises as a result of
addressing the people in the language they understand and making laws in line
with the understanding and grammar of such language. The person in Berne, the
capital, cannot address directly the people. He must come to the canton and
address the people in the language they understand. The Swiss in general agree
that language development and progress are functions of the social dynamics of
the people who make use of them. Thus, as Romansch and Italian are ceding
completely to French and German, it seems obvious that the social dynamics of
the people using the two languages are incontestably superior. However, the
German speaking cantons seem to impose English on their students as against
French thus trying surreptitiously to kill French speaking Swiss with the
backing of the French Government and the tourist attraction of the French
cantons, that stretch into France. Their Universities are mainly French and
German speaking and are propagating and fostering heritage from these two
groups.
Notwithstanding their differences, they
aim at reaching a consensus one day of what their national values and ethos will
be and to make conscientious effort towards self-asssimilation of those ethos
and value. Their German-speaking areas that in the past had different variants
of the German language are now realising how important it is to have a
standardised Swiss German language. The French -speaking are already ahead of
them while the Italian and Romansch speaking are at loss and are gradually
collapsing into French or German Swiss.
Lessons for Nigeria are many. First lesson
is that the idea of confederation is not feasible now for Nigeria as
indigeneship still matter to us. To the Swiss you are an indigene of the place
you are born and as long as you are born in Swiss territory no one discriminates
against you in Switzerland. What might discriminate against you is your
inability to speak the language of the canton you find yourself. In affect,
confederation is about law and language and not a hindrance to the mobility of
citizens and labour. If you abide by the law of the canton you find yourself in
and speak its language, you are welcome. It is not yet the case in Nigeria. Not
everybody in Zamfara State abides by Sharia law and not all the Igbo in Lagos
are accepted as Lagosians no matter the amount of Yoruba they speak.
The second lesson is that economic
self-assertiveness matters as the German Swiss and French Swiss are doing to get
the confederation going. Thus, the major tribes in Nigeria should be able to
carve a niche for themselves in any given economic activity distinct from the
pursuit of federal revenue allocation and prove that they can sustain themselves
without the oil money. The third lesson is that politics must be de-emphasised.
Personality cult in the name of political juggernauts must be sacrificed on the
altar of economic juggernauts.
The fourth lesson is that Nigeria should
speed up literacy campaign in English and the three major languages making sure
that Nigerians interact well in any two of them so as not to be a social misfit
among others.
The fifth lesson is that people should not
be hindered to move to where economic activities are at their best and that it
should serve for other areas to develop their economy so as to attract people.
Hardworking people are encouraged everywhere and not looked upon with disdain. A
Swiss as a cleaner is highly regarded like a manager. So he takes pride in doing
the job.
The sixth lesson is that Nigeria’s capital
must be split into six recognised zones and a zone allocated to each of the six
recognised zones of the federation for economic competitiveness under federal
adjudication as a prelude to total operation of a true federal nation. Or, in
the alternative, declare Lagos, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Jos, Kaduna, Maiduguri
towns within each of the Zones as federal territories where Nigerians can
operate freely within established federal laws and languages agreed upon.
Nigeria has its peculiarity just as the
Swiss people have done and have proved to the world that they are peculiar and
wonderful people no matter the past stigma attributed to them as deviants and
barbaric people of the nations they originated from.
One thing however stands clear in the
lesson to learn from the Confederation Helvetique (Switzerland), it is a nation
with dual spirit - outward and inward. Inward is Confederation Helvetique and
outward is Switzerland. While accepting that they are one outwardly, they remain
inwardly proteges of different nations. Nigeria is not fashioned that way.
Nigeria must develop a super spirit for its corporate existence and it must be
done by an assembly of good and dedicated leaders.
•Mr. Ariole lectures at UNILAG.
|
