Most people don't bother to check up history.

They don't know that it was the core North that first wanted to secede from Nigeria. They went out in the streets with placards demanding for a country of their own. It was a great, popular move at the time.

That was the time that Gen.Ironsi was the head of state. It was the time that southern oil was not yet the mainstay of the economy. When the north felt that, for the first time, they were not in charge of the power structure.

Ironsi was the most senior and most educated officer at the time, so he took over by merit. This threatened the core North. They didn't like things to go on merit. They still don't like merit today. Merit threatens them.

So, they started calling for secession of Northern Nigeria. These calls for secession continued until Gowon, who was not the most senior officer, took over and even after.

The call for Northern secession continued until Britain, the perennial friends of the North, intervened to convince them against it.

With Gowon, said Britain, the North now has the yam and the knife so why should they secede? There is oil in the South that would soon bring prosperity, so why should the North miss out?

Instead, why don't they use Gowon to skew and tweak the country to enhance Northern dominance (read neo colonialism) and control the power structure of the country as well as the oil resources of the South ?

So the North dropped its quest for secession and settled for domination.

The creation of 12 states, the various constitutions since then, "federal character", quota system etc, are exercises in Northern domination.

You have to note that one of the first acts of Gowon, the North's instrument for installing dominance, was the creation of 12 states. This was essentially the introduction of our present parasitic federalism. The North, by that act, was targeting the oil in the South. They were giving up true federalism (where each region kept their resources and gave a token to the central government) for "national cake" federalism.

So when you hear an hausa - fulani man screaming 'one Nigeria', he means one Nigeria in which the present colonialism by the North continues unabated.

Take away oil, take away quota system, bring in merit in schools and employment, bring in a truly fiscal federalism, give every section EQUAL opportunity to the reins of power at the centre ;and you would immediately see the core Northerner change his song of 'one Nigeria'.

I see clearly now!!!!

Take away oil, take away quota system, bring in merit in schools and employment, bring in a truly fiscal federalism, give every section EQUAL opportunity to the reins of power at the centre ;

Take away quota system

bring in merit in schools and employment

give every section EQUAL opportunity to the reins of power at the centre ;

All nice ideas but wonder if some are ready. Everyone has resources and human resources they haven't developed fully.

● lol is anyone ready for that. I see people always fact checkinh where appointees are from instead of looking up credentials.

● Again if you believe in concept of regionalpower shifting I doubt some maybe ready.