@ Ibime, did you say let my people go ? No problem something can be worked out so a ship can come and move your local govt to Russia, right next to Abramovich's own.

@ Onlytruth and other Nairlanders.

I have gone through the press clip from the Vanguard Newspaper of yesterday and
seen that the summary of the demands made by the six zones to the constitutional review
committee. I want to believe that none of them went to the hearings with demands that
must be met or are not negotiable.

I believe also the hearings were aimed at aggregating views which will eventually be used in
their deliberations before they come up with a final position.This is aptly demonstrated in the report
which I quote below:-

"Kano set the tone of the argument for the supremacy of the Sharia in its position papers,
when an Elderstateman, Alhaji Magaji Dambatta declared that the ‘constitution should not have a
sweeping effect on Sharia where the need arises’

This means that the acceptance or rejection of tnis proposal is entirely at the responsibility of the committee
which is empowered as an arm of the legislature to make recommendation. Acceptance and recommendation
in their final report will go to the legislature and follow the rigours of law making in all its ramifications. It is a very
tedious process and whether it is accepted or not belongs to conjecture.

Fellow Nairalanders should be very cautious when persons that do not wish this country are on the prowl. We should
always read between the lines. In our present circumstances, we should not allow sophistry and twisted logic to create undue
hysteria among us. Views are many and varied. What I hold dear may be anathema to you but in the final analysis,
there is always a meeting point and there are established institutions and procedures for resolving these differences.Let us give
them the enabling environment. Before then, in our own little way, we must verify information received and also subject such
to logic.

In conclusion, what we require today is mutual respect for each other and our opinions. In addition, there is no amount of anomie cannot be
contained by systematic logic. There is today, a concerted attempt at sowing seeds of discord among us and perpetrators of these acts are
getting desperate by the day. we wish them well. You can hail your clan and give them all the positive attributes , I have no problem with that, yu can insult others till you go hoarse but you can only become blind if you do ot want to see them . In the same vein, you can wish or even allocate
berts in heaven for your clan but we know this is false, unless they are not the same folk we see everyday, created by God like all of us, with our baggage of the good, the bad and the ugly. In any case, they are going on with their lives, in concert with everyone else. Your widh is not their wish.In effect, you are whistling in the dark.

All this codl war propaganda stunts are outdated and of no material benefit to our world of today,

^^^

Blah blah blah!

As far as I know, the North is serious about Sharia being superior to the Nigerian constitution. They have rigged elections for it (imposed Obasanjo their ally in 1999), they have killed for it, they have imposed it in northern states, all they need now is a constitutional amendment to impose it on the rest of us. So, they are serious!

They also want to share oil proceeds on the basis of dubious population figures which they have cooked up through the years. Therefore, I know that they are only headed for a conflict with the owners of the oil. I also know that Igboman is about 95% Christian and 5% other religions and will NEVER accept that the Sharia be superior to the Nigerian constitution. At least not if we must remain in Nigeria.

If only Major Gideon okahs coup had been successful, all these would have been a thing of the past.

I think the Hausa elites want to have their cake, share it and also eat it.

They want to share other peoples natural resources on the basis of dubiouss populations figures and disproportionate state structure, then they want want to use this fund to fund religious structures hostile to others, especially the owners of this oil and then drive the remaining outsiders away by instigating religious crises from time to time.

wirinet:

I think the Hausa elites want to have their cake, share it and also eat it.

They want to share other peoples natural resources on the basis of dubiouss populations figures and disproportionate state structure, then they want want to use this fund to fund religious structures hostile to others, especially the owners of this oil and then drive the remaining outsiders away by instigating religious crises from time to time.

Thanks bro! These deceivers have their agents here trying to lie to us and change the subject.
We must focus on the core issue and resist these attempts to revise the history and true intents of our internal colonizers.

'Edoyad, onlytruth and wirinet.

This is where you are derailing.

i will recap if you cannot read between the lines and follow logic.

A senate committee is conducting hearings in the six political zones of Nigeria.
Each zone is making proposals for constitutional ammendments.
All presentations will be harmonised and presented for debate as recommended by the committee.
Some of these proposals may not even pass the committee stage.
These proposals will go through the legislative process and if my/your reps approve them what will you do?

