I want to give a brief contribution to the trending topic of "restructuring" since no one seemed to had actually suggested how a restructured Nigeria should look like. Before I go any further, lets understand the basis of the current problem from fiscal point of view borne out of the current political structure where government incomes are aggregated at the center and funds are allocated based on parameters that supposedly favored some sections above the other.Also, it is also said that even the current states as they are were created by military decrees and not through democratic process meaning that it could only had satisfied those who had the power to draw the map their own ways.
Please consider this story by a US professor , so similar to what is happening in Nigeria:

An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before, but had recently failed an entire class.
*That class had insisted that socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer*
The professor then said, "OK, we will have an experiment in this class on this plan : All grades will be averaged and everyone will receive the same grade !
After the first test, the grades were averaged and everyone got a B.
The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy.
As the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too so they studied little.
The second test average was a D!
No one was happy.
When the 3rd test rolled around, the average was an F.
As the tests proceeded, the scores never increased as bickering, blame and name-calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for the benefit of anyone else.
To their great surprise, ALL FAILED and the professor told them that communism would also ultimately fail because when the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great, but when government takes all the reward away, no one will try or want to succeed.
These are possibly the 5 best sentences you'll ever read and all applicable to this experiment :*

1. You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.
2. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.
3. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.
4. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it!
5. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that is the beginning of the end of any nation !


Considering the story we can draw some lessons thus:
1. When resources are aggregated to be distributed over a population, it can draw down on innovations and kill hard work. Oil proceeds is killing Nigeria's developments due to the manner of allocating funds from Abuja

2. When there's assurance that allocation is coming from Abuja, no one want to put efforts at harnessing available resources

3. Due to loads of billions of dollars going to Abuja, every politician want to be a part of the cut and so we have a deeply corrupt system of national cake.

What fiscal structure does Nigeria needs

Each emerging region /state must be generating its revenues, collect taxes out of which 30% of such revenue will be paid as development tax to the federal government. States/regions are to be in charge of all resources, mining and infrastructures. It will be from the developmental tax pool that the federal budget will be drawn alongside federal assistant findings to needing states/regions.

What Political restructuring

Considering the fact that about 83% of the current stars are not viable fiscally, we can simply revert to regional arrangements with some adjustments leaving calling them states or regions or provinces. These states/ regions or provinces will come up with internal structures that suit them.

The central government in Abuja will be unicamera with equal representative per state/region/province and headed by a Prime minister rotated across the states every four years.
The federal/ central government will be in charge of the FCT, defense and border security while states/ region/provinces handle all remaining responsibilities from security to education etc.

States/Provinces/Region
1. AkwaCross: combination of Akwa Ibom and Cross River to bring together similar groups
2. Rivers
3. Izon : Aggregation of Ijaw land and kinsmen in the Niger Delta
4. Delta :
5. Alaigbo : The current five southeastern stars and the igbo kinsmen in Delta and Rivers
6. Omoluabi-Oduduwa : The current six southwestern states plus Yoruba kinsmen in Edo, Delta , kogi and Kwara.
7. Edo

8. Nok: Aggregation of minorities of Southern Kaduna, plateau and Southern Bauchi
9. Gongola : The minorities from Gombe, Southern Borno, and Northern Adamawa
10. Mambilla : Sourhern Adamawa, Taraba, and parts of Nasarawa
11. Benue : Benue and parts of Kogi and Tiv areas of Taraba
12. Niger: Niger plus minority areas of Kebbi
13. Borno: kanuri and their kinsmen
14: Arewa: Hausa/ Fulani in the Northwestern parts of the country and their kinsmen in parts of northeast.

Any state can apply for federal/ central funding which will be drawn from the 30% contribution by all the constituent parts. Each state/region / province can decide on its fiscal direction, have its constitution and byelaws.
I want Nigerians to contribute as we can come up with workable ideas.Maybe we can have just the six regions or seven or eight.please contribute
Thank you

Interesting.

is 14 not too much?

Western Region should have the 6 states of SW, Yoruba speaking parts of KWara and Kogi.

Itshekiris and Yoruba part of Edo (Akoko Edo) can also be added.

SuperS1Panther:
is 14 not too much?

Western Region should have the 6 states of SW, Yoruba speaking parts of KWara and Kogi.

Itshekiris and Yoruba part of Edo (Akoko Edo) can also be added.

