As Nigeria continues to experiment with its journey into nationhood, reputed statesmen, scholars, patriots and groups alike have repeatedly called for the total overhaul of the nation’s political system and the ushering of another which would best suit its present configuration and one that will guarantee the total development of the nation as well as its continued stability.
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Whether we like it or not, restructuring remains the elixir to the nation’s cauldron of socio-economic cum socio-political conundrums. While I might agree with the school of thought that the major problem of this nation has been the challenge of leadership, the truth remains that even if you give Nigeria the saintliest of saints as its leader or select of leaders, the present stack of our nation’s quasi federal structure would at best frustrate whatever efforts such a Saintly Leader would exert in the course of his duties.
One of the reasons why I supported President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was owing to his stance on restructuring. Of the three major candidates that vied for the presidency, Tinubu was the ‘talk na do’ candidate on restructuring! How can anyone forget that he was a victim of the overt lopsidedness of the nation’s federalism which saw President Obasanjo antagonize him for his pro federalism views and nuances? Tinubu as an advocate for true federalism did not budge and the nation today is better for it, call it, a small step for the father of modern Lagos, one giant leap for the nation.
Sadly, the Tinubu administration has been taciturn on the subject of restructuring that many have wondered if it is the same “Jigi Bola” that is at the helm of affairs in this nation. In a country given to a number of urban legends about the cloning of our presidents, such a question may not be out of place, even with its hilarious bent.
While my president has kept Nigerians second guessing about his stance on restructuring, events since his assumption of office has drummed up with staccato strokes the need to do otherwise and with much urgency.
The present situation where the Supra-national, the Federal Government receives 52.6 per cent of Nigeria’s while the sub national, the states as well as the LG’s share the rest cannot guarantee true federalism and the inclusive gains of development and growth. A situation where the goose that lays the eggs boasts of decrepit infrastructure and the residuals of oil pollution whereas states that contribute little or nothing continue to benefit much from the dividends of such wealth cannot put the nation on the path of economic progress.
Imagine a situation where a local government like Njikoka has much more control on resources located within, the desire for the LG to be dependent on the centre for its resources would be near zero and Njikoka, like every other LGA would develop at its own pace. This development would see the LGs as spurs for economic growth.
Imagine if each state had control over its own police structure, partnering with the Federal police on matters such as terrorism? Would the states not fare better in fighting crime and would our governors face the problem of crime squarely without laying blames on the centre over its non control of the police in their respective states?
President Tinubu must take unto cognizance the fact that his party, the All Progressives Congress,APC had made restructuring one of its campaign promises before the 2015 elections, while I am aware that the party sometime in 2017, set up a committee to that effect, nothing further was heard about its report not to talk about its implementation, it did seem that President Buhari and his handlers wasn’t too keen on such a promise and thus such a moment for positioning the nation for greatness was lost.
The future of this nation and its stability rests much on the restructuring of Nigeria, otherwise the strictures presently faced would continue to breed agitation among the components of our federation, let’s face it the recent clamour for secessionist republics of Biafra, Oduduwa and the Niger Delta stems from such imbalance, give Nigerians true federalism, restructure this country and such clamour would die a natural death.
President Tinubu and his handlers must therefore heed the call by numerous persons, some of these voices have served as voices of conscience for the nation and did not just wake up now to call for such. He must heed such calls as posterity would much be grateful to him for such an act!
Mr. President like those words on President Harry S Truman’s table did announce, “ The buck stops on your table”
*Restructure this nation!*
May Nigeria Succeed!