For the guy Wirinet, I refer you to my comments on Orkars coup speech

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=354162.msg4955842#msg4955842

My dear Onlytruth, whether sharia is politically motivated or not is subject to definition and implementation is
confined to certain locations that are completely outside your zone and in any case it does not have general
application in the northern zones. SOme have said that it is used as a political tool but certainly it will not be
of any relevance in other parts of Nigeria. On this score, the quasi federal system will only that and restrict
it to the areas that want it.

On rigging and manipulation of elections, we know the specialists who outbid themselves and always end up
without a candidate. We know those who sponsor and instal a whole legislature and kidnap governors and they are not in the north
The federal system of government allows each state latitude to decide how it allocates its
resources and over the years we have seen how they have been used either for the community or for the
rulers. Being a federation, all federating are bound by statutes (Constitution).

Do not be deceived, it has been said , times without number, that our elite from all divides have a common interest
and once they agree, we are left in the cold, regardless of where you come from.Instead of finding a solution to this,
you guys have this penchant of using the same divisive methods used by our mutual oppressors to get to the top
and engage us in endless debates, rehashing the same fare, day in day out., nothing new.

To be very honest with you guys, it is depressing to engage in this type of dialogue , all in the negative direction,
dispelling long engraved prejudices and mindsets and phobia/ conspiracy theories. As I said in other places, this
is a platform for all players. You can decide to send your first eleven, your junior team or your veterans team or
even a combination of all. Do you blame anyone for your wrong choice of team and strategy? What happens if your
striker or defender scores an own goal? It is the fault of the opposing team, abi?

citizenY:

'Edoyad, onlytruth  and wirinet.

This is where you are derailing.

i will recap if you cannot read between the lines and follow logic.

A senate committee is conducting hearings in the six political zones of Nigeria.
Each zone is making proposals for constitutional ammendments.
All presentations will be harmonised  and presented for debate as recommended by the committee.
Some of these proposals may not even pass the committee stage.
These proposals will go through the legislative process and if my/your reps approve them what will you do?

For the guy Wirinet, I refer you to my comments on Orkars coup speech

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=354162.msg4955842#msg4955842

My dear Onlytruth, whether sharia is politically motivated or not is subject to definition and implementation is
confined to certain locations that are completely outside your zone and in any case it does not have general
application in the northern zones. SOme have said that it is used as a political tool but certainly it will not be
of any relevance in other parts of Nigeria. On this score, the quasi federal system  will  only  that and restrict
it to the areas that want it.

On rigging and manipulation of elections, we know the specialists who outbid themselves and always end up
without a candidate. We know those who sponsor and instal a whole legislature and kidnap governors and they are not in the north
The federal system of government allows each state latitude to decide how it allocates its
resources and over the years we have seen how they have been used either for the community or for the
rulers. Being a federation, all federating are bound by statutes (Constitution).

Do not be deceived, it has been said , times without number, that our elite from all divides have a common interest
and once they agree, we are left in the cold, regardless of where you come from.Instead of finding a solution to this,
you guys have this penchant of using the same divisive methods used by our mutual oppressors to get to the top
and engage us in endless debates, rehashing the same fare, day in day out., nothing new.

To be very honest with you guys, it is depressing to engage in this type of dialogue , all in the negative direction,
dispelling long engraved prejudices and mindsets and phobia/ conspiracy theories. As I said in other places, this
is a platform for all players. You can decide to send your first eleven, your junior team or your veterans team or
even a combination of all. Do you blame anyone for your wrong choice of team and strategy? What happens if your
striker  or defender  scores an own goal? It is the fault of the opposing team, abi?