The actual number will be determined by the will of the people concerned to work together. I feel strongly that different conditions of apprehensions will determine how people will want to be part of any particular region. For instance, southern kaduna people will probably accept any arrangement that will separate them from zazzau emirate

mandarin:
I want to give a brief contribution to the trending topic of "restructuring" since no one seemed to had actually suggested how a restructured Nigeria should look like. Before I go any further, lets understand the basis of the current problem from fiscal point of view borne out of the current political structure where government incomes are aggregated at the center and funds are allocated based on parameters that supposedly favored some sections above the other.Also, it is also said that even the current states as they are were created by military decrees and not through democratic process meaning that it could only had satisfied those who had the power to draw the map their own ways.
Please consider this story by a US professor , so similar to what is happening in Nigeria:

An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before, but had recently failed an entire class.
*That class had insisted that socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer*
The professor then said, "OK, we will have an experiment in this class on this plan : All grades will be averaged and everyone will receive the same grade !
After the first test, the grades were averaged and everyone got a B.
The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy.
As the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too so they studied little.
The second test average was a D!
No one was happy.
When the 3rd test rolled around, the average was an F.
As the tests proceeded, the scores never increased as bickering, blame and name-calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for the benefit of anyone else.
To their great surprise, ALL FAILED and the professor told them that communism would also ultimately fail because when the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great, but when government takes all the reward away, no one will try or want to succeed.
These are possibly the 5 best sentences you'll ever read and all applicable to this experiment :*

1. You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.
2. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.
3. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.
4. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it!
5. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that is the beginning of the end of any nation !


Considering the story we can draw some lessons thus:
1. When resources are aggregated to be distributed over a population, it can draw down on innovations and kill hard work. Oil proceeds is killing Nigeria's developments due to the manner of allocating funds from Abuja

2. When there's assurance that allocation is coming from Abuja, no one want to put efforts at harnessing available resources

3. Due to loads of billions of dollars going to Abuja, every politician want to be a part of the cut and so we have a deeply corrupt system of national cake.

What fiscal structure does Nigeria needs

Each emerging region /state must be generating its revenues, collect taxes out of which 30% of such revenue will be paid as development tax to the federal government. States/regions are to be in charge of all resources, mining and infrastructures. It will be from the developmental tax pool that the federal budget will be drawn alongside federal assistant findings to needing states/regions.

What Political restructuring

Considering the fact that about 83% of the current stars are not viable fiscally, we can simply revert to regional arrangements with some adjustments leaving calling them states or regions or provinces. These states/ regions or provinces will come up with internal structures that suit them.

The central government in Abuja will be unicamera with equal representative per state/region/province and headed by a Prime minister rotated across the states every four years.
The federal/ central government will be in charge of the FCT, defense and border security while states/ region/provinces handle all remaining responsibilities from security to education etc.

States/Provinces/Region
1. AkwaCross: combination of Akwa Ibom and Cross River to bring together similar groups
2. Rivers
3. Izon : Aggregation of Ijaw land and kinsmen in the Niger Delta
4. Delta :
5. Alaigbo : The current five southeastern stars and the igbo kinsmen in Delta and Rivers
6. Omoluabi-Oduduwa : The current six southwestern states plus Yoruba kinsmen in Edo, Delta , kogi and Kwara.
7. Edo

8. Nok: Aggregation of minorities of Southern Kaduna, plateau and Southern Bauchi
9. Gongola : The minorities from Gombe, Southern Borno, and Northern Adamawa
10. Mambilla : Sourhern Adamawa, Taraba, and parts of Nasarawa
11. Benue : Benue and parts of Kogi and Tiv areas of Taraba
12. Niger: Niger plus minority areas of Kebbi
13. Borno: kanuri and their kinsmen
14: Arewa: Hausa/ Fulani in the Northwestern parts of the country and their kinsmen in parts of northeast.

Any state can apply for federal/ central funding which will be drawn from the 30% contribution by all the constituent parts. Each state/region / province can decide on its fiscal direction, have its constitution and byelaws.
I want Nigerians to contribute as we can come up with workable ideas.Maybe we can have just the six regions or seven or eight.please contribute
Thank you

I like this idea. Creation of states or regions based on tribes and ethnicity is the way to go as it will end all the fears of minorities.

I agree intoto with all you have postulated.

