₦airaland Forum

Former Nigerian Ambassador to Germany, Prof Akinjide Osuntokun, has called on the Federal Government to restructure the country by collapsing the current 36-state structure into viable zones.

According to him, this move will enhance cultural cohesion, promote national unity, and enable more efficient governance.

The academic said this on Tuesday in Lagos during the inaugural lecture in honour of his late brother and former Regional Minister, Oduola Osuntokun.

Osuntokun proposed a modified zonal arrangement that would group states and ethnic nationalities along lines of cultural and historical similarities.


He argued that this would dismantle the colonial-era North-South divide, which he described as an artificial and divisive construct.

In his proposal, the former envoy recommended expanding the South-West zone to include Kwara State up to Jebba, as well as the Kabba and Igala regions of present-day Kogi State.

He stated that such a realignment would foster cultural unity and reinforce regional identity.


He further suggested that the South-East zone should be reconstituted to include Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Rivers State, and the Idoma-speaking areas of Benue State.

A new South Central zone would comprise Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, and the Ebira-speaking parts of Kogi.


For the North, Osuntokun proposed that the North Central zone be made up of Niger, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Plateau, and Tiv areas of Benue State. Kano, on the other hand, should be merged with Jigawa, Katsina, Zamfara, Kebbi, and Sokoto to form a coherent North-West region, while the North-East would include Yobe, Gombe, Bauchi, Adamawa, Taraba, and Borno.

He said, “This suggestions are rooted in cultural consanguinity but open to negotiation but the measure will remove the Berlin Wall dividing Nigeria into North and South because the current notion of North and South is a colonial imposition and we must break away from it once and for all, this will have to be presented at national conference to break the logjam against cohesion and lack of national feeling.

“If there is an agreement, we will have six constituent states big enough to be self-sustaining, and we would then have a proper federation with a federal legislature of a House of Representatives and a part-time Senate elected by the members of state legislators on an equal basis. We should also have a parliamentary democracy.”

Osuntokun emphasised the need for appointments into federal and state agencies to be based on open competition and merit.

He cited India as a country that has progressed significantly through meritocracy and argued that Nigeria should follow suit, as no region lacks capable individuals.

“Appointments into all agencies of the state and federal governments shall be based on competition anchored on careers open to talent. This is how India got to where it is today and I dare say there is no part of Nigeria where there are no excellent people who will fall short of the measure of meritocracy,” he added.

He proposed mandatory national service for all young Nigerians, both male and female, in the military or other uniformed services for one year after graduation.

“The military, police, and all other armed and uniformed agencies or forces of government shall be recruited based on equality to eliminate the fear of dominance and domination by any ethnic group, and all young people –boys and girls – shall serve in the nation’s military for a year on graduation, as it’s done in the National Youth Service Corps.

“This is the skeleton of the constitutional organogram I am recommending to ensure stability and a safe landing when we run into turbulence,” he proposed.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/punchng.com/collapse-nigeria-into-zones-ex-envoy-tells-fg/%3famp

Some people will soon abandon their zone and start rejecting a certain proposed zone because of oil and gas.

That's just common sense leadership, but what sense is ever common in this 3rd world country?!!

Regional government is the way to go anytime any day for a multi diverse country like Nigeria

This man don take shepe. The Nigeria Delta that was miraculously escaped from the shackle of igbo slavery is the man you plan to put back. It won't happen. If there is any zone let it remain the 6 zones as it is . Igbos remain where they are and near homogeneous.

The mad professor...
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I was reading with apt interest until he suggested joining the Ibos with others. Nobody, I repeat nobody, wants to be joined with the Ibos.

I, too, advocated for self-sustaining six constituent states. I support his proposal for a proper federation with a federal legislature comprised of a House of Representatives and a part-time Senate elected on an equal basis by members of state legislatures. Senate should be downgraded. It will lower the costs of running government. I also like the idea of implementing a parliamentary democracy similar to that of the United Kingdom, as he suggested. Let the prime minister come and defend his actions. Allow us to knock his head at every opportunity. This is good.


Now, the framework for grouping states into regions will require significant effort. However, it is achievable. What I do know is that putting people who do not want to be together is counterproductive. The best example is the grouping of Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Cross Rivers, and Idoma from Benue with Igbos. See eh! I can assure you that none of these people will ever join Igbo. They will not. People who are satisfied with their level of freedom. Lol.

He was spot on with South West. I keep wondering why Yorubas from other regions want to join the South West at any opportunity. I hear them say it all the time. Only people from Benin do not want to associate with the South West. Despite the fact that they are aware that they intersect with Yoruba, I believe they are more comfortable not being classified as such. They claimed superiority, and they understand that if they join the southwest, this will not happen again. So I am guessing they will not want to be grouped under South West.

So it makes me wonder why no one wants to join Igbo anymore. Why?

In the north, Kaduna and Benue will be wahala areas. Perhaps something can also come out of there.

To think about it, the national assembly is currently working in the opposite direction of these suggestions, establishing more states lol.... Nigeria is too complicated...wahala dey.

