Nigeria is now synonymous with under-development. Some call her the “shame of Africa”, while others continue to chant the slogan “The sleeping giant” each time she comes to mind. One keeps wondering why a country with so much natural resources, demographic advantage, intellectual abundance and regional might can be so under-developed. However the solution is not farfetched.
The solution is “VERY” easy to achieve, but there are various factors that has always served as impediments to the realization of this solution.
I will discuss the solution and explain why it has not been achieved despite its visibly easy nature.
Solution: Con-federation
The present Federal structure of Nigeria is a big sham. The categorization of the regions into states is her biggest undoing. This, among other things has further divided the country into smaller bits, thereby ensuring that ethnic differentiation is achieved, which sometimes results in ethnic conflicts among ethnic groups e.g Aguleri/Umuleri, Ife/Modakeke, Hausa/Fulani etc.
The regional status was better and more manageable, than the present state structure. This is because the feeling of belonging to a region creates a natural “Togetherness” at that level. However the federal system is not suitable for a regional government system. We need a CON-FEDERATION. A con-federal system will ensure that the regions function as different independent entities bound together in a country, with a weak central government. What this means is that:
1. Regional wealth will be managed by the regions in which they are found, and an allocation will be made to the central government to use and function as a stabilizing factor. If crude oil is found in the Southern region, they should be allowed to manage it and make profits for themselves with a monthly allocation to the central government. Same goes to the Agricultural, Service and Commerce capabilities in the East, West and North.
2. Basic infrastructures will be provided on a regional basis, with a 90% determination and management from the regional government, and a 10% input from the central government. This way, Gas can be used in the south, Coal in the East, Atomic energy in the West and Dams in the North.
3. Social, Ethno-religious practices can be reflected in the political systems that will definitely differ among the regions. In the North, there may be a structured religious based political system, a structured political system in the West, a less structured political system in the South and East. This will enable the people choose how they hope to be governed for the overall growth and development of the country.
4. The establishment of basic Central government facilities in each region, depending on their capabilities. E.g. a National university of Nigeria can be established, with the Engineering school sited in the East, the medical school in the West, the Agricultural school in the North and the social sciences school in the South. This will just complement the regional universities that will be established by the regional governments. Like that, National airports, Seaports, Hospitals, Police, electric power etc should be spread to complement the regional ones.
5. The creation of a national conflict resolution body (Ombudsman), which will be made up of professionals from different regions, and make a constitutional provision that will make it very difficult/impossible for regional conflicts to occur.
With a confederation;
1. There will be a natural creation of competition among the regions, which will ensure growth and development.
2. The people will be very close to their representatives. Unlike at present where a corrupt politician will depend on Abuja for protection.
3. There will be more efficient execution of functions and policies due to the urge to grow beyond other regions and also due to the consequences of the people’s reaction. E.g If the North becomes very developed despite their lack of rich natural resources, and the South remains impoverished, questions will be asked in the South and it may not rub off on Nigerians in other regions. The Militants will not need to go and blow Lagos; they will face all the Iboris of the world and blame themselves.
4. There will be less feeling of Marginalization.
5. There will be better provision of better infrastructures. For example if the East still finds it difficult to create electric power from gas/coal, they can buy the atomic energy that may be in abundance in the West or better still buy more gas from the South. That way, it will be a win-win situation.
Why we may never achieve this dream;
The Cunning nature of the North, the Gullible nature of the West, the Greedy nature of the South and the Submissive/Defeated nature of the East has ensured that the failure to achieve development is maintained. The Northerners (Most influential due to a good regional political structure) does not believe that they can succeed without the South’s crude oil (Despite the visible abundant agricultural capability they have), so they use their well organized regional political system to influence the West to abandon their admirable service based economic system and set their eyes on oil. By doing this, they naturally trample on the East (Whipping region) who has no choice but to follow, and they exploit the South who are just too greedy and selfish to understand that collectivity is the key to their redemption.
The North will always fight a system that will leave them with no option, but to ensure development. The West will always be manipulated by the North, mainly due to their similarities in some Socio-religious areas, which has made them so gullible that they believe that their might is on Oil. The East will remain a Defeated region except it decides to take things up (Which may result in another war). The division that has pitched some of their brothers to the South has made it difficult for a collective effort towards their redemption. The South will remain crying twins whose mother’s bosom is being sucked by the man next door, while they fight each other.
With the arrangement above, a con-federation may never be realized. Nigeria’s development may remain elusive, because the federal system we have at present is meant to complement the arrangement that I explained above.

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Drop a 10 tonne nuclear bomb - That should do the trick