Itsehkiri should not be added to the south west but the edoid region. Besides, who want regionalism when we will still split?
Let us just split once and for all

A restructured Nigeria should not have more than 6 or 7 regions. We also need to look critically at how revenues will be shared between the regions and federal government. We have to structure the system in such a way that regions with less endowments won't be left behind. We are going to have a single currency and economy so, we can't afford an extremely rich region and an extremely poor one. A straight jacketed 70-30 or 50-50 proposal is not feasible and won't work. We need to find a way around this.

Issue of regional citizenship also needs to be discussed and agreed upon. Will all Nigerians have the rights to live anywhere in the country and do business without restrictions? Personally, I won't mind regions having the power to bounce some unruly fellows.

We should have a regional and federal police covering different areas of crime prevention. INEC should remain a federal body to conduct all elections in the country. Regional INEC is a no no as it will be abused by regional lords.

Representation at federal Parliament should not be based on equality of regions but on population. We should conduct a credible population census and delineate legislative constituencies based on population.

there are no indigenous Yoruba people in Edo. stop spreading lies

I go with d 6 regions

seunmsg:
A restructured Nigeria should not have more than 6 or 7 regions. We also need to look critically at how revenues will be shared between the regions and federal government. We have to structure the system in such a way that regions with less endowments won't be left behind. We are going to have a single currency and economy so, we can't afford an extremely rich region and an extremely poor one. A straight jacketed 70-30 or 50-50 proposal is not feasible and won't work. We need to find a way around this.

Issue of regional citizenship also needs to be discussed and agreed upon. Will all Nigerians have the rights to live anywhere in the country and do business without restrictions? Personally, I won't mind regions having the power to bounce some unruly fellows.

We should have a regional and federal police covering different areas of crime prevention. INEC should remain a federal body to conduct all elections in the country. Regional INEC is a no no as it will be abused by regional lords.

Representation at federal Parliament should not be based on equality of regions but on population. We should conduct a credible population census and delineate legislative constituencies based on population.

There are no real poor places but poor people. There can not be a way to equalize wealth except you will have to deprive some. A straight jacket model of 70/30 or 50/50 will solve a whole lots of problems as creativity to balance budget will come. China model even require you to seek work permit to work outside of your province while the American version allows you to roam free. If you eye natural resource of someplace to develop yourself you may never develop your human resource.
In this kind of an arrangement, there can be no national parties at the initial stage but it can evolve but regions/state/provinces will have the autonomous capacity to develop their own electoral system and evolve politically having their own electoral body.

Representation by population will create crises like the current system and leads to inflation of population figures. Since each constituent is autonomous there is little to make laws on.

mrnigerdelta:
there are no indigenous Yoruba people in Edo. stop spreading lies

There are in Akoko Edo and even some Owan and Etsako areas. It all depends on what the people will want anyway

deedeedee1:
Itsehkiri should not be added to the south west but the edoid region. Besides, who want regionalism when we will still split?
Let us just split once and for all

Splitting Nigeria is not the best option but can be the desire of the larger part but a restructured system can allay all our fears I believe.
Yes, Itsekiri may have to determine which side of the divide they will want but based on possible permutation they will probably chose the southwest considering aggressive neighbors, securing their territory will be better assured under that arrangement I think, its their call though

seunmsg:
A restructured Nigeria should not have more than 6 or 7 regions. We also need to look critically at how revenues will be shared between the regions and federal government. We have to structure the system in such a way that regions with less endowments won't be left behind. We are going to have a single currency and economy so, we can't afford an extremely rich region and an extremely poor one. A straight jacketed 70-30 or 50-50 proposal is not feasible and won't work. We need to find a way around this.

Issue of regional citizenship also needs to be discussed and agreed upon. Will all Nigerians have the rights to live anywhere in the country and do business without restrictions? Personally, I won't mind regions having the power to bounce some unruly fellows.

We should have a regional and federal police covering different areas of crime prevention. INEC should remain a federal body to conduct all elections in the country. Regional INEC is a no no as it will be abused by regional lords.

Representation at federal Parliament should not be based on equality of regions but on population. We should conduct a credible population census and delineate legislative constituencies based on population.

Every region should look inward JOOR... no more rubbing from Peter to pay Paul. 70% to regions and 30% to federal government is OK. The federal government can take care of the less wealthy regions.

Regional or state/County/local police is paramount.

The regions should be created by Tribes or closely related tribes. We should not make a mistake of lumping some less populated tribes with big ones else the oppression and marginalisation will continue. I am interested in all the Ijaws in one region.

The Federal government will only control the military, foreign affairs.

The national assembly should be unicameral and equal members from each state. We don't want some regions using their numbers to oppress others.