CitizenY, the fact is the North West uttered the words causing consternation by "canvassing for the supremacy of Sharia legal system over the constitution". Very unusually, you have been expressing sentiment wherever this sharia matter has been mentioned. The fact though, is that sharia is a very emotive and divisive topic, I will outline a few reasons:

[list]
[li]Sharia is evilly equated with Islam by the machiavellian politician in the North and ignorant folk down South[/li]
[li]Down South, ignorant folk wrongly equate with Islam and sharia[/li]
[li]In the South, sharia is seen as very primitive[/li]
[li]Sharia riots have led to several deaths[/li]
[li]Sharia has led to several dangerous religious cults like Boko Haram[/li]
[li]Sharia has actively been used to undermine the secular constitution in dangerous game of brinksmanship[/li]
[/list]

Each one of the above mentioned points can be expanded into articles in their own right. Therefore, any group bringing sharia up as a political game is either mad, dangerous, deaf or blind. So don't be surprised that the responses from Southerners (and I'm sure, quite a few Northerners) are barbed, steely and very determined.

@Beaf,

Thank you very much for your observation and I am glad you mentiones my reaction as very unusually
to my reactions on sharia.

I note you r very valid observations and wish to state very emphatically that my indignation is directed at
those guys who dwell on sophistry and claime to know the north and its people, religion and cultures
more than other Nigerians.When they write, you find that it is the same fare- dripping with prejudices
and phobia. This is our friend Onlytruth plies his trade and he definitesly should know better. He has deliberately
aligned himself to the clan of the informed for his mischievous thesis on northerners and sharia. That is where we disagree.

Finally, my position, as I take issues in a case by case basis is that regardless of whatever proposals that are tabled before
the committee, there is still a long way to go and by the time these proposals go through the legislative process and this
is very rigorous- from committee to the house, the three readings in the two houses, the senate and house work separately,
the 36 state legislatures and finally presidential assent for constitutional amendment, whatever is objectionable must have been
jettisoned along the way. This is the crux of the matter. This is what I forsee for all the proposals mentioned , whether we like it
or not. In short there is no way anything can be foisted on Nigerians without their agreement through their
representatives as recognised by the present dispensation.

Every honest person knows this and with this at the background, it will amount to rabble rousing and irresponsible for anyone to
appear in Nairaland , or anywhere for that matter and spread paranoia and falsehood. What is the use our enlightenment if
we continue to use it for negative purposes. Are we suddenly ignorant of the lawmaking process? Since we know it is there,
there is no need to worry as the legislative process is prescribed in the constitution.
That is all I am saying. Stop the rabble rousing and let the system work, separate the wheat from the chaff. If you do not like
something, , see your representative. What is the problem there?

Beaf, honestly na all these ITK and Number 12 players, third linesmen and auxiliary referees wey we get for Naija dey annoy me.
They just muddle up things with their prejudices and I must say, most respectfully that all these guys cannot be ignorant of these facts.
All through Nairaland, a topic is posted for discussion the next thing - northerner, sharia, etc etc. They leave the substance and chase the shadows.
In another instance the Igbo and Yoruba forget Hausa topic and face themselves-- wetin.

CitizenY , whatever you have said does not change the fact that thousands of Nigerians were murdered as a result of riots that were kindled by the rancour over the same sharia same issue. The victims from the anti-sharia party were people whose parents/guardians/sponsors had invested thousands, hundreds of thousands and even millions in fostering them with basic life tools of the modern world - of which a sound education and basic civilities are included.
The problem is when people who have values or traditions that would be considered inimical in any modern society believe that their life style should be the monolith in that environment. No other Nigerian culture cherishes the forceful sending out of toddlers from the comforts of their parents homes into the streets to plead for alms in the name of "discipleship", a complete waste of a human existence. There're no other cultures in Nigeria you'd visit and experience school age children hawking fuel in containers on a working day or illiterate girls married off at 12 years of age only to be divorced a few months later with complicated health problems suffered from traumatic child birth,becoming a burden on society.
These are practises that are totally irreconcilable with other cultures not to mention even bringing your "sharia".

@Edoyad

You don't get it do you?

It is like this,

Let the demands of each zone go through the assembly as dem dey make law.
if lawmakers like am - dem go make law.
if dem no like am- dem nogo make law
\If dem no make law- nobody go force you.

That is all I am saying.

You can decide to ask for legislation on the issues you raised above, and ego follow the
same process.

Go and read your constitution. If you had read it, your reaction could have been pointless , unless you are also player number 12.

