Every region in Nigeria today is calling for restructuring except the North, there are reasons why the North is against, restructuring of this country. I will list them below .
1 REDUCTION OF POWER AT THE CENTER
When Nigeria is restructured, States will no longer look up to federal for survival, but federal to states. The resources spent to maintain the current senate, house of reps at the federal level will be channeled to infrastructure in States. The center will not be as powerful as it is today, because they have little interference over states. The federal and state operate in parallel lines and not the current hierarchy of federal above state. So even if the North is majority at the center, their decisions have little or no impact on states and regions.
2,NO MORE FREE MONEY
The situation where you create more local governments because you have land to increase federal allocation will be a thing of the past. A region that contributes very little to the federal account, will create more local governments than regions that contribute more, to receive more allocation .In a restructured Nigeria, no matter the number of local government areas you create, you will generate the money to maintain them from your region .
3, REDUCED CONTROL OF SECURITY AGENCIES
Like what we see today, where Kastina as a state had more recruits in DSS than the entire SE states. Most of the security agencies in Nigeria are headed by the North and none from the SE. We see how swift the DSS is to arrest Southerners over inciting statements, however, a group in the North has asked Nigerians Citizens to leave a part of Nigeria in 3 months , yet no single arrest. We see how Fulani herdsmen more freely and kill with no action from the security agencies . In a restructured Nigeria, states and regions will have their own security, who will be supervised by the federal agencies to ensure that they operate within the laws of the land and state. So If you have more police from the North, they will secure the North and the North will generate funds to pay them, while the south does the same.
4, LACK OF EDUCATION
The northern elites, intentionally ensure that they have the highest rate of uneducated youths, to brainwash and unleash them on other Nigerians for political gain. The current Nigerian structure, this works to their advantage . They can use their uneducated youths to attack other Nigerians and claim ignorant, just like they did after Buhari lost the elections . In a restructured Nigeria, they say the youths are the future, so if they have not educated their youths, they already see a picture of what the future of the north will look like.
5, POWER WILL RETURN TO THE LOCALS.
Since there is no more free oil money, the elite will have to depend on the locals, who will till the ground to farm and mine resources for their survival . In a restructured Nigeria, Every region and state, will use what they have to get what they want.
6, RELIGIOUS EXTREMISM
While the north is predominantly Muslim and we believe their religion is peaceful, However it’s easy to radicalize their youths through the same religion to become destructive . It’s not a problem to the north today that their youths can bomb and kill in the name of religion, after all at the end of the day, funds generated from the peaceful south, will be used to rebuild the North. Some people from the North will even, make money from the rebuilding process.
But in a restructured Nigeria, If they allow their youths to bomb and destroy their region, they will have to generate the funds to rebuild their region from their region . While other regions are developing and working with each other, theirs will be in flames by religious extremists, who will not associate with other based on religious differences .
These are some of the main reasons the North is against restructuring . They want the politics of Numbers. Since one can marry many wives are have as many children, its assumed they have the numbers. With this politics of Numbers, they will decide based on majority to control the resources of the south.
Do you know how much it has cost and is costing Nigeria to fight terrorism in the North ? If these funds where channeled to infrastructure and SME’s We would have had more employed youths in Nigeria today.
How long shall we continue the slave master relationship ? When they like, they say one Nigeria, when they like the call Nigerians Guests in Nigeria .
Like the Afenifere and Ohaneze and other groups in Nigeria are crying for restructuring, the north has refused to adjust. How long can we continue this way ?
Goodluck Jonathan saw this slave master relationship, and called for a national conference. After the report, the North has taken over and discarded the report and wants Nigeria to continue this way .
If the North feels they have the numbers, let them use it for their development and not oppression of other regions.
The entire southern Nigeria and other regions that believe in restructuring should ensure that no election is held in their region in 2019. Let’s see how the north will produce the president and continue the slave master relationship .Nigeria existed without oil, so every region can survive with or without oil .
By mekaboy