THESE ARE THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR ONE NIGERIA. ELSE SEPARATION BECOMES INEVITABLE.

I AM READY TO CHAMPION THIS FOR MY PEOPLE.
JUST LOST HOPE IN NIGERIA.

mandarin:


There are no real poor places but poor people. There can not be a way to equalize wealth except you will have to deprive some. A straight jacket model of 70/30 or 50/50 will solve a whole lots of problems as creativity to balance budget will come. China model even require you to seek work permit to work outside of your province while the American version allows you to roam free. If you eye natural resource of someplace to develop yourself you may never develop your human resource.
In this kind of an arrangement, there can be no national parties at the initial stage but it can evolve but regions/state/provinces will have the autonomous capacity to develop their own electoral system and evolve politically having their own electoral body.

Representation by population will create crises like the current system and leads to inflation of population figures. Since each constituent is autonomous there is little to make laws on.

Will there be a single national currency or each regions will have her own currency? Will the foreign exchange management and monetary policy decisions be made by the federal government or regions? Who will regulate commercial banking services? If all these duties will be handled by the federal government as I am envisaging, then to a high extent, the economy of the country will be controlled by the center. If regions are to individually control these critical economic issues, then the new system would be a confederation and not a federation.

If my assumption of a federally controlled economy is right, then there is still a lot to be legislated and decided at the centre. See, let's not deceive ourselves, we cannot have a federal system without a strong federal government. America, China, Canada, Germany etc that practice federalism still have a very strong federal government. We can only reduce the powers of the current federal structure and give regions more powers.

Back to revenue, in as much as we remain under a single monetary authority, natural resources in the federation cannot be the exclusive preserve of regions where they are found. It will create a distorted economy that will hurt everybody. In Germany for example they have an arrangement whereby less endowed regions still get to share revenues accruing from more endowed regions. We will have to work out something similar.

Finally, we can't run away from a population based constituency delineation. It is the only workable democratic way to form a Parliament especially when a unicameral parliament is being proposed. Let us propose a realistic structure that will be workable and acceptable and not an unrealistic one.

mandarin:


There are in Akoko Edo and even some Owan and Etsako areas. It all depends on what the people will want anyway

What about ijaw in ondo?

bolanto24:


Every region should look inward JOOR... no more rubbing from Peter to pay Paul. 70% to regions and 30% to federal government is OK. The federal government can take care of the less wealthy regions.

Regional or state/County/local police is paramount.

The regions should be created by Tribes or closely related tribes. We should not make a mistake of lumping some less populated tribes with big ones else the oppression and marginalisation will continue. I am interested in all the Ijaws in one region.

The Federal government will only control the military, foreign affairs.

The national assembly should be unicameral and equal members from each state. We don't want some regions using their numbers to oppress others.

THESE ARE THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR ONE NIGERIA. ELSE SEPARATION BECOMES INEVITABLE.

I AM READY TO CHAMPION THIS FOR MY PEOPLE.
JUST LOST HOPE IN NIGERIA.

Region too will still make us lazy. Let it be individual state, leave ethnicity.rivers state is rivers state calabar is calabar .

there are no indigenous Yoruba in Edo State. get ur facts right & stop deceiving people

SuperS1Panther:


Itshekiris and Yoruba part of Edo (Akoko Edo) can also be added.

The number of actual Yoruba-speaking people in Akoko Edo is significantly reduced now. We are talking a few villages along the boundary around River Ose.

From these villages to Ibillo and all the way to Igarra, you'll find people with Yoruba names & obvious Yoruba ancestry, whose parents speak Yoruba but who can not muster a word in Yoruba.

Things changed in the early 70s when Ogbemudia or the then Governor forbade the teaching of Yorubas in their schools.

The current generation of young Akoko Edos look more to Benin, than Akure or Ibadan. I believe they'd probably prefer to remain in Edo.

seunmsg:


Will there be a single national currency or each regions will have her own currency? Will the foreign exchange management and monetary policy decisions be made by the federal government or regions? Who will regulate commercial banking services? If all these duties will be handled by the federal government as I am envisaging, then to a high extent, the economy of the country will be controlled by the center. If regions are to individually control these critical economic issues, then the new system should be called confederation and not federation.

If my assumption of a federally controlled economy is right, then there is still a lot to be legislated and decided at the centre. See, let's not deceive ourselves, we cannot have a federal system without a strong federal government. America, China, Canada, Germany etc that practice federalism still have a very strong federal government. We can only reduce the powers of the current federal structure and give regions more powers.