Of course i understand what you say, what do you take me for ?
The problem with that proposal is that it gives the portrayal that the region is distinctly Hausa and Muslim in make up, which is a false. Other than the middle belt, there are many other pockets of minority groups in the states affected. Those groups would view that draft/proposal as an insult on their collective sensibilities to highest order. Are you trying to tell me that people who drafted that proposal did so without knowledge of the presence of cultures that would in no way fit into that religio-judicial system ? Whether it is ratified or not, were they a part of It's drafting ? That just spells arrogance and total disregard of important entities if you ask me.

citizenY:

'Edoyad, onlytruth and wirinet.

This is where you are derailing.

i will recap if you cannot read between the lines and follow logic.

A senate committee is conducting hearings in the six political zones of Nigeria.
Each zone is making proposals for constitutional ammendments.
All presentations will be harmonised and presented for debate as recommended by the committee.
Some of these proposals may not even pass the committee stage.
These proposals will go through the legislative process and if my/your reps approve them what will you do?

For the guy Wirinet, I refer you to my comments on Orkars coup speech

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=354162.msg4955842#msg4955842

My dear Onlytruth, whether sharia is politically motivated or not is subject to definition and implementation is
confined to certain locations that are completely outside your zone and in any case it does not have general
application in the northern zones. SOme have said that it is used as a political tool but certainly it will not be
of any relevance in other parts of Nigeria. On this score, the quasi federal system will only that and restrict
it to the areas that want it.

On rigging and manipulation of elections, we know the specialists who outbid themselves and always end up
without a candidate. We know those who sponsor and instal a whole legislature and kidnap governors and they are not in the north
The federal system of government allows each state latitude to decide how it allocates its
resources and over the years we have seen how they have been used either for the community or for the
rulers. Being a federation, all federating are bound by statutes (Constitution).

Do not be deceived, it has been said , times without number, that our elite from all divides have a common interest
and once they agree, we are left in the cold, regardless of where you come from.Instead of finding a solution to this,
you guys have this penchant of using the same divisive methods used by our mutual oppressors to get to the top
and engage us in endless debates, rehashing the same fare, day in day out., nothing new.

To be very honest with you guys, it is depressing to engage in this type of dialogue , all in the negative direction,
dispelling long engraved prejudices and mindsets and phobia/ conspiracy theories. As I said in other places, this
is a platform for all players. You can decide to send your first eleven, your junior team or your veterans team or
even a combination of all. Do you blame anyone for your wrong choice of team and strategy? What happens if your
striker or defender scores an own goal? It is the fault of the opposing team, abi?

CitizenY,

I am not in the mood for long arguments today and so i will make it brief. For the North- West to even demand to the aforementioned issues in this thread is very annoying. How can they bring about a proposal to make the sharia superior to the Nigerian constitution, and how are we to begin to negotiate such a proposal? Then they want to us to share resources based on cooked up population figures. So that bamboo go de work and mokey go de chop( and i am not just talking about oil). Take the example of alcohol and VAT. They want to share VAT on Alcohol and other production goods based on dubious population without thinking what they can add to the kitty.

You make me laugh when you go on and on about public hearings and national assembly and state assembly changing the constitution. Let me make a categorical statement; The Nigerian constitution cannot be changed by the National assemblies (especially this current dispensation), except it is done dictatorially like OBJ wanted to do. Ordinary FOI bill has been in the National Assembly (without passing through the state assemblies) for close to ten years. So you are now telling me that any section of the constitution will be changed in the next one and a half years remaining in this administration. The only Law this national assembly knows how to pass is appropriation laws, and even in that they are always late.

As you said discussing these issues gets one depressed.

@citizenY

Most of what I would have said have been well covered by edoyad and Beaf.

My people say that an erstwhile snake bite victim always flees at the sight of a lizard's head. So, don't blame me if I remain unconvinced of your points that these Sharia demands from the northwest are mere political gambits.
Ok, even if that is the case, what about the population-based revenue allocation? Mind you, we are yet to have a credible census in Nigeria. The trajectory of that revenue sharing formula position is conflict, and I am not being alarmist about that.

My next point is that my "representatives" you keep referring to were never sent there by my people. PDP and Obasanjo simply imposed them. Do you see why I'm not buying this your argument that the "legislative process" would cure all the ills in the emerging constitution? Like wirinet pointed out, this constitution amendment is illegal. My people never sent anyone there to negotiate the constitution.

