Awaken to the reality of this world, It occurs to me that nothing good comes easy, And nothing bad comes difficult, It's define as a game of chess, For me it's a show of fame,
In a continent like Africa, And a nation like Nigeria, Religion and ethnicity has become a tool, Since time immemorial, Our leaders have use this weapon to success, And we the masses wallow in abject poverty,
Every nation saddle with its challenges, Every government with its myriad of problems, From dictatorship to democracy, From insurgency to seccession,
Our leaders: past and present, Either in government or individual, Coming with different ideas to solve our problem, From the echo of restructuring, To the roaring voice of seccesion,
The president is sick, The acting president is under pressure, Our politicians are heating up the polity, The masses are hungry, What next is the fate of the Nigeria as a nation?

Serenity009:
Awaken to the reality of this world,
It occurs to me that nothing good comes easy,
And nothing bad comes difficult,
It's define as a game of chess,
For me it's a show of fame,

In a continent like Africa,
And a nation like Nigeria,
Religion and ethnicity has become a tool,
Since time immemorial,
Our leaders have use this weapon to success,
And we the masses wallow in abject poverty,

Every nation saddle with its challenges,
Every government with its myriad of problems,
From dictatorship to democracy,
From insurgency to seccession,

Our leaders: past and present,
Either in government or individual,
Coming with different ideas to solve our problem,
From the echo of restructuring,
To the roaring voice of seccesion,

The president is sick,
The acting president is under pressure,
Our politicians are heating up the polity,
The masses are hungry,
What next is the fate of the Nigeria as a nation?

Our fate? Doom.

I hope it is not so sir, I hope and pray for a better future for my dear country.A nation that will stand among comity of nations.

It's not about praying. If it's about praying, Nigeria would have been head and shoulder over every other country.

It's about having leaders with vision and dream. Making institutions to work which will help the leaders to actualise their dream and vision.

If we pray from now till the next thousand years, we won't shift a place.

It's biblical.

Sow and Reap.

I strongly agree with u on that, Nigeria as a nation lack leaders who are ready to be move the nation forward. leaders who will keep the interest of the masses above their selfish interest, leaders who will be honest, a leader who is not a religious bigot or promote ethnic discrimination. Our crop of leaders are a failure because they failed us and they fail themselves. but am optimistic that things will change positively for the better. that change can only happen if we the youth decide to be active in politics and make a difference. we have to prove and show to them that we can do better and stop the embarassment of reycling politicians from just a family or a region.

Many things we get wrong about our problem as a country is that we don't really know what is the cause of our problems.

The major thing affecting us is the system. This Unitary system that the military foisted on us is not and will not help us. No matter the person we elected. Take a thousand of the best of mind world all over and put them into one person, the person will still fail. Why? Nigeria is configured to fail.

Another issue is what we call our constitution. 1999 constitution is one of the set back to this country. It deserves to be thrown into the trash bin.

The issue of incompetence comes last.

The constitution rest too much power on the centre. The President and the FG is the alpha and omega. This has redenered our states useless. States were supposed to be an incubator of ideas as its obtainable in US. The FG emulate the ideas that works in states. States supposed to be competitive but it's not so in Nigeria. Why? The system and constitution.

Why do you think that everyone is calling for restructuring? It's cos the system is not working. Why should Lagos and other southern States share the VATS they received from cigarettes and alcohol companies with those states in the north that destroys bottles of beers? Why should a state Jn the north use the revenue allocation that he receives from the resources in the Source to sponsor mass wedding? why should the only functioning ports be in Lagos? Do you know how much the country is loosing due to the mess that is Apapa and the movement of ships and cargoes that were meant for Nigeria to Coutonu? Why can't we have a port in Ibaka which is a natural sea habour and that can serve the South South, South East, North Central and Central Africa very well? Do you know that the state of California has about 7 sea ports alone? Who built them? The state govt. Why should a state Govt wait for the FG to give approval first before he can build an Airport and repair a federal road? Why should South East wait for 50 years before it can get an International Airport? Why should South East beg before they can have a second Niger Bridge? Why is Tinapa not working? Do you know why Bayelsa state (a state that produces 50% of the oil that we sell) be connected to the National Grid(National Electicity) eight years ago? Why has the spillage and environmental degradation in the Niger Delta not attended to?


If we don't change the system, we are doomed. If you like import Leaders Frok outside Nigeria, once they come in, the system will strangulate them.