Back to revenue, in as much as we remain under a single monetary authority, natural resources in the federation cannot be the exclusive preserve of regions where they are found. It will create a distorted economy that will hurt everybody. In Germany for example they have an arrangement whereby less endowed regions still get to share revenues accruing from more endowed regions. We will have to work out something similar.

Finally, we can't run away from a population based constituency delineation. It is the only workable democratic way to form a Parliament especially when a unicameral parliament is being proposed. Let us propose a realistic structure that will be workable and acceptable and not an unrealistic one.

I share some of your sentiments but I believe its part of an evolving process. The German model can as well apply but there's this reason we need to think outside the box to create a system that will work for us. The truth however remains that each region/state /province must seek their own prosperity.
The central bank will be a central institution with governing council nominated by each state/region/province and a governor approved by the parliament.
I honestly think seeking your redemption in someplace is akin to losing hope, everyone will survive

bolanto24:


Every region should look inward JOOR... no more rubbing from Peter to pay Paul. 70% to regions and 30% to federal government is OK. The federal government can take care of the less wealthy regions.

Regional or state/County/local police is paramount.

The regions should be created by Tribes or closely related tribes. We should not make a mistake of lumping some less populated tribes with big ones else the oppression and marginalisation will continue. I am interested in all the Ijaws in one region.

The Federal government will only control the military, foreign affairs.

The national assembly should be unicameral and equal members from each state. We don't want some regions using their numbers to oppress others.

THESE ARE THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR ONE NIGERIA. ELSE SEPARATION BECOMES INEVITABLE.

I AM READY TO CHAMPION THIS FOR MY PEOPLE.
JUST LOST HOPE IN NIGERIA.

Nigeria is your country and you don't have to lose hope. I've read countless argument on how its been the fault of colonialist in merging unlike terms and called it Nigeria but if we really look at it, it was the fault of our leaders not coming up with what works for us. As developed as Europe is, its still evolving and no heaven is falling! Our leaders had in their best intents worked to protect their parochial interests without paying attention to how to make our differences into a strength that work but see their organizations they do such things to amass so much wealth.
May be the current below 50years population will see to a better Nigeria

edogirl2:


The number of actual Yoruba-speaking people in Akoko Edo is significantly reduced now. We are talking a few villages along the boundary around River Ose.

From these villages to Ibillo and all the way to Igarra, you'll find people with Yoruba names & obvious Yoruba ancestry, whose parents speak Yoruba but who can not muster a word in Yoruba.

Things changed in the early 70s when Ogbemudia or the then Governor forbade the teaching of Yorubas in their schools.

The current generation of young Akoko Edos look more to Benin, than Akure or Ibadan. I believe they'd probably prefer to remain in Edo.

Where the people chose to pitch their future is left for them to determine and can't be a subject of an argument. However, I can say that depending on the internal arrangement of the sides and how they can gauge their opportunities, I feel that will inform their choice

beamtopola:

Region too will still make us lazy. Let it be individual state, leave ethnicity.rivers state is rivers state calabar is calabar .

When you pool your resources in a well managed system the average will be higher and you can be better for it. Those who think on the basis of commodity exports or income based economy don't rule the world, those who uses their brain does. That Niger Delta produces oil will not make them the richest, it belongs to those who can provide the market for consumers .
However we can tend to equate wealth but we end up creating more poverty

mandarin:


I share some of your sentiments but I believe its part of an evolving process. The German model can as well apply but there's this reason we need to think outside the box to create a system that will work for us. The truth however remains that each region/state /province must seek their own prosperity.
The central bank will be a central institution with governing council nominated by each state/region/province and a governor approved by the parliament.
I honestly think seeking your redemption in someplace is akin to losing hope, everyone will survive

Your effort on this thread is really commendable. We've been shouting restructuring for so long without anybody making an attempt to start a discussion on what the new structure should look like. I hope lalasticlala or Mynd44 can move this thread to front-page so that lots of people can share their opinion on restructuring and the kind of structure they envisage for the country.

Please anywhere anybody can find Awolowo's 'Thoughts on the Nigerian Constitution' let him read it. That book can at least shine the light on the path we should take.

seunmsg:



Your effort on this thread is really commendable. We've been shouting restructuring for so long without anybody making an attempt to start a discussion on what the new structure should look like. I hope lalasticlala or Mynd44 can move this thread to front-page so that lots of people can share their opinion on restructuring and the kind of structure they envisage for the country.