All of his other suggestions for improving equality while reducing dominance and nepotism are excellent.

rather collapse Nigeria into economic Zones based of what each region produces ,let each zone be responsible for its own infrastructure development while the federal level focuses on security across each zones. this would automatically kiĺl the bullshît mentality of tribalism as each indigene from specific zones would identify with the economic identity of their individual zones and not the tribe they come from.

Kreesxxx:
This man don take shepe. The Nigeria Delta that was miraculously escaped from the shackle of igbo slavery is the man you plan to put back. It won't happen. If there is any zone let it remain the 6 zones as it is . Igbos remain where they are and near homogeneous.

Yoruba man speaking for Niger Deltans. Are you not tired of hating on Igbos ?

Let me enjoy Yorubas and their hypocrisy here

If all these could be put into effect, we would have have an unprecedented kind of steady growth we are suppose to be reckon with.

Restructuring would have been done in components and not necessarily in a whole.

This is the kind of conversation I love contributing to on this platform. The usual gbasgbos is extremely unnecessary. My believe is that know ones get to choose the tribe, gender or religion they are born into. With all these in mind, We will all leave happily and proud of our Nation.

This is not really making sense.

Regional government will better work.

Lumping Niger Delta with the South East is counter productive. Rather let each region stand alone and administer their affairs while the central govt play minimal role. That is the main eseence of a federal system and not the unitary and centralised system we are running now.

When youre the president , you can do it like that.. for now Nigeria is Nigeria, Asiwaju Akanbi decide

The most immediate solution to Nigeria's problem is Regional Autonomy aka REGIONALISM along ethno-cultural and ethno-linguistic lines (with Resource Control) in a URN (United Regions of Nigeria); each region can contribute to the federal purse.

PERIOD!

Good construct. Hope the APC led govt has the political will to push it through.

Only Yoruba scholars have always had meaningful solutions to our myriads of problems. Oga don’t let the cat out of the bag yet, this is Asiwaju’s plan already. Let us enter 2nd tenure first. Not every cloth u dry in the sun.

Oh, astonishing!

Finally someone who has sense has spoken!
Even if i want nigeria to break to different sovereign countries like Biafra, let us try dis regional government too.

Kudos!

Angelfrost:
That's just common sense leadership, but what sense is ever common in this 3rd world country?!!

Unless a plan is drawn that'll benefit the already profiteering stake holders, it won't ever make sense to them.
Or maybe if it's forcefully done damning any ensuing wahala.

SMH

Regional Govt with Federal posts occupied on the basis of merit will help Nigeria to grow better

For me, it's a good idea. 36 states is expensive to maintain.

A traditional Annang man like me will need my zone differently, they can't aligned me with ibibio and Efik cos I will not accept that

Kreesxxx:
This man don take shepe. The Nigeria Delta that was miraculously escaped from the shackle of igbo slavery is the man you plan to put back. It won't happen. If there is any zone let it remain the 6 zones as it is . Igbos remain where they are and near homogeneous.

Which Delta are you talking about?? I prefer to coexist or merged with the likes of Igede people of Benue state and Idoma, at least the the so called South south people

Does that implies, Boko haram, bandits, kidnappers, unknown gunmen will no longer terrorise our people?

Kreesxxx:
This man don take shepe. The Nigeria Delta that was miraculously escaped from the shackle of igbo slavery is the man you plan to put back. It won't happen. If there is any zone let it remain the 6 zones as it is . Igbos remain where they are and near homogeneous.

a professor of history took shepe because you don't like his opinion. Niger Delta 'escaped' from Igbo domination but it was the Western region that lost Midwest in a resounding "no" referendum. None of the so called South South states formally left the east through a referendum. It was just bullying, rabble rousing and anti Igbo gerrymandering through military fiat. Midwest left western region through a constitutional process of referendum. This was why the professor excluded the Midwest from the west.

correctguy101:
Unless a plan is drawn that'll benefit the already profiteering stake holders, it won't ever make sense to them.
Or maybe if it's forcefully done damning any ensuing wahala.

SMH

You are right... The last time things were properly done in this country was under Military rule.

Democracy never truly works for the progress of most African countries.

Historic fact!

That's practically easier said

Very good suggestion from Prof!

However, some states should be given liberty to choose which zone they will like to belong.

Noneroone:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/punchng.com/collapse-nigeria-into-zones-ex-envoy-tells-fg/%3famp

This guy is high on cheap mpurumiri. How did he know Akwa Ibom want to be a part of South East or Edo and Bayelsa won't have problems if merged together in a region? Did he asked these states for their consent first?

Angelfrost:
You are right... The last time things were properly done in this country was under Military rule.

Democracy never truly works for the progress of most African countries.

Historic fact!

Someone said Africans needs dictators. We are not made like the Caucasian. We are made different from them.

I'm obliged to agree with that man.

If I were to have the means, even dictators will be speechless, the Gods know

michoim:
The mad professor...
Help me with 80 more characters

Unity beggars will never agree to this, the only way is to divide the Country, let everyone face there problems