You talk of Youth, I ask, which youths? Is the Governor of Kogi not a youth? The speaker of NASS not a youth? Was Ibori and Orji Kalu not youths when they became Governors? What did they achieve?

Are you talking about the current crop of youths who are worst than the old men that we have in politics today?

Leadership has nothing to do with age.

Anyone can make a difference.

You talked about recycling. Do you the people that populated the US Senate? Majority of them were former governors. Some of them have been in the Senate for 8 terms. Do you know the age of Benie Sanders? John McCain? Even the current senate leader? Are you aware that the current VP was formerly a senator and then became a Governkr before becoming a VP? Are you aware that Obama was once a senator? Hillary Clinton was a senator? There is nothing wrong having oldies people in politics or having people from same family in politics. What matters is the end product. About ten years ago, the President and Prime Minister of Poland were identical twins. One of them died few years ago in a plane crash in Russia. The surviving one is now also the President of Poland.

I agree with u in some aspect but differ with u on other issues, though everyone is entitle to his own opinion. Am not in support of restructuring or whatever they call it. everyday new vocabularies are being imported from dictionary into the political forray of our dear nation. all for their selfish agenda, from subsidy,recession,secesion and now restructuring. what are we going to restructure? that we go back to our parliamentary system of government where we go back into regional system of government and only the major languages keep ruling? the idea of creation of state from the region's was to ensure that even the minority are well represented and that's why even a state like bayelsa and a minor tribe like ijaw could produce a president. some other view restructuring as creation of additional states and creation of state police. Our leaders always have a way of heating the polity and try to be relevant as the election period approaches. if u are well versed with how politics is being played in Nigeria for the past 19years u should know that our democracy is immature and can't be compared with other nations like US and Britain. the masses are being deceived on the platform of ethnicity and religion while our leaders enjoy in secrecy.

Hahahaha.

Restructuring does not mean we should go back to parliamentary system of govt. It means changing the system. We claim that we are operating Federalism but in truth we are operating unitary system.

Restructuring can be changing the unitary to true federalism.
Restructuring can be reducing the powers of the FG and giving them to the States. Take a look at the exclusive list.

that's what am saying, to every Nigeria restructuring is something different. there is no one who has come in clear term to define or enlighten us on what thee restructuring is all about. they keep making use of the word when they don't know what it means. To u restructuring has to do with devolution of power, the central government should be less powerful and can be charge of some key ministries. the state should be tasked with generating revenue and developing theirr states.i disagree in all terms for one to think that restructuring in such manner is the way forward for our dear nation. I wonder what will happen to the masses if the state are given more power and saddle with so much responsibility. the type of governors we have are not ready to work, they still depend on the federal allocation acccrued to them by the federal government. and when they are paid the money is not well utilized and even for the common needs of workers which is payment oof salary and pensioners are not paid or pay less. how is that the fault of the central government. I also agree that we need a change from the conventional way of doing things but restructuring is not the way. this method did work before and so many issues were tackled but it has been strained base on our current way of living. it's no more a square peg in a round hole.

Lolz.

What system of Govt are we practicing on paper and in reality?

Sensitivity1254:
Lolz.

What system of Govt are we practicing on paper and in reality?

While in the process of answering this question, pls do answer me this too:

What system of Govt is US practicing?

Serenity009:
that's what am saying, to every Nigeria restructuring is something different. there is no one who has come in clear term to define or enlighten us on what thee restructuring is all about. they keep making use of the word when they don't know what it means. To u restructuring has to do with devolution of power, the central government should be less powerful and can be charge of some key ministries. the state should be tasked with generating revenue and developing theirr states.i disagree in all terms for one to think that restructuring in such manner is the way forward for our dear nation. I wonder what will happen to the masses if the state are given more power and saddle with so much responsibility. the type of governors we have are not ready to work, they still depend on the federal allocation acccrued to them by the federal government. and when they are paid the money is not well utilized and even for the common needs of workers which is payment oof salary and pensioners are not paid or pay less. how is that the fault of the central government. I also agree that we need a change from the conventional way of doing things but restructuring is not the way. this method did work before and so many issues were tackled but it has been strained base on our current way of living. it's no more a square peg in a round hole.

The system makes your governors lazy and some appear lazy. The fact that there is a pot of money to be shared every month made them lazy. The fact the system is soooooooo messed up, made the governors of Borno and Yobe to hide under insurgency.

