In recent times, especially since the inception of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, the word ‘restructuring’ has become almost a household word. Everybody talks about it either for or against.
In my attempt to find out the meaning of the word, I found such synonyms as reorganization, reformation, streamlining, reshuffle and the like. As I looked at the present state of Nigeria, I asked myself whether there is need to reform the country. And my answer (like those of other people all over the country) is a resounding YES. The next question I tried to find answer to is whether Nigeria has gone through any form of restructuring in the past, and my finding is another resounding YES!
What forms can a restructuring take and what form has the Nigerian restructuring taken? Restructuring encompasses political, economic, geographic, social, and even cultural and other human and national lives.
Since independence in 1960, Nigeria has gone through not less than six reformations politically, economically, socially, etc.
On October 1, 1960, the country had three regions and a parliamentary system of government. Less than three years later (in 1963) there was the first major restructuring of the country by the creation of the then Mid-Western Region out of the old Western Region. This brought in a new premier, new economic structure, new social structure and even new mental structure (because the thinking of the people changed). Not long after that, the same year, Nigeria became a Republic, untying herself further from the grips of Britain. The Supreme Court of Nigeria became the court of last appeal and final authority in all legal issues.
It took not quite four years before there was another restructuring, perhaps more fundamental than the first: Nigerian political sphere was hijacked by the military juntas, and this was quickly followed by the division of the nation into 12 states: a further political, economic, cultural, social and mental streamlining.
Nine years after (in 1976) came another reshufflement: the 19-state structure came to be with its own opportunities and weaknesses (There was massive looting of the assets of the old states by the new ones most of whose people occupied strategic positions in the states they were carved out from).
There seemed to be a competition of states creation by succeeding military leaders (perhaps as an ego trip or because the people demanded it, whether or not they actually needed it). There was another restructuring in 1987, and Nigeria was divided into 21 states.
That was not yet enough! The craving for creation of more states continued and reached a crescendo in 1991 when nine more states were created, bringing the total to 30. Were we done yet?
And finally, for the time being, another set of states were created in 1996; and now we have 36 states.
From all these, we see that the structuring in the country has been ongoing. So, why are some people threatening fire and brimstone at the mention of restructuring? Why are those who sought and worked hard for states creation, and who are the beneficiaries of such states creation, now turning against it and intimidating others with the consequences of restructuring? What did the opposers of restructuring see in 1967 that is different from what is happening in 2016? If they desired, fought and got it then, what makes them afraid now?
Restructuring does in no way mean secession (and, of course, self-determination is guaranteed by international laws); restructuring does not mean the death of Nigeria as a nation (after all, Nigeria has undergone many restructuring without anyone being killed by the Ogas with power).
It is said that only a foolish man does the same thing over and over and expects a different result. If Nigeria has forced people to live the way we have without reasonable result, why are we afraid of restructuring? This is the only panacea for the myriad problems of the country, and shying away from it will not lead us to the dreamland, and our hope for a great and better Nigeria will remain the dream that it has been for 56 years.
My propositions for a better Nigeria are:
(i) Constitutionalization of the six geo-political zones into federating units (with or without the states. I prefer the abolition of the states, most of who are not more than glorified local governments with cap in hand to Abuja every month, and who cannot even pay their civil servants);
(ii) The election of premiers for each of the regions (formerly zones) to run the affairs of their regions. There should also be elected a prime minister for the federation with a constitutional president.
(iii) Resource control by the new regions, paying royalties or taxes to the federal government (after all this was what obtained in the First Republic and it served the country well).
(iv) A return to a parliamentary system of government with reduced cost of governance (the present executive system is too powerful for one person called president and engenders massive corruption. Where there is a parliamentary responsibility, the whole cabinet will resign if the government’s policy fails, just as it happened in Britain where David Cameron and his cabinet have to go as the result of Brexit).
Nigeria will be great, but we must do things right. Long live Nigeria!
Uwadilachi I. Ijioma
