Interesting perspective Feyi but, if it works as a succesful basis of our unity, I fear it will only ever be short lived. Trade as the foundation is shaky. Landscapes shift. Items of trade focus are replaced. I have no numbers but I am fairly certain that the volumes of horses sold by northerners to southerns is now negligible compared to the historical numbers.

Trade will only work as a unifying factor so far the landscape remains the same. Take oil as a case in point — OPEC makes sense while they can maintain a near monopoly on supply and control pricing. Now, the divisions between the member nations are more glaring since the trade that brought them together is under threat.

The same can happen in the internal trade paradigm. Ghana could become a manufacturing and trade centre and, with partnership with Togo and Benin satisfy the needs of the South West. Chad and Cameroon could work together to supply meat, leather and tomato produce to the South East and South South. The North could also access those same alternative markets through Benin and Chad without the need to trade with nearer neighbours.

I know this is simplistic but it is to highlight a point — if our basis of trade diminishes, where is the logical end of a system based on it? Will it be any different from the relegio-political one we deem to have failed?