Are you aware that Kebbi and Niger States can feed this country comfortable? Are you aware that Lagos State alone can generate the power that the whole of South West can use? The same can be said of Katsina for the whole of North West? Are you aware that Enugu and Ebonyi can use the coal and limestone in abundance in their respective states can provide power to the whole of South East and the gas in Nigeria Dealt can serve that region perfectly?

What is making the governors of these places not utilizing these opportunities? The system.


Make no mistake, restructuring cannot solve our problem. Restructuring means changing the unworkable system that we have now.

Sensitivity1254:



The system makes your governors lazy and some appear lazy. The fact that there is a pot of money to be shared every month made them lazy. The fact the system is soooooooo messed up, made the governors of Borno and Yobe to hide under insurgency.

Are you aware that Kebbi and Niger States can feed this country comfortable? Are you aware that Lagos State alone can generate the power that the whole of South West can use? The same can be said of Katsina for the whole of North West? Are you aware that Enugu and Ebonyi can use the coal and limestone in abundance in their respective states can provide power to the whole of South East and the gas in Nigeria Dealt can serve that region perfectly?

What is making the governors of these places not utilizing these opportunities? The system.


Make no mistake, restructuring cannot solve our problem. Restructuring means changing the unworkable system that we have now.

Tinapa failed due to the system. That we built a refinery in Kaduna not to refine our own oil but that of Venezuela, it's the system.

That some old generals gave themselves oil well is due to the system. When we restructure, we will be asking for individuals to own mineral rights to whatever that is found under their land as its obtainable in US.
We will be asking that States generate IGR and remit a percentage to the central govt. By this, governors will sit up and be up and doing cos they know that the era of free money has ended. Those giving birth to hundreds will stop cos no one will be using manipulated census figures to collect allocations.
When we restructure, governors will not be needing the approval of Federal Govt to do certain projects.

Citizens will hold their state governors responsible.

Look at the mess that us our internal security. When we restructure, state will be in charge of internal security as its obtainable in working countries.

Restructure will allow each state to grow according to its pace.

Nigeria is praticing a federal system of government. this they copied from the USA in other for every religion,tribe and religion to be well represented. this they have been able to acheive to success being that every state produce a governor,senators, ministers and house of reps compare to during the parliamentary system of government where the premier is in charge of who or where to nominate from. but looking at it from another angle u would agree with me that some holes and defects have been created by praticing this system of government. such problems created are the issue of states being lazy and ovedependent on the federal government. the best way to go about it is not to abandon federalism and embrace restructuring instead let's modernise and create a system of goverment that is relax and has both the features of parliamentary and federal system of government. just my opinion though...

Serenity009:
Nigeria is praticing a federal system of government. this they copied from the USA in other for every religion,tribe and religion to be well represented. this they have been able to acheive to success being that every state produce a governor,senators, ministers and house of reps compare to during the parliamentary system of government where the premier is in charge of who or where to nominate from. but looking at it from another angle u would agree with me that some holes and defects have been created by praticing this system of government. such problems created are the issue of states being lazy and ovedependent on the federal government. the best way to go about it is not to abandon federalism and embrace restructuring instead let's modernise and create a system of goverment that is relax and has both the features of parliamentary and federal system of government. just my opinion though...

Well, on paper we are practicing Federalism. In reality, we are practicing Unitary system of Govt. So a little research or indent research on both systems of Govt. Then compare them to what we have in Nigeria. Compare the Federal System US is practicing to what we are practicing and kidlndly note the difference and similarity and point them out to me.

Why do I ask you for this? I want both of to learn something by way of research.

I am going to leave you with this speech at UNN by Atiku. Read it. Digest it. And you will understand where we are coming from and our destination.


Let me begin with a rhetorical question: why do I, Atiku Abubakar, favour a restructured Nigeria?

The answer is simple: because I am proudly Nigerian and favour a united Nigeria that offers every man, woman and child a brighter future where each and everyone has a chance to build and share in this great nation’s potential.



The Restructuring I want to see happen is changing the structure of our country to take power from the elite and give it back to whom it belongs: the people. It will help to bring the benefits of the change that our people were promised in the last general elections.

For a number of years now we have been making the case for the restructuring of our federal system. This is in response to the cries of marginalisation by various segments of country as well as the understanding that our federation, as presently constituted, impedes optimal development and the realization of our people’s’ aspirations. As you all know, virtually every segment of this country has at one point or the other complained of marginalisation by one or more segments, and agitated for change.



