Being article on “Nigerian Lesson” – Published in The Times of London, July 15th, 1999; by Sir Peter Smithers.
“Sir, during the negotiations for the Independence of Nigeria, the view of the Secretary of State at that time, with which I agreed, was that in Nigeria, we should attempt to put together a large and powerful State with ample material resources, which would play a leading part in the affairs of the continent and of the world. This was but it involved forcing several different ethnic and cultural groups into a single political structure.
The negotiations were complex and very difficult. The chief problem, as I remember relating, significantly, to the control of the Police and the Military. In the retrospect of 40 years, it is clear that this was a grave mistake, which has cost many lives and will probably continue to do so. It would have been better to establish several smaller states in a free-trade area. In exculpation, it must be said that we did not then have the examples of the collapse of Yugoslavia and of the Soviet Union before our eyes.
It should now be clear for all but the willfully blind to see that it is extremely dangerous to force diverse racial and social entities into a single, rigid political structure such as that which is being built upon the foundation of the Maastricht Treaty. Recently, history suggests that it would be best to complete the development of the Common Market and to call a halt to political integration in Europe.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant.” (Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister of State and the Secretary of State in the Colonial Office, 1952-59).