A federation (Latin: foedus, foederis, 'covenant'), also known as a federal state, is a type of sovereign state characterized by a union of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central (federal) government. In a federation, the self-governing status of the component states is typically constitutionally entrenched and may not be altered by a unilateral decision of the central government.

The form of government or constitutional structure found in a federation is known as federalism (see also federalism as a political philosophy). It can be considered the opposite of another system, the unitary state. . .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federation

A unitary state is a sovereign state governed as one single unit in which the central government is supreme and any administrative divisions (subnational units) exercise only powers that the central government chooses to delegate. Many states in the world have a unitary system of government.

Unitary states are contrasted with federal states (federations):

    * In a unitary state, subnational units are created and abolished and their powers may be broadened and narrowed, by the central government. Although political power in unitary states may be delegated through devolution to local government by statute, the central government remains supreme; it may abrogate the acts of devolved governments or curtail their powers. . .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unitary_state

Quite clearly, Nigeria is a unitary state, pretending to be federal. Why are we fooling ourselves?
In order to resolve issues of national unity and the "National Question", we need to take an honest look at ourselves.

Some questions to punder
Why is the creation of states a weapon (yes, you heard right) in the hands of the powers that be?
Why is the country not developed after 49 years (next year will be our silver jubilee)?
How sensible is it for a non-imperial democratic state with a massive and ethnically diverse population to run as a unitary system?

Each time there is talk of a national conference, there is vehement disaproval from the Northern cabals, making it seem that "national unity" is of benefit only to certain sections (rather than for all). Yet, it is fundamental that consensus be obtained on why and how we should be united.

There has already been one brutal civil war, also recently there have been several serious human rights abuses in the Niger Delta and the Middle Belt. Indeed, the only thing uniting us today seems, on the one hand to be easy money from oil and on the other, the threat of extreme and beastly violence from a military that should be protecting us all.

The failure of our "federal" system can be seen in the discomfiture of the "federating" units; there are feelings of injustice, feelings of being threatened, the fear of domination, descrimination and insecurity. A plethora of seemingly one sided government policies have only heightened the sense of regional isolation in todays Nigeria eg lop-sided military demographics, federal character, federal police, quota system, degradation of derivation and resource control.

With the recent heating up of the polity on the presidents health (and the rolling out of drums of war), there is no better time than now to ask the question; what unites Nigeria, if anything?
The foundation is faulty, can we fix it and prosper, or do we bury our heads in the sand and wait for the inevitable?

It is instructive to note that a federal system of the type we now desire was dismantled under false pretences in 1966 and replaced with the unitary sham we have today.

Fear of equality or hard work and the need to maintain 'colonial privileges' will not allow certain people to tell the truth. For National unity, we need the complete opposite of what we have currently got.

I would say enough of the talk and push for action.

stillwater:

I would say enough of the talk and push for action.

What type of action?
I beg before re-inventing the wheel, go talk to the wise Ijaw man who first suggested the name: Biafra.

naijaking1:

What type of action?
I beg before re-inventing the wheel, go talk to the wise Ijaw man who first suggested the name: Biafra.

Aren't you people not tired of talking? This topic is one of the many recycled discourse here on this section. You think your leaders don't know the right thing to do but for selfish reasons they do the opposite. Even a primary 2 girl already knows what is wrong with Nigeria and how to change it.

No offense @beaf.

stillwater - there are many 'action packed' political threads like 'Obasanjo drinking garri with speed' or nairalanders giving birth to tortoises that can hold your attention.

SapeleGuy:

stillwater - there are many 'action packed' political threads like 'Obasanjo drinking garri with speed' or nairalanders[b] giving birth to tortoises that can hold your attention.[/b]

Oh you mean the TPIA thread

No need for sarcasm. Nobody said those ones are any better.

Nigeria cannot have a true federation right now, if so in about a couple of years Nigeria will be on FIRE. It will definately break up.

MrCrackles:

Oh you mean the TPIA thread

The school prefects supposed to delete that thread- that nah cyber bullying.

sjeezy8:

Nigeria cannot have a true federation right now, if so in about a couple of years Nigeria will be on FIRE. It will definately break up.

I hope i have misunderstood you- are you saying that true democracy and equality will result in the break up of the country?

SapeleGuy:

The school prefects supposed to delete that thread- that nah cyber bullying.

I agree. . . .TPIA herself has bullied loads of nairalanders you know
Nonetheless the thread should have been sent to the recycle bin

SapeleGuy:


I hope i have misunderstood you- are you saying that true democracy and equality will result in the break up of the country?