Before I proceed, let me caution us all that restructuring, by whatever name, is not a magic bullet that would resolve all of Nigeria’s challenges or those of any section, region or zone of the country. Listening to some people, even those who seek to dismember the country, you would think that once their dream is achieved their part of the country or the country as a whole will become paradise.



Yet, as we all know, life is not that simple. We need restructuring in order to address the challenges that hold us back and which restructuring alone can help us address, and which will remain unaddressed unless we restructure. Period. This also answers the cynics who question whether restructuring is even important since it won’t solve all our problems. No system would.

To me, restructuring means making changes to our current federal structure so it comes closer to what our founding leaders established, in response to the very issues and challenges that led them to opt for a less centralized system.

Cont..

Perhaps it is because I spent a decade in the private sector before coming back to the public sector as Vice President that I have the benefit of a paradigm that sees opportunity where others see a crisis, but that is my world view.

The issue of restructuring is beyond resource control. There are other and even more important issues in this whole debate which I will address in this speech, but as resource control seems to be the one issue that many blocs are fixated on, let me take some time to address it first.

My vision of Restructuring, will not make some States richer and others poorer. Restructuring is a win win for all Nigerian states.

So let me make it clear beyond any possible doubt: the Restructuring I am proposing will not reduce the share of our nation’s oil revenues that any state currently enjoys. However, if we are to grow our revenues we need to change the way we think of our resources and nurture them for the benefit of all.



So let us start by not thinking as if our resources consist only of oil. Oil is not infinite. In fact, within the industry, the oil majors and multinationals are looking for ways to further invest in alternative energy because, in the next 10-20 years, the proportion of the energy market share that fossil fuels hold will shrink and almost vanish even as that of alternative energy is set to rise dramatically.

Automobile manufacturers such as Volvo and Peugeot have announced plans to phase out petrol and diesel cars. This is not a conspiracy. It is a fact. The man just elected as France’s President, Emmanuel Macron, has told the world that petrol and diesel cars will be illegal to make or sell in France by 2040. Norway has said it will do the same but earlier: by 2025.

On a recent visit to the United Kingdom, I noticed that senior members of the Conservative Party were driving the Toyota Mirai, a car that runs on hydrogen and emits water instead of harmful carbon monoxide. Professor Tony Seba, a world renowned global economist, has published his findings that all new cars will be electric by 2025.



So the world is not waiting for us to see reason and re-engineer our economy. If we do, they will work with us. If we do not, the world will leave us behind.

Cont...

For the last decade, Nigeria has made an average of $30 billion per annum from oil. This may look like a lot of money, but when you factor in our population of close to 200 million people growing at one of the highest rates in the world at 2.6% per annum, that money starts to look relatively small. We must begin to look for other and more sustainable sources of income that are also realistic.

Africa, especially sub-Saharan Africa, imports 82% of her food from outside the continent. Every year, Africa spends $35.4 billion on food imports from Europe, Asia and America.

I have been to virtually all the world’s continents and too many of her nations, and scientists everywhere agree with what the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) says, that Africa and particularly Nigeria has some of the most fertile soils on planet earth.Why can’t most of that $35.4 billion, which is bigger than our annual revenues from oil, come to Nigeria instead?It is not coming now because our focus is on how to share the $30 billion we get from oil every year and when your focus is on sharing, you cannot be creative.



The whole purpose of Restructuring is to eliminate those policies that feed the mindset that drives the sharing behaviour so that we can have a paradigm shift towards a mindset that drives creative and productive behaviour.

We do not have to look too far. We are already seeing it in Nigeria.



I just told you that I was recently in the U.K. One of the things I learned on that visit is that Britain is very pleased with the increase in vegetable imports from Nigeria especially pumpkin leaves.You in the Southeast call it ụgụ. One state, Anambra, has decided to take her share of the $35.4 billion Africa spends importing food and is now exporting ụgụ to other nations including the U.K.

Contd...

Some oil producing states are owing workers’ salary, Anambra is not owing. A number of oil producing states took the Federal Government bailout, Anambra did not take it.Anambra state is proof that restructuring is good for our states and will not bankrupt them.

