Nigeria is forever enmeshed in pandemonium. Sadly, the root cause is often attributed to imbalance and lack of fairness in the affairs and structure of Nigeria. The way Nigeria is structured is favourably to only a section of Nigeria – the core North, and so, why the other sections are evermore agitating for restructuring to ally with the federal system of government enunciated in the Nigerian Constitution, the North which is the major beneficiary of the current system is intractably opposed to this request. The North seized Nigeria through their pliant, meekly attitude towards the amalgamators and colonial rulers of Nigeria. There is no doubt that the current arrangement stifles development in the country especially in the zones that are eager for development and have the wherewithal in terms of resources human and natural to take their destiny in their hands. The defunct Western Region under late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Samuel Ladoke Akintola witnessed a flurry of developments between 1952 and 1966 when they led as Premiers, the same way the Eastern Region initiated a flurry of developments and it was so elsewhere. This is because true federalism allowed each region to go at its own pace and in the process, healthy competition was stimulated, a key driver to progress and development. Then, regions utilized their wealth to promote growth in their areas by which their peoples benefitted immensely. There were jobs, per capita income was on the high side, standard of living was high, educational standard was impressive, agricultural production in areas of comparative advantage was paramount leading to high volume of farm produce exports and infrastructural development bordered on the positive side. One of the worst things that ever happened to Nigeria was the entrenchment of unitary system of government, which has made the central government appropriate powers that did not belong to it. Despondently, the Northern cabal has deepened this anomaly to foist mis-governance on the whole nation. The cabal has become so lazy that it is contented with just wangling the national wealth for selfish reasons albeit to the detriment of good governance and by extension the people.
Rather than allowing patriotism to be the guiding interest, the prevailing inclination is control of the levers of power for parochial interests. All policies are instituted to meet an end –perpetuation of power by the cabal for personal interest. Hence, Nigeria is crawling at 60, left behind by nations of the world in spite of the humongous natural and material resources tucked in the bowels of the country. The cabal, employing religion and tribal sentiments, has so much ensconced itself that no one rises to the seat of power without its blessings and so, such much serve according to its whims and caprices. The result is the calamitous situation the country found itself. Awolowo as much as he tried despite being described as capable of leading Britain by a former Prime Minister of the European country was perpetually prevented from leading the country until his demise thus his mammoth talents were frittered away without using them to benefit the nation. Also, M.K.O. Abiola regardless of his competence and passion for the people was killed rather than being allowed to be president. The current system as it obtains will continually preclude the best from getting to the pinnacles of power to effect the much-desired change in the country. And in such circumstances, charlatans will continuously emerge to pilot the affairs of the country. Thus, EndSARS protests and such monstrous matters like banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, unemployment, inflation, insurgency, militancy, Operation Python Dance, Crocodile Dance, Lekki Killings, incessant ASUU strike etc will be permanent features of our existence. It is therefore no wonder that regional organizations such as Afenifere, Yoruba Council of Elders, Oodua Peoples Congress, Ohaneze, Middle Belt Forum, Ijaw Peoples Congress and so on are ardently agitating for restructuring. Furthermore, it explains why more militant associations like MASSOB and IPOB are taking the agitation to the extreme calling for the final dissolution of Nigeria. Many are quick to remind government that those who make peaceful change impossible make violent change inevitable. But oppressors never hearkened to voice of reason. They are often cocooned in the false belief that they are inviolable. The recent EndSARS protest that spread across the nation like wildfire should be a pointer to the fact that people’s patience is getting to the end.
In the light of the above we commend leaders of government to get off their high horse and restructure Nigeria in line with true federalism. In the long run, the whole country will be the better for it. Continuous obstinacy will only harden the heart of the people and when the consequence unfolds they will not be able to contain it.