Not just any country but Nigeria yes!!!! Nigeria isnt ready for a true democracy and actual votes that count. Religion and ethnicity are apart of politics in every country and arent going anywhere for the next thousands of year. Realistically

rigging is the only way to keep Nigeria together because no one wants to face the truth in a free and fair election.

stillwater:

Aren't you people not tired of talking? This topic is one of the many recycled discourse here on this section. You think your leaders don't know the right thing to do but for selfish reasons they do the opposite. Even a primary 2 girl already knows what is wrong with Nigeria and how to change it.
No offense @beaf.

Not mentioning Biafra when discussing unitary/federal/regional goverments in Nigeria is like discussing why objects thrown up into the sky fall back to earth without mentioning gravity.
Of course, we can choose to be as politically correct as possible, and decieve ourselves along the way; that wouldn't solve any problem.

naijaking1:

Not mentioning Biafra when discussing unitary/federal/regional goverments in Nigeria is like discussing why objects thrown up into the sky fall back to earth without mentioning gravity.
Of course, we can choose to be as politically correct as possible, and decieve ourselves along the way; that wouldn't solve any problem.

Just asking o. . .
Is it hard for you to live in harmony with other people from different tribes? Have you found it a daunting task to interact with others?

stillwater:

Just asking o. . .
Is it hard for you to live in harmony with other people from different tribes? Have you found it a daunting task to interact with others?

Why does the mere mention of Biafra bring out the worst of the worst in you guys. The ignorance about the issue may infact be a factor.

stillwater:

Just asking o. . .
Is it hard for you to live in harmony with other people from different tribes? Have you found it a daunting task to interact with others?

Roflamo!!!!

stillwater:

Just asking o. . .
Is it hard for you to live in harmony with other people from different tribes? Have you found it a daunting task to interact with others?

I think it is not hard to live in harmony with other tribes but they are so many factors that negates this principle in our nigerian society which biafra is one of them.

stillwater:

Aren't you people not tired of talking? This topic is one of the many recycled discourse here on this section. You think your leaders don't know the right thing to do but for selfish reasons they do the opposite. Even a primary 2 girl already knows what is wrong with Nigeria and how to change it.

No offense @beaf.

Believe me, the thinkers and true leaders of tomorrow are never tired of discussing topics like this one. Everyone might know "what is wrong with Nigeria", but without constant rubbing of minds, we could get it wrong when the opportunity presents itself. So, talk about it again and again we must; until the day one of us either comes up with a fresh, novel and unassailable angle or we get the political break.

In order to act on this issue, we must empower ourselves. Knowledge is the most important form of empowerment (especially for the younger ones - teenagers and twenty somethings).

@topic
We've had sjeezy make the extraordinary claim that Nigeria is not yet ready for free and fair elections.
Rather than improving over the years, tribalism has worsened exponentially and in recent years, begun to attain truely dangerous proportions.
There have always been problems between North and South (or more accurately, between the South and the Northern Caliphate), even then, the tribalism of the 50's and earlier pales into insignificance compared to what obtains today. That is because, before the discovery of oil, we had something akin to true federalism.

What we need do to move forward at this time is, honestly identify those things that make us belong in one country (the things that unite us) and also honestly identify those things which separate us. Let us see if there are bridges or if those bridges have been permanently breached and we are only waiting for the worst.

naijaking1:

Why does the mere mention of Biafra bring out the worst of the worst in you guys. The ignorance about the issue may infact be a factor.

I have problems with Biafra because if Igbos are as united as they want others to think, states like Anambra will not be a political cesspit. I really need you to answer my question, because I don't see how if we as individuals can interact with ourselves, have Yoruba or Calabar neighbours, go to school with them and call them friends, we then get into politics, and get all tribal or religious.

Pharoh:

I think it is not hard to live in harmony with other tribes but they are so many factors that negates this principle in our nigerian society which biafra is one of them.

Don't you think it's an individual issue? Because I don't see how some dude from the East will come and tell me to turn against my Yoruba friend because of tribal affiliation or because of what happened in 1967.

Beaf:

Believe me, the thinkers and true leaders of tomorrow are never tired of discussing topics like this one. Everyone might know "what is wrong with Nigeria", but without constant rubbing of minds, we could get it wrong when the opportunity presents itself. So, talk about it again and again we must; until the day one of us either comes up with a fresh, novel and unassailable angle or we get the political break.