When a real constitutional amendment process starts, we shall know and ensure that no one is imposed as our representatives. What you have now is the north trying to amend the constitution its own way, which is why any responsible Nigerian should follow what is going on with a passionate interest. To do otherwise would be irresponsible.

Finally, if they are not really going to amend the constitution as wirinet pointed out, what is the aim of all these incendiary statements and demands from northwest. I don't see how making irreconcilable demands in these hearings nurture an atmosphere for peace or hope in the Nigerian federation.

Onlytruth, it seem you did not understand the reason i said the Nigerian Constitution cannot be changed, except dictatorially. Yes in theory it is changeable, but in reality it is virtually an impossibility.

Now each session of the national assembly is 4 yrs, and a bill cannot be carried over from one session to the other, so all the shenanigans we are seeing from the national assembly now will end in may 27 2011, and the next session will start the whole process again. Not before each member recuperate some or all of their investments (election expenses), which can take up to one year after inauguration. Also 6 months to the expiration of the session, most members would be more interested in re-election and any Law making.  And we have not even begin to talk about the 35 state assemblies required for a constitutional amendment. So you see the approximate 2 and a half years left would never be enough to amend the constitution, even if there are no internal petty bickering.

Another pointer to that effect is that i[b]n the over two and a half years of this current session, not one bill had been passed by the 500 member national assembly except the yearly rituals of appropriation bills and supplementary appropriation bills.  [/b], and you expect them to be able to amend the constitution?.

All the public hearings, panels and committee investigations has only one benefit - SITTING ALLOWANCE, TRAVELING ALLOWANCE AND TRANSPORTATION ALLOWANCE.

Gentlemen,

Today, take it or leave it, the constitutional structures we have are the major instruments of governance. In the absence of any other regulatory
institution, I have no alternative that to refer to the constitution. The legislature remains the only group of Nigerians empowered to make laws.
The issue of how they got there is neither here nor there as they bare recognized, nationally and internationally as our legislative body.

The provisions of the constitution also allow freedom of expression. There have been a lot of incendiary remarks across the board and each and every
one of us guilty of this offence in one way or the other. As the saying goes, another man's meat is another man's poison. Some people ask for Sharia,
ask for secession while some others are limited to hurling invectives at one national group or the other. Its good to taste your own medicine, literally.
In this respect, it is funny to attach labels to views other than your own.

The plank of my argument, remains that we should submit each and every demand to the presently established and recognised constitutional process
as there is no alternative in sight. If there is any , show me. You do not have the right to determine what other people should ask fo, just as they also
must recognise your right to object. I am sure that not every demaned will succeed.

I am afraid, I cannot give you much comfort if you do not recognise the legislative process, with all its flaws by way of structure, content and how the
members got there. At least I know you have only one vote nad if it failed to put your favored guy there, too bad. Better luck next time.

^ The provisions of the constitution also allow for freedom of expression. Another strong point is your right to determine what the content proposal is.

But let me show you what the law of human existence allows for, SECESSION. That is the law many civilisations have utilised from time immemorial and will continue to do so in ages to come. Some are bloody, some are not, but one thing is constant about all; people abandon a larger societal group they believe is a hinderance on their own progress and opt to be on their own.

^^^^^
@Edoyad

I hope you included SECESSION in the demands of your zone.

Unfortunately/fortunately my zone(my people in particular) are after state creation not secession. We don't need anybody's oil money to prosper, we're generally hard working people who excel in all endeavours and cherish the positive values of man kind. I empathize with the cheated people of the south-south that's why i speak here, they have been robbed for far too long.

@ EDoyad

Lucy you

@Edoyad

Lucky you

edoyad:

Unfortunately/fortunately my zone(my people in particular) are after state creation not secession. We don't need anybody's oil money to prosper, we're generally hard working people who excel in all endeavours and cherish the positive values of man kind. I empathize with the cheated people of the south-south that's why i speak here, they have been robbed for far too long.