If Anambra, a state that suffers from soil erosion and has a very high population density, can export £5 million worth of pumpkin leaves to foreign nations, 1 million tubers of yam to Europe and millions of dollars-worth of scent leaves, locally known as nchụanwụ, then much larger states like Kano, Borno, Kaduna, Kwara, Ogun and Rivers should be able to do even more.

The time has come to say the truth. Whilst it might be inconvenient for our elite who are the ones profiting from the oil rent economy and the feeding bottle of our current deformed federalism, I believe we need to speak the truth. And the truth is this: our national wealth is being drained by a select few instead of building a country for all of us. It has to end. We need to return resources and power back to the local level, and from the elite to the people.



Only by restructuring can we guarantee Unity, Equity and Security for our nation.



Along with the late great Chief M.K.O Abiola, I was a member of the former Social Democratic Party. The party’s manifesto included the following words, to ‘improve the people’s welfare and fight for social justice’. We in the SDP were the progressives. We were the party of Olu Falae, of Shehu Musa Yar’adua, of Abubakar Rimi, of Jim Nwobodo and of Bola Tinubu.

So it surprises me today, and perhaps even shocks me that anybody that was elected on or connected to that platform would say he or she does not know what restructuring means.

I am proud to say that the SDP invented restructuring as it pertains to Nigeria. Our Presidential candidate was a pan Nigerian patriot who promised to restructure the country.Anybody connected to that platform should be seen as making the case for restructuring simpler rather than complicating it.

Contd...

Quick Wins:

When people hear the term restructuring, all sorts of emotions are evoked. Why is this so? Some feel a sense of impending triumph; others feel a sense of impending loss and defeat. But it doesn’t have to be so. If our people see that restructuring will benefit all of us, some of the contentions will abate. We can move quickly to demonstrate some of those benefits with those aspects of restructuring that do not require a constitutional amendment.

Take education and roads for instance. The federal government can immediately start the process of transferring federal roads to the state governments along with the resources it expends on them. In the future, if the federal government identifies the need for a new road that would serve the national interest, it can support the affected states to construct such roads. Thereafter the maintenance would be left to the states, which can collect tolls from road users for that purpose. The federal government does not need a constitutional amendment to start that process.

We do not need a constitutional amendment to transfer federal universities and colleges as well as hospitals to the states where they are located. The University of Nigeria, Nsukka, the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and the University of Ife (now OAU) were built by regional governments when we had a thriving federal system. We all know what then happened. The federal government, awash in oil revenues, took them over, rapidly expanded them, and began to build more federal universities in response to the inevitable demand from states that did not have any located within their jurisdictions. Without adequate and sustainable funding the result is what we have today: universities, including the first generation ones that are no longer taken seriously anywhere in the world.

Yet many of our young people cannot find spaces in our tertiary institutions. This year alone, 1.7 million Nigerians wrote the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations. Last year the figure was 1.5 million.

According to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, of the 10 million Nigerian youths who wrote the UTME since 2010, only 26% gained admission into Nigerian universities.That left out 74% that could not get in. This gross inadequacy of school spaces breeds corruption in the admissions process and sustains our perennial fights over quota system and the like. A decentralized system is unlikely to be that insensitive to the yearnings of the people and the needs of the economy. We must reverse the epidemic of a federal takeover of state and voluntary organizations’ schools and hospitals which began in the 1970s, and also transfer those established by the federal government to the states.

Last year, 60,000 Nigerian students spent 300 billion Naira on education in Ghanaian universities. In that same period 18,000 of our youths spent 162 billion Naira in the U.K. Altogether, Nigerians spend a yearly average of 1 trillion Naira on foreign education because we do not have enough capacity to meet demand.

Contd....

We must find a way to keep that 1 trillion Naira on our shores by investing it in building enough educational capacity for our own people and a quality of education which all our neighbours would aspire to. Think of the impact retaining 1 trillion Naira in our economy will have on the value of the Naira.

But why are we not already doing this? I do it in my own private university. I have seen the benefits. The American University of Nigeria at Yola has students from all over the world because we have invested in capacity.



Education is a priority. Of course, when we are spending hundreds of billions on needless luxuries and on fighting yesterday’s wars we will not have the 1 trillion Naira to spend on education.Nations do not become wealthy by having state of the art luxuries. They become wealthy by having state of the art schools.

Enough of that issue. Let us go to the next level.

