On Restructuring Nigeria

Nigeria is not working. And for those who do perceive Nigeria as functional, their perception of functionality is likely to the detriment of tens of millions of people within the country. Tens of millions of people who have increasingly grown poorer, unlike many others in more viable countries like China and India.
Fortunately, a debate is being pushed in Nigeria which may yet save the country. However, some of Nigeria’s elites detest this debate and try their best to mitigate its impact as much as possible:
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They will soon know the error of their thinking. Either, they can begin a process of restructuring now…or, as we’ve been warning for quite some time, others will restructure Nigeria for them. These “others” could be the future Asari Dokubo’s, Nnamdi Kanu’s and Abubakar Shekau’s. They are the individuals who seek to distrupt the Nigerian state. Or, destroy it altogether.
We, at the Fourth Republic, firmly believe that a process of restructuring Nigeria can begin to reduce Nigeria’s internal tensions (regional, economic, religious, ethnic etc.) which threaten to push the country into a future of perennial crises. Arguably, we’ve already seen glimpses of this future in the Niger Delta, Borno and now Igboland.
Shehu Sani’s dismissal of the discussion pertaining to restructuring Nigeria is fascinating and telling. Perhaps, representative of Nigeria’s political elite who are largely a hodge-podge of callous, unthinking dullards. How does he think pluralistic, cosmopolitan societies should decide their governmental philosophies and constitutions which will set down their political order and the relationship between citizen and state? Is it not through a myriad of voices (or the representatives of that multitude) discussing how they want to live their lives? It becomes clear that those who say that “Nigeria is non-negotiable” are against the liberty of the individual in a free and democratic society. They oppose the idea of Nigeria’s obtaining ‘the good life’. They are also, sadly, against the future survival of Nigeria. They are enemies of progress.
Engaging with the idea of “Nigeria” is a crucial exercise. It is a debate which may save us all and prevent the lands in which the Niger meets the Benue River from being soaked in blood.
The Fourth Republic will begin writing a series of articles on how Nigeria could restructure itself. So that Nigeria’s present dysfunction does not destroy us all.
- The Fourth Republic