If your wishes are granted and more states are created for your zone, it will mean more governors, commissioners, houses of assemblies, new capitals, new local governments, etc.
So how do you hope to fund these new states? O let me hazard a guess : From oil money from the Niger delta which you claim you do not need. Please tell me i am wrong.

^^^^^^^^^^

@Edoyad/Wirinet

Citizen Y siddon look as iron dey sharpen iron.

Me na referee, onlytruth na linesman

wirinet:

Onlytruth, it seem you did not understand the reason i said the Nigerian Constitution cannot be changed, except dictatorially. Yes in theory it is changeable, but in reality it is virtually an impossibility.

Yes, I understood what you meant perfectly. We are saying the same thing though in different ways. I just decided to take a legal perspective instead of a legislative process perspective. All I'm saying is that if the constitution really cannot be amended (due to time in your own case, or legality in my own case) by this legislature (which I presume north westerners know fully well), why make extreme demands at this stage then? Believe me if the South Easterners were demanding Biafra or the right to secede, I doubt that CitizenY will be defending their rights to do so at this stage.
My concern is that the nation is gradually accepting internal colonization; because, while one region can make whatever demands it chooses irrespective of the sensibilities of others, others cannot reciprocate. What precludes others from making similar demands, except of course the threat of coercion?
History teaches us that coercion doesn't outlast equity. It gets to a time when the oppressed will say enough.

@ winiret, if my peoples demand for state creation is heeded to, what stops the demand of the south-south people for resource control from being accepted also ? The reason some regions refuse to accept resource control is because they feel that one region would possess enormous wealth while other regions would suffer, that is so wrong. If there is a steady and gradual introduction of resource control into the system, that would allow other regions the opportunity to develop their economic advantages before the eventual full implementation.
So, south west develops and exploits cocoa, education and commerce and yahoo yahoo.
South east develops trade, manufacturing, mining and drug trafficking.
Middle belt develops agriculture, mining and alcohol.
North east and North west develops cattle rearing, sharia and gateman LOLs

edoyad:

@ winiret, if my peoples demand for state creation is heeded to, what stops the demand of the south-south people for resource control from being accepted also ? The reason some regions refuse to accept resource control is because they feel that one region would possess enormous wealth while other regions would suffer, that is so wrong. If there is a steady and gradual introduction of resource control into the system, that would allow other regions the opportunity to develop their economic advantages before the eventual full implementation.
So, south west develops and exploits cocoa, education and commerce and yahoo yahoo.
South east develops trade, manufacturing, mining and drug trafficking.
Middle belt develops agriculture, mining and alcohol.
North east and North west develops cattle rearing, sharia and gateman LOLs

Believe me if resource control takes effect and every region is responsible for what it can produce and pay taxes to the center, the clamour for states (and the need to falsify elections and population figures) would die a natural death. I am sure the states in the region will start to coalesce in order to run a lean more cost effective government and free money for development instead of the current arrangement whereby the regions spends over 80% of their budgets in running their governments leaving very little is left for development. Please tell me under the present arrangements why does the east require 5 different governments, when they performed creditably with one government during the first republic.

The reason regions clamour for more and more states is in order to get a bigger share of the national cake.

If your people are trading, manufacturing, mining and swallowing cocaine to survive and you are paying relevant taxes, i doubt you would want to foot the bills of 5 different governors, not to talk of additional ones.

@winiret, unfortunately for your supposed convecture i'm not from the south east. But believe me if There's any region of Nigeria that would thrive most, not only in a true federal system but, in the event of a break up of Nigeria into atleast 6 zones, i know the south east would be it.
And as for states, there created for administrative purposes and not for bleeding national treasuries. But ofcourse when people who are in govt dont know what govt is about(Nigerians in general), they think It's about largesse

edoyad:

@winiret, unfortunately for your supposed convecture i'm not from the south east. But believe me if There's any region of Nigeria that would thrive most, not only in a true federal system but, in the event of a break up of Nigeria into atleast 6 zones, i know the south east would be it.
And as for states, there created for administrative purposes and not for bleeding national treasuries. But ofcourse when people who are in govt dont know what govt is about(Nigerians in general), they think It's about largesse

Sorry for assuming that you are from the south east. But i am not totally convinced that the south east will thrive very well in the event of a break up of Nigeria. First according to my own assumptions the only viable states in the south east as constituted in present day Nigeria is Anambra ( because of industrial and commercial centres) and probably Enugu (if its coal resources can be commercially harvested), all others states will crumble if the national cake stops coming from Abuja.

