“Restructuring”; its meaning is debatable, and for many, it is about oil, resource control. Surprisingly, many see resource control as the receipt of an increased top-up percentage of “derivation” by oil-producing states from oil revenues issued by the federal government (FG) as fiscal allocations. Where is the control in receiving a token part of the revenues from resources mined under your jurisdiction? The practice of derivation no matter the percentage is not reducible to restructuring. A synonymous concept to restructuring is “federalism”, the structural devolution of power from the central government to federating units granting them autonomy within the political structure. If achieved in Nigeria, restructuring will effectively end the unitary system of government introduced by the military government since 1966. Very little is said about the “ownership” of natural resources in the mainstream Nigerian debate on restructuring. Is ownership a taboo word when it comes to oil and federalism?
Are African people still loyal and acting moral towards the “primordial” indigenous traditional political and social settings?
What’s good and beneficial about the defunct regional system or the 12 states federal structure that can’t be implemented or improved upon in the current 36 states dispensation?
What’s virtuous and lustre about the characters and behaviours of the Nigerian people (north or south) which the political structure has so smothered and has not allowed to shine through?
Has the federal structure so overpowered and disabled the states and local government operators that they lack the capability to effectively use their revenue allocations (meagre as they maybe) to create and manage social and infrastructural change for their people?
Why are we so obsessed with revenue allocations, resource control and ownership while ignoring the roots and braches of the problem – our character, behaviour. The average politician, civil servant, the military, traditional chief, civil society, ordinary people including the youth) are generally impulsive, impetuous, imperious, and acts in impromptu manner without giving any rat’s arse about if their action or inaction imperil their communities, organisations, states and country as long as they are benefiting.
There’s nothing wrong with any system which cannot be fixed with concerted and genuine efforts. Even the countries we envy and escape to as unwanted refugees have issues with their political and social structures and systems. It will ever be work in progress.
Nigerians are simply wired wrong and we ignore this fact to our continuing peril.
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