The excessive concentration of power and centralization of resources in the federal government led the government to extend itself into virtually every aspect of our lives including as an investor in an array of businesses. And, almost as a rule, they were badly run. The reason is that we have made our government into an enterprise rather than a service. We no longer have civil servants in the true sense of the word. Our civil service is more lucrative than the private sector such that when people see a nice house or a fancy car they automatically think it must belong to a top government official.

For twenty-seven years I have been a proponent of privatisation. I was the head of the National Council on Privatisation and I know for a fact that if you privatise all the enterprises that government unnecessarily controls such as the NNPC, NRC, you will reduce the mad scramble for control of federal power and patronage positions in those organizations.

I oversaw the bidding round for new telecommunications licenses in 2000. It is on record that Nigeria had the most transparent bidding process in the world then. We generated $1.2 billion for the federal government and liberalised the mobile telecommunications industry which resulted in an increase from 500,000 lines to 100 million lines.



So privatisation took the power of telephony from our elites who could pay 10,000 Naira for a SIM card and placed it firmly in the palms of the people of Nigeria. Today a SIM card is virtually given away for free and the power of telephony is in all our hands. It also had the benefit of directly generating employment for over 100,000 Nigerians in the new telcos and literally hundreds of thousands more indirectly via the resellers who sit under umbrellas at street corners selling recharge cards.

Privatisation and Liberalisation create wealth and opportunity with little regard to where you come from.

Contd...

Which brings me to the economic aspect of restructuring. Nigeria is blessed with huge oil and gas deposits, but we will not become wealthy by merely selling more crude oil or more LNG. Our wealth must be tied to the productive capacity of our people. What is in our brains beats what is in our grounds.

Let us not be afraid of any state controlling their resources as long as they pay the agreed taxes to the centre. Let us rather be afraid of being so fixated on oil that we do not even see the wealth that is under our noses, and fail to realize when oil ceases to be that important.



As I mentioned earlier, oil is getting more and more redundant. We must turn our energies towards developing a real economy and not an economy based on rent seeking.



Before the discovery of oil in commercial quantities, the Saudi Royal Family received medical treatment from the University College Hospital, Ibadan. More than 50 years after the discovery of oil in commercial quantities our own leaders now depend on others for their healthcare.



Why has this happened? In my opinion, it is because we got drunk on oil. We need to go to rehab. And if resource control, within reason, will do that for us, then we should stop resisting it and start embracing it.



Addressing restructuring along the lines I and other like-minded patriots have suggested will not be the solution to all the symptoms of the disease of insufficient capacity plaguing Nigeria. However, it will be the critical first step to tackling Nigeria’s various diseases.

So let me now turn to the critical issue of security facing our nation’s unity and the well-being of our people.

By devolving power to the States and local governments, the federal government equips them with the resources, authority and capacity to tackle local problems that have national significance. In this way, it will help solve the issue of herdsmen-farmers clashes, kidnapping, militancy and other forms of insecurity that may manifest themselves as cultism or other anti-social behaviours. We should do more than merely ordering the police or the military to crush terrorists, kidnappers, cultists and separatists. We must also address the environment that allowed such issues to erupt in the first place. If you pull out the leaves of weeds without removing the weeds by the roots, they will grow again.

Contd....

I believe that the benefits accruing from these first steps will help us as we move towards the changes that require amendments to our Constitution. Let me mention a few critical ones just to illustrate.



1. Creation of and Funding of Local Governments by the Federal Government. Few things illustrate federal overreach into state matters than the creation and direct funding of local governments by the Federal Government. As I have said on numerous occasions, this makes a mockery of the word “local.” No good evidence has been produced to show that our local governments are now doing better than they were prior to federal intrusion. That intrusion must stop. Local governments are not federating units. State governments should have the freedom to create as many local governments as they wish or not have local governments at all. Citizens of every locality would then know that it is the responsibility of their states to provide services for their welfare. A possible compromise to help reduce opposition to this needed change is for the existing number of local governments to be maintained during the transition with the federal funds going the respective states as part of the devolution of resources. Henceforth local government administration should be the responsibility of state governments.



2. A constitutional amendment allowing for the establishment of State Police is another critical element of the required restructuring. With that, the Federal and state governments should be able to decide on jurisdictions and which matters would fall under federal statutes and which under state statutes, and where there would be joint jurisdiction (in which case the federal government can take over in cases of conflict). One thing about federalism that we seem to have forgotten is that it is about freedom, autonomy and choice. State police would not be mandatory for every state. Those states which, for whatever reason, prefer federal police would work out arrangements with the federal police on cost-sharing and other matters related to policing their jurisdictions.