Oh thank you. We must now move away from emotional side to a more pragmatic and proactive way of actually confronting our problems. This structure may not wholly agree with 100% of what will be but you can bet on the possible similarities. I've seen the obvious fears of some Nigerians who will be like wow how do we manage an Izon region with so much oil money when some will have to start scratching the ground, my advise is for them to go and read American history, time and season will determine your wealth when you stop scratching the ground and starts scratching your heads!
As wealthy as Nigeria is in oil most of the proceeds aren't in Nigeria.

beamtopola:

What about ijaw in ondo?

I said earlier, everyone will define their own future.

edogirl2:


The number of actual Yoruba-speaking people in Akoko Edo is significantly reduced now. We are talking a few villages along the boundary around River Ose.

From these villages to Ibillo and all the way to Igarra, you'll find people with Yoruba names & obvious Yoruba ancestry, whose parents speak Yoruba but who can not muster a word in Yoruba.

Things changed in the early 70s when Ogbemudia or the then Governor forbade the teaching of Yorubas in their schools.

The current generation of young Akoko Edos look more to Benin, than Akure or Ibadan. I believe they'd probably prefer to remain in Edo.

we wish them best of luck in Edo and whatever SS Zone decides to call their zone.

I love this. When thought or idea comes it's not given to one person. Having been thinking along this line. Wish it could come to pass. Thanks a million

Frankly this is one of the best post ever on the political section and thanks to Biafra agitation we are now thinking the unthinkable in a positive way.

My preference would be total independence for all the current states with Abuja retaining the status of Nigeria, then every state can come into a commonwealth of Nigeria if they so wish or become independent. The former Yugoslavia did split into more than 8 independent nations in the 1990s, meanwhile Yugoslavia wasn't bigger than the States of Benue Plateau In size. We as Africans must do what is best for us not what the Western countries tell us. If the Scottish that are the same people like the English are asking for independence, I see no reason we shouldn't have self determination in Nigeria.
Nigeria hasn't had ANY decent leader since 1 Oct 1960 to date, so it is definitely on it's death bed and will be a good thing to start all over by seizing the opportunity provided by the vacuum in leadership now.

mandarin:


Splitting Nigeria is not the best option but can be the desire of the larger part but a restructured system can allay all our fears I believe.
Yes, Itsekiri may have to determine which side of the divide they will want but based on possible permutation they will probably chose the southwest considering aggressive neighbors, securing their territory will be better assured under that arrangement I think, its their call though

Nigeria can be likened to an okada man with a minor accident but with a deep wound. Not attending to the wound got to a stage where the only solution was to amputate the leg to avoid further spread of infection. Nigeria has got to its elastic limit, instead of retracting it has to disband. Non of your suggestions can work now. There are lots of lobbying happening backstage.

RonJeremy:
Frankly this is one of the best post ever on the political section and thanks to Biafra agitation we are now thinking the unthinkable in a positive way.

My preference would be total independence for all the current states with Abuja retaining the status of Nigeria, then every state can come into a commonwealth of Nigeria if they so wish or become independent. The former Yugoslavia did split into more than 8 independent nations in the 1990s, meanwhile Yugoslavia wasn't bigger than the States of Benue Plateau In size. We as Africans must do what is best for us not what the Western countries tell us. If the Scottish that are the same people like the English are asking for independence, I see no reason we shouldn't have self determination in Nigeria.
Nigeria hasn't had ANY decent leader since 1 Oct 1960 to date, so it is definitely on it's death bed and will be a good thing to start all over by seizing the opportunity provided by the vacuum in leadership now.

This are the kind of posts and topics we should be reading on NL. not other rubbish

Who da hell will want to restructure a country with 300 ethnic groups? You want to go back to something that failed 50 yrs ago. What your grandfather practiced that lead them to civil war. Only a foool, a useless person, a stupid person, and an eediot will repeat it.
We cannot go back to regionalism because it will increase ethnic tension. Awolowo, akintola, ahmadu bello and co would not advise you to practise it today. They all knew what they faced. There was hate, tribalism, nepotism in their time. No matter how you look at it, nothing will make nigeria better until we separate.
Regiionalism can ecxel in an indigenous country with less ethnic diversity. Those ones that are still shouting restructure are yet to face reality.
Restructure ko destruture ni.
Nonsense!!