In order to act on this issue, we must empower ourselves. Knowledge is the most important form of empowerment (especially for the younger ones - teenagers and twenty somethings).

All true. I'm just tired of talking without no headway. Our fathers have been rubbing minds for so long, nothing happened. So we should still continue on that same route?

stillwater:

. . .
All true. I'm just tired of talking without no headway. Our fathers have been rubbing minds for so long, nothing happened. So we should still continue on that same route?

If the country is currently set up to be tribalistic (yes, tribalism is only a symptom of underlying structural problems), what are the alternatives than to reach out and rub minds in the hope that critical mass will be acheived? The alternative are bloodshed or some stroke of good fortune.

SapeleGuy:

It is instructive to note that a federal system of the type we now desire was dismantled under false pretences in 1966 and replaced with the unitary sham we have today.

Please expatiate on the above notion.

stillwater:

Just asking o. . .
Is it hard for you to live in harmony with other people from different tribes? Have you found it a daunting task to interact with others?

What imbecilic conjectural craps? These are the makings of a loafer.

@ Beaf

Beaf:

If the country is currently set up to be tribalistic (yes, tribalism is only a symptom of underlying structural problems), what are the alternatives than to reach out and rub minds in the hope that critical mass will be acheived? The alternative are bloodshed or some stroke of good fortune.

But people like that caged animal Dede1 do not see any need for discourse. Rubbing minds with his set is like pouring salt on an earthworm. How can you have national unity when we have his likes roaming about the place breeding hatred. I believe this thread is about having a real federal government and not about secession? Or is it? So I wonder what he's doing here.

Dede1:

Please expatiate on the above notion.

I believe the first two coups and the creation of states destroyed the initial federalism we first practiced and the biafra war took it to another proportion.

stillwater:

I have problems with Biafra because if Igbos are as united as they want others to think, states like Anambra will not be a political cesspit. I really need you to answer my question, because I don't see how if we as individuals can interact with ourselves, have Yoruba or Calabar neighbours, go to school with them and call them friends, we then get into politics, and get all tribal or religious.

No group of people can be united in this present nigeria sister, from anambra to ogun state there will always be unhealthy rivalry and competition all because of politics. I think it will be nice to differentiate forced interaction and willingly interaction.

When we differentiate between this two then we will see the reasons why a yoruba man will buy drugs from an igbo chemist but will not allow an igbo man to marry his daughter or an igbo man will buy meat from a yoruba seller but will now allow his daughter to marry a yoruba man.

We can open our thirty-two teeth and interact with each other but when it comes to reality we all sing to each of your tenth oh ye Israelite's. Politics, marriage, religion and so many other things are red lines which exposes the fake interaction and integration we think we are practicing.

stillwater:

Don't you think it's an individual issue? Because I don't see how some dude from the East will come and tell me to turn against my Yoruba friend because of tribal affiliation or because of what happened in 1967.

Whatever arrangement that we will make in the so called true federalism, it  is not going to stop us from interacting with other tribes of Nigeria. We just need it for justice and progress so everyone will feel belonged and satisfied.

stillwater:

I have problems with Biafra because if Igbos are as united as they want others to think, states like Anambra will not be a political cesspit. I really need you to answer my question, because I don't see how if we as individuals can interact with ourselves, have Yoruba or Calabar neighbours, go to school with them and call them friends, we then get into politics, and get all tribal or religious.

It is only douche bag such as you would construe unity to being sheepishly political agreeable. One of the cardinal merits of democracy is the convention of being able to agree to disagree without being disagreeable. When USA was in her infantile stage, gentlemen that graced the political trails of that era often settled political disagreements by dulling.

Anambra State is simply showing political maturity in the sense that being world acclaimed figure does not buy anybody an unchallenged path to the state house.

If you were given 20 options to discern the real meaning of federalism, hell will freeze over before a senile in you can be reasonable.

Nigeria would not see any meaningful development in the fifty years if her political, economic and social systems remain unchanged.

Pharoh:

I believe the first two coups and the creation of states destroyed the initial federalism we first practiced and the biafra war took it to another proportion.

I am still waiting for clear and discrete simplification of the thought that we have true federalism until the coups of 1966.

However, I am of the view that the January 15, 1966 left the powers of regional government intact hence Ojukwu’s wielding of enormous power in the eastern region that scared the living daylights out of the boys in Lagos parading themselves as representatives of the so-called federal government.