3. Reduction in the Number of Federating Units. I strongly believe that we need to reduce the number of federating units. The decades of excessive reliance on oil revenues and the relative neglect of other revenue sources as well as our near addiction to states-creation mean that even the increase of the resources transferred to the states may not make many of the financially non-viable states to become viable. Those calling for new states seem oblivious to the fiscal crisis the existing states are in and how dependent they are on transfer payments from Abuja. If we are to maintain the current state structure, how do we ensure their financial viability? Obviously, they would have to diversify their economies and revenue sources, but what happens to those unable to do so? One option that I have suggested is a means-test requiring states to generate a specified percentage of their share of federal allocations internally or be absolved into another state. Or we may revisit Chief Alex Ekwueme’s suggestion that we use the existing geopolitical zones as federating units rather than the current states. Using the zones would ensure immediate financial viability and scale and also address the concerns of minorities about domination by our three major ethnic groups.



4. The issue of Resource Control is perhaps the most contentious. It is the big elephant in the room but the one most proponents and opponents of restructuring prefer to dance around while often throwing insults at each other. Fear, greed, envy, and resentment are at the centre of our disagreements on resource control. On the one hand, those who feel they are better endowed with the currently important or exploited national resource, oil, express some level of greed and resentment and a desire to monopolize those resources. On the other hand, those who feel less well-endowed express some degree of fear, envy and resentment. We must start from the point of view that no country’s regions or localities are equally or uniformly endowed. Diversity is the norm, and often the strength. And there are also historical swings or changes in fortune: the well-endowed areas of today may become less so tomorrow. Sharing is part of human existence and part of what makes human societies possible. I have consistently advocated for local control of resources but with federal taxing powers to help redistribute resources and to help address national priorities. Local control will encourage our federating units to look inwards at untapped resources in their respective domains and promote healthy rivalry among them.



I must point out that all of these do not have to be done in one fell swoop. We recognise that fundamental change is often difficult, especially for those who feel that they are beneficiaries of the status quo. But we must change. We cannot keep doing the same thing and expect a different outcome.

Contd....

We can start with the less contentious ones, including state police, and return jurisdiction for local governments to states.

Discussions and negotiations among leaders from across the country can be speeded up to ensure timely resolution of these contentious issues. Our generation cannot afford to be the one that is unable to negotiate and bargain for a workable federal system that truly serves our peoples and enables them to live in peace and harmony with mutual respect.

The Nigerian federation is a work in progress. We just have to continue that work, a truly serious work, to build bridges across our various divides. That’s what we need in order to create the kind of country where our young people can thrive and realize their full potentials, young people such as Ms Immaculata Onuigbo, the best graduating student and Valedictorian for the Class of 2017 at the American University Nigeria, Yola. We owe it to them and the generations to come.

End

"the best way to go about it is not to abandon federalism and embrace restructuring instead let's modernise and create a system of goverment that is relax and has both the features of parliamentary and federal system of government."

That's from you.

It's very clear from this line that you don't really understand what restructuring is about. Restructuring is not a system.
The call for restructuring means modernise and create a system of govt that can work for us since the present one have not worked for once.

There is an interview granted to Punch last week by an Afenifere member. In the said interview, he explained what restructuring is all about. Search for it and also read it.

is not that am against restructuring but to every Nigeria there is a different understanding of restructuring. I have gone through this article even though it is lengthy, I learn a lot about d fmr vice president idea of restructuring. it's a good idea and one that will be lovely if it can come on board. the issue we are having is that our politicians and leaders per say always look for the weak point of a current governemt and use that as a platform to acheive their selfish ambition. the fmr president who wrote this epistle is someone who has serve the country for 8 years, he had the best chance to ensure that his vision became a reality but didn't do so then. apart from that Nigeria politics is so complicated that even if he win today, things would not change overnight. it's going to take decades for his vision to come into reality. Beside I admire people who are ambitious and are focus and know what to do. during the tenure of OBJ, his ambition for a third term was use to scuttle hiis plan for a better Nigeria. the late president Yaradua was troubl with inseurity issues from the militant and boko harram untill his demise. GEJ was ousted from office over his wrong handling of the chibok girls saga and disunity with the governors. and now PMB only weak point is the clamoring for seccesion by the igbos. this is is the best time for thee issue of restructuring. He has a good plan but it is bouund to fail unless Godwills. Beside he is riding on the weakness of another and definitely someone will ride on his own weakness.