Yes states should be created for efficient administrative purpose, but your administrative units should not take up the major part of your income. Every state has a governor and deputy governor , at least 15 commissioners, at least 23 house of reps members, numerous special advices for both governor and deputy, a civil service consisting of thousands of civil servants. Add to that chairmen of at least 15 local government and all their chancellors. You have to cater for whimps and caprices of all these political offices and senior members of the civil service. If a small state like say Enugu is asked to rely on taxes generated, i do not see how they can pay for their government apparatus.


A major problem that will confront the south east in the event of a breakup is the fact that most of their best manpower is outside the zone, and i do not see them coming back if Nigeria breaks up.

The most crucial problem will be the absent of access to the sea. Except they can convince Rivers state to come with them, the south east will be a landlocked region. And you cannot thrive without a sea port.

If you doubt me check the budgets of all the states (financed from the national cake of course)and see how much of their expenditure is termed recurrent( money for maintaining the government)and how much is capital. Your will always see that recurrent always outstrip capital, and that does not include the money for the local governments.

Now look at the recurrent and see if the states can generate that amount without money from Abuja.

In today's new world order Larger political units are favourable to small units, due to a smaller more efficient government and its ability to ensure social integration and harness the manpower of a greater number of people.

One of the greatest problems in Nigeria is our social fractionalization brought about by state and local government creation, which was initially designed to divide the Igbos, but have now ended up dividing all other tribes.

Most social crises in Nigeria has its roots in Local government creation.

Interlude

wirinet:

Sorry for assuming that you are from the south east. But i am not totally convinced  that the south east will thrive very well in the event of a break up of Nigeria. First according to my own assumptions the only viable states in the south east as constituted in present day Nigeria is Anambra ( because of industrial and commercial centres) and probably Enugu (if its coal resources can be commercially harvested), all others states will crumble if the national cake stops coming from Abuja.

A major problem that will confront the south east in the event of a breakup is the fact that most of their best manpower is outside the zone, and i do not see them coming back if Nigeria breaks up.

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat! Ol' boy do you know what you are talking about
What do you think keeps Igbo away from Igboland? Even as we speak, just allow a functional international airport in the south east and decentralize power to the extent that we can provide our own police and keep whatever money we generate; then, stand back and see what will happen. Do these and see where most Igbo will migrate to, including the ones abroad.
Ha, wirinet, I thought you had game. I'm shocked by that quote above.

The most crucial problem will be the absent of access to the sea. Except they can convince Rivers state to come with them, the south east will be a landlocked region. And you cannot thrive without a sea port.

I hope you realize that you are simplifying a very complex situation here with Rivers state and access to the sea. For starters Botswana (just to use an African example) is far more progressive and stable than Nigeria, assuming we lack that direct sea access.

If you doubt me check the budgets of all the states (financed from the national cake of course)and see how much of their expenditure is termed recurrent( money for maintaining the government)and how much is capital. Your will always see that recurrent always outstrip capital, and that does not include the money for the local governments.

Now look at the recurrent and see if the states can generate that amount without money from Abuja.

You can't really make out much from the budgets as developed. Some states simply decide to pretend that they cannot generate money internally in order to keep fleecing the system. I would take those budgets with huge pinch of salt.

In today's new world order Larger political units are favourable to small units, due to a smaller more efficient government and its ability to ensure social integration and harness the manpower of a greater number of people.

Not if the larger unit is intrinsically dysfunctional like Nigeria.All  dysfunctional systems like that in Europe: Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Soviet Union all  crumbled under the weight of their contradictions. They had to crumble first before the European Union could be gradually built up. I think that may be what Nigeria needs.

One of the greatest problems in Nigeria is our social fractionalization brought about by state and local government creation, which was initially designed to divide the Igbos, but have now ended up dividing all other tribes.

Most social crises in Nigeria has its roots in Local government creation.

Agreed.