My beef is the deliberate attempts of many nairlanders to sidestep the truth when dealing with issues that could give any hope of unity to the cesspit called Nigeria. The federalism in Nigeria as we elementarily knew it came to end after the successful coup of July 29, 1966.

Gowon and 1967 Nigerians killed the true experimental sense of federalism in the colonial contraption called Nigeria.

Dede1:

It is only douche bag such as you would construe unity to being sheepishly political agreeable. One of the cardinal merits of democracy is the convention of being able to agree to disagree without being disagreeable. When USA was in her infantile stage, gentlemen that graced the political trails of that era often settled political disagreements by dulling.

Anambra State is simply showing political maturity in the sense that being world acclaimed figure does not buy anybody an unchallenged path to the state house.

If you were given 20 options to discern the real meaning of federalism, hell will freeze over before a senile in you can be reasonable.

And this is your definition of agreeing to disagree? You do yourself more disservice than good trying to sound reasonable.
If by agreeing to disagree you cannot pass your message across without hurling insults, then refrain from using that line of come back with me because you have failed woefully. It's funny you're talking about senility when it is obviously you that is a foot to the grave.

I've been talking to people here without insults but you brought your quater to death frame to the thread. You'd better act your age!!!

Political immaturity you mean? Who sees the state of Anambra today and puts maturity in the same sentence? Only die hard dunces like Dede1 would, whose grasp of English language is below par.

stillwater:

@ Beaf

But people like that caged animal Dede1 do not see any need for discourse. Rubbing minds with his set is like pouring salt on an earthworm. How can you have national unity when we have his likes roaming about the place breeding hatred. I believe this thread is about having a real federal government and not about secession? Or is it? So I wonder what he's doing here.

What a low ball? Are you fantasizing that Dede1 should engage in an intellectual discourse with a lowlife and rabbis infected raccoon such as you Madam Stillwater?  

I am on this forum to strictly maintain well elevated social strata and never insinuated that crossing words with foggy-bottom such Stillwater is a remote option.

Dede1:

I am still waiting for clear and discrete simplification of the thought that we have true federalism until the coups of 1966.

However, I am of the view that the January 15, 1966 left the powers of regional government intact hence Ojukwu’s wielding of enormous power in the eastern region that scared the living daylights out of the boys in Lagos parading themselves as representatives of the so-called federal government.

My beef is the deliberate attempts of many nairlanders to sidestep the truth when dealing with issues that could give any hope of unity to the cesspit called Nigeria. The federalism in Nigeria as we elementarily knew it came to end after the successful coup of July 29, 1966.

Gowon and 1967 Nigerians killed the true experimental sense of federalism in the colonial contraption called Nigeria.    

It wasn't true IMO but developmental federalism because we were a developing country as then and even until now. They were supposed to create three additional minority region but only one was created which was the Midwestern region.

The January coup might have left the regional structure intact but you will agree with me that the assumption of the coup along ethnic lines served as a foundation or prelude to the other actions that led to the destruction of the federal structure.

After the July coup i think the situation could have been ,anaged and corrected but we just allowed that oportunity to snowballed to something else until this present moment.

Our problems even goes beyond these two coups up to the creation of the minority regions and the politics of the British colonialist.

@Stillwater and Dede1 please take it easy ooo

Stillwater please i personally plead with you okay biko.

Pharoh:

I believe the first two coups and the creation of states destroyed the initial federalism we first practiced and the biafra war took it to another proportion.

No group of people can be united in this present nigeria sister, from anambra to ogun state there will always be unhealthy rivalry and competition all because of politics. I think it will be nice to differentiate forced interaction and willingly interaction.

When we differentiate between this two then we will see the reasons why a yoruba man will buy drugs from an igbo chemist but will not allow an igbo man to marry his daughter or an igbo man will buy meat from a yoruba seller but will now allow his daughter to marry a yoruba man.

We can open our thirty-two teeth and interact with each other but when it comes to reality we all sing to each of your tenth oh ye Israelite's. Politics, marriage, religion and so many other things are red lines which exposes the fake interaction and integration we think we are practicing.

Whatever arrangement that we will make in the so called true federalism, it  is not going to stop us from interacting with other tribes of Nigeria. We just need it for justice and progress so everyone will feel belonged and satisfied.

This is how you answer questions. And not through the epileptic misgivings of that vagabond Dede.

Are you saying we are just pretending with ourselves? I need a poll to figure this out, so that I can come to terms we all hate each other.