Good morning everyone.

This is a serious post, which was sparked by reading this missive from a 17-year-old Nairalander written earlier this month...

What does restructuring a country mean?

It is a very good question because in this era of Biafra agitation, sit at home, and quit notices, as well as 95% vs 5%, Boko Haram, Yorubas vs Igbos....I have found myself musing on the question. And the more I muse on it, the more I see problems and issues that have not been sorted out yet.

This was my answer to the above thread I linked to on what restructuring means...

1.Ensuring that every area benefits adequately from the resources it produces on its soil.

Practically speaking....that means that the oil producing areas get 50% of the revenue they produce., while the rest goes to the Federal Government. Some even think 100% should go to the oil producing areas

2.Equal representation at all levels of government.

3.A country where a region won't be able to impose its views on others by sheer numbers.

4.A country where every state or region develops at its own pace.

5.A country where a tribe, region, or groups of regions have the right to secede from the rest of the country.

6.A country free of discrimination on tribal or religious grounds, especially in employment, etc.

And to that I would add number seven

7.A country where everyone feels safe at all times.

However, I still get problems.

Note that I am from one of the South South's myriads of tribes...and as such, I would benefit massively from any restructuring, especially if resource control is passed. So, it pays that I have questions that need some answers.

1.Who benefits...?

One of the popular planks from the restructuring crowd is that oil producing regions get more than 50% from the revenues from oil.
However, that leaves more questions like

-Who gets the 50%...is it the villages, or LG areas, or states, or regions that produce oil.? (You see why Yorubas and Igbos and some Hausas argue for a return to the old 3 regions...so that they can benefit from oil revenues....Yorubas and Igbos especially, and why maps of Biafra include oil producing regions too

-Who determines how the 50% is spent? The villages that produce the oil, the states where the villages are located? The regions where the villages are located?

-What about oil produced offshore? Who determines how the oil money from there is shared?

-What about the unlucky regions? The regions that do not produce oil? Do we tell them to go and grow groundnuts...especially when there is no guaranteed market for agricultural products like there used to be? Can you guarantee that the unlucky regions won't go and fight for their rights...violently? And it isn't just the North....non-oil producing states of the south too may envy oil producing regions too. (See the fight between villages along the Kogi-Anambra border over who owns oil there)

2.Secession is an important part of restructuing (one reason why I did not support the 2014 conference is that it did not include secession in the agenda....and even though I oppose secession....you cannot have a true national conference without discussing it.).

But in all the talk of secession., no one is discussing the rights of the varied minority tribes. And anytime the issue is raised...we get tribalistic abuse. Some have even gone to say that minority tribes are an invention of the British colonialists! (really)

So..to all those calling for oodua or biafra or even Islmaic republic or whatever.....where is the minority tribes in your agenda. It is telling that Biafran agitators, to give an example, have no clear answer to how they would guarantee minority rights should the SS join them.

3.Most of the restructuring Nigerian crowd are silent about how to fight corruption. And the fact of the matter is...corruption is a big reason why we are not developed at all. Any talk about restructuring Nigeria must include an agenda about corruption.

4.The North must rule issue.....has any Northerner considered that Nigerians feel cheated everytime they railroad their Northern candidates into office? It seems like many Northerners think that the only way the North can benefit is if they control power, and if all restructuring issues are silenced....yet the North is not benefiting from years in power.

5.And on the South's side....must we elect a Southerner as President before we see any benefits.?

6. What benefit does holding a government job do for the economy vs a private sector job?

I wonder.....we have not addressed problems in Nigeria like corruption, bad governance, and our resource dependency....issues which are the reason why we are undedeveloped...and we think restructuing would make things better?

It would just be pouring new wine into old bottles.

I drop my pen here.

Note....I am not opposed to restructuing. I am even prepared to support secession if it can pass peacefully (and I think that we do not have the conditons in Nigeria now for any peaceful,breakup....I am sorry....but that is my opinion)...but we have problems that need ironingout.

All these questions are not important, let the country restructure itself first, then issues as the ones listed above will fix itself.

They are afraid of restructuring.... Nigeria is just a trap

my broda the real problem is the widening gulf between rich and poor, the increasing inequality, inequitable distribution of wealthy, increasing number of economically disempowered individuals. if people had livelihood or gainfully and meaninfully engaged, there will be no need for agitations.

why all these clamour for restructuring?
the present systems has failed a vast majority of people and only favoured a few.

all these energies been dissipated negatively can be channeled into sports, this is how civilized countries do it.
but most naija people will rather want to do the wrong thing (because the wrong things feels sexy to them).

VeeVeeMyLuv:
[s]my broda the real problem is the widening gulf between rich and poor, the increasing inequality, inequitable distribution of wealthy, increasing number of economically disempowered individuals. if people had livelihood or gainfully and meaninfully engaged, there will be no need for agitations.

all these energies been dissipated negatively can be channeled into sports, this is how civilized countries do it.
but most naija people will rather want to do the wrong thing (because the wrong things feels sexy to them).[/s]

Go back to cocoa.

Corruption is a result of the crooked structure.

Everyone goes there to take his/hers because the structure does not make anyone accountable.

Don't be blinded by mere chants and sloganeering.

Are you saying as a minority you are enjoying the structure of Nigeria, or you are just afraid of 'losing' the 'protection'.

Britain just left the EU after trial and error of over 70 years of integration. Other countries want their own referendum as well.

Op are you afraid of change? its the only permenent thing

The o.p is krazie.

Shallow reasoning questions.

Asking how will village spend 50% revenue or who will spend it.... Shey government is there for decoration or oil fields are strictly in the boundaries of one village?

An oil field can span 3 to 5 communities... (If you're from Niger Delta, you should know that) .

The regional, Local​ or county government will be there to oversee and determine how revenue is utilized.

You're not from Niger Delta.... Otherwise... You'll also Know that each community has it's Community Development Association that liase with the government to initiate and specify the types of projects the community needs

I believe there will be regional consultation during the process. The questions you raised will form the basis for the state and regional consultation.

Transparency will be an agreed condition. How much is made from revenue and how it is spent.

Agriculture produce will always be in demand if the federal government bans import effectively. Those who have oil, will focus on oil and gas while they buy food from those that produce.

There are other mineral that can be exported apart from oil.

Even meat from cows etc can become a resource for a region.

Trade and commerce is a resource, software development IT can be a resource.

Power generation can also be a resource. There will be a period where every region will do soul searching, identity their strengths, agree on how to use it to their advantage and then present their agreement.

Besides if your region is not doing well enough, you can move to another. AFter all you are as Nigerian as people from that region.

Leave my oil alone and focus on your region. Weren't you people insulting us from the SS that our oil will be useless and we will soon drink it? So u know we aren't useless after all. Shior

hmm.