The green white green flag bearers of the African descendants have since 1960 undergone series of development and is still among developing countries in the world.
Throughout history, Nigeria have been glorified under the false pretenses of “Giant of Africa” but we Nigerians know there’s more to the giant that meets the eyes.
Some have argued that the current Nigeria system needs nothing of that such, they made it known that nothing is ever perfect and so, Nigerians shouldn’t clamour for the perfectness of the country. They further made it known that even if Nigeria should be reformed, it should be a sector of the Nigeria system.
Critics have shun these proponents and raised it’s voice even higher pleading for the total restructuring of Nigeria. It is worth noting that the restructuring songs have been on the very repeat in Nigeria from time immemorial and seems to have lost its real essence.
As an autonomous community with different ethnic backgrounds, Nigeria is said to be among the most populated country in Africa whose system of governance is strictly democracy with over 36 states and 774 Local Governments in the country.
We couldn’t talk about Nigerian restructuring without referring to the Nigeria-Biafria war which was a conflict induced by the Lord Lugard amalgamation. The reformation rift steamed on in the command of late Odumegwu Ojukwu who proclaimed the Eastern part of the country as the New Biafra. The rift soon lead to a war which lasted for three consecutive years. As true as it surely is a history now, yet the current rebirth of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has left an unsteady taste in the lips of Nigerians that the physical war might be over but not yet over. The dream never died with the Initiators, it lingers on.
The current president of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari made a speech in 2015 during his presidential campaign he opined that “Nigeria will die if it is not robustly restructured…” And this is a proof that Nigeria leaders are in full accordance of the country’s need.
No one one man builds a nation alright but the intentions and the need to is the actual realization that could foster and trigger positivity and optimism. No true change or reformation happens by accidents. Restructing comes when there avid strategic planning which would stem from openness and honesty, bias aside.
A lot might seem to misunderstand this Restructing quest or maybe they might hereto be of the opinion that Nigeria is taking her baby steps and should be allowed to fully undergo the processes. Restructuring here doesn’t necessarily mean just a sector in the country, it’s a general reconstruction of the nation starting from leadership operatives which is the executive arm of the government to the legislatives and down to citizenry.
Why Restructuring ?
Restructuring simply means to organize differently, strong emphasis on the word “differently”
With the current disastrous state of the country Nigeria, it is obvious that things are not working or moving as it should be. It is once said that you cannot do the same thing over and over and expect a different result hence the critical need to do things “differently” in the country.
It’s true that the Nigeria system of government has experienced tribalism and marginalization has been the order of the day. It’s obvious “Federalism” is merely there for the words (irrelevant).
Most people have argued that one step towards restructuring Nigeria is taking the bold limp towards federalism. We are left with the question of what federalism is.
FEDERALISM is rightly defined as the system of national government in which power is divided between a central authority (the Federal level) and a number of regions with delimited self-governing authority (states) in this case. USA, Canada, Australia, Canada, India and Brazil are some of the country that practices federalism.
Nigeria have proudly been labelled a federal government but in reality, this is not the case it is merely but a unitary state and this is one huge reason restructuring should come to play. The role of federalism would normalize the national power between the constituency states and the central. It would create ample allocations and resource management differently according to each states. The incessant “robbing” off states with major avenue would be curbed.
On the same hand, Restructuring would favour the democratic sysytem of the Nigerian Government. It would have way for leadership accountability as each states would yearn to do and advance further. It would as well shun off ethnic and cultural diversity which was the main cause of the 1973 war.
Another reason for restructuring Nigeria is the very fact that it would remobilize the economy of the country. With each constituency allocations the central government is drained from the annual allocation to the thirty-six states in the country. But with restructuring, each states would come to the terms of providing proper tax revenues and making use of these funds for the upkeep of the state.
Finally, the issue of Restructuring Nigeria is still a mere burning desire as most people are yet to encourage the movement. Most people strongly believes that restructuring isn’t the major answer to Nigeria’s poor governance problem. A lot of people have insisted on blaming the individual leaders for the backwardness in Nigeria growth.
Again, some people who are against restructuring are yet to understand what federalism means. Until they stop perceiving federalism as the division of the country, until then would they understand the true merits of federalism.
Another sect of people that are still mute in this context are people that are currently favored by the current bias situation in the Nigeria Government system. These set of people know what federalism is all about and equally knows it would go a long way to bring them to book as federalism encourages transparency so they remain adamant to the situation silently enjoying the current shambles of the Nigeria Government system.
As true as it is that Nigeria needs restructuring, it is worth of note that we do not know when this would happen. Without being pessimistic, Noone knows who would take the bull by the horn towards Nigeria restructuring. If that should be the case, then Nigeria is going to remain in it’s current state untill the willingness metamorphize into daring actions.