Serenity009:
is not that am against restructuring but to every Nigeria there is a different understanding of restructuring. I have gone through this article even though it is lengthy, I learn a lot about d fmr vice president idea of restructuring. it's a good idea and one that will be lovely if it can come on board. the issue we are having is that our politicians and leaders per say always look for the weak point of a current governemt and use that as a platform to acheive their selfish ambition. the fmr president who wrote this epistle is someone who has serve the country for 8 years, he had the best chance to ensure that his vision became a reality but didn't do so then. apart from that Nigeria politics is so complicated that even if he win today, things would not change overnight. it's going to take decades for his vision to come into reality. Beside I admire people who are ambitious and are focus and know what to do. during the tenure of OBJ, his ambition for a third term was use to scuttle hiis plan for a better Nigeria. the late president Yaradua was troubl with inseurity issues from the militant and boko harram untill his demise. GEJ was ousted from office over his wrong handling of the chibok girls saga and disunity with the governors. and now PMB only weak point is the clamoring for seccesion by the igbos. this is is the best time for thee issue of restructuring. He has a good plan but it is bouund to fail unless Godwills. Beside he is riding on the weakness of another and definitely someone will ride on his own weakness.

I don't agree with most of the points you raised here but, let's just leave it at that.
It's good engaging you on this platform.

it's my pleasure bro, I reason with u some of what u posted but not completely. I believe we still have a long way to go for that perfect nation he dreams of. it's a long term project and we need a leader with some qualities and character which I think is not possess by Atiku Abubakar. I hope u didn't take it personal with me. it's just a forum and I have learnt a lot from you.

I penned this down six years ago. I just came across it and decided to share with you.


In 1960, the GDP per Capital of China was $121, Nigeria GDP per capital was $559, this means Nigerians were richer than the Chinese. As at 2014, the GDP per capital of the Chinese was $3,865, Nigeria was $1,091…..in summary they have overtaken us...why?

In 1983, there were no bridges in China.
That’s what Jacob Woods, Chairman China Nigeria Business council said. According to him, he came to Nigeria in1983 and that “availed him the opportunity to see a bridge for the first time as there no bridges in China”. Today over Chinas longest river, the Yangtze , China has 73 bridges alone, we still have one bridge over the River Niger...why? Why did China, Malaysia, Indonesia etc all the Asian tigers who seem to be at par with us in the 1960, leave us in the dust literally?

Here is why “No nation can develop beyond the quality of its education"attainment of its citizens”(Ololube, Egbezor, Kpolovie and Amaele). Poor primary education produces poor secondary students,who produce poor candidates for universities; who feed poor graduates to the market. Barro found primary and secondary education to have positive and significant impact on the growth rate of GDP per capita.

From 1960 to 1990, only once did Nigeria allocate more than 10% of any budget to education. 30 years! In Nigeria, average public education expenditure to total govt expenditure 1970 and 2010 was 5.72%. UNESCO recommended minimum (26%). 1970 to 1973, during the oil boom, Nigeria did not allocate up to 1% of the federal budget to education. Note this was a Period our Head of State was saying “Nigeria problem was how to spend her money”. China invested in education. From 1968, China has increased her share of the education budget from 1.2 % in 1968 to nearly 4% today.

Thus key point; As we reduced our education spend, China and the Asian tigers increased theirs.

Yes I can hear many of you blaming the government for not spending on education, but this is a Nigeria ailment. The NBS has a poverty report dated 2012 using the constant price of 2003/2004, it tracked changes in expenditure of households. In that report education spend fell from 5.21 to 1.40. In essence as things got ‘tight” you and I spent less on education.

So what do we do?

Tie Education budget to the GDP. China has a 4% of GDP education spending Target. Indonesia has a constitutional provision that 20% of any budget MUST be spent on education …… Simply make ECA (Excess Crude Account) an account to fund ONLY education and healthcare…turn it to the ECAEH, Excess Crude Account for Education and Health. Start a catch up provision to raise the budget allocation every year until we reach the UNESCO standard of 26%. Tie FAAC disbursements to education spend. Shehu Shagari once recommended that primary school enrolment be included in FAAC formula.

Lets get serious with funding education. if we don’t fix education, we cant fix poverty or boko haram….