1.0 INTERLUDE

Let me start by expressing profound gratitude for the invitation to speak at a very noble gathering like this.

I am indeed very grateful for this opportunity to share my thought on a very important aspect of the state of our beloved country Nigeria.

The theme for this discussion are questions to wit: RESTRUCTURE NIGERIA?: WHAT? WHY? WHEN? And HOW?

The word restructure connotes different things to different people in Nigeria depending on the side of the divide they are leaning on.

However, the dictionary definition of the word “restructure” is clear enough.

Advance English Dictionary defines the word “restructure” as: “Construct or form anew or provide with a new structure”.

The word “structure” is also defined as: “a thing constructed: a complex entity constructed of many parts”.

I shall rely on these dictionary definitions as I go straight into the discussion ahead.

2.0 BRIEF HISTORICAL ESCURSION

Prior to the 1914 amalgamation of the present-day Nigeria, the geographical space now known as Nigeria today existed as separate and distinct entities with effective indigenous modes of governance.

There were chiefdoms, kingdoms and empires among others.

By 1914, long after the partition of Africa by the Europeans, following the Berlin Conference of November 15, 1884 to February 26, 1885, the British colonial masters had governed the geographical space now known as Nigeria as Southern and Northern Protectorates.

Thus, the 1914 amalgamation of both the Southern and Northern Protectorates became the first “restructure” of the structures of the various ethnic nationalities/“countries” put together to become the present day Nigeria by the colonial masters.

Between 1914 and the 1950s when the agitation for Independence of Nigeria became a top burner, Nigeria had witnessed various governance experiments under the colonial masters.

More appropriately, the era preceding the eve of Nigeria’s independence in 1960 was largely a colonial master’s affair. Nigeria and Nigerians weren’t in control of their affairs within these periods and to a large extent, may be excused of what happened within the said period. Whatever happened thereafter is our own ball game!

From October 01, 1960 to date, a period spanning about 62 years, the country Nigeria has been administered and governed by Nigerians, or so it seems.

Therefore, it is rationalized that an appropriate datum for the subject matter should be from when Nigeria gained Independence from the colonial masters in 1960 to date moving forward.

Perhaps the pertinent questions at this juncture therefore are: what structure/restructure are we talking about? Does Nigeria have any existing structure that could/should be restructured? If so, is there any need to restructure the existing structure? Why restructure? Restructure to what? When to restructure? How to restructure?

I shall attempt to answer the aforementioned questions briefly as follows:

(i) WHAT STRUCTURE?

The concern here is to direct attention to the governance structure of the country. By this, the focus should and will be on the configuration and mode of governance of the country Nigeria.

(ii) ANY EXISTING STRUCTURE?

Yes. At independence in 1960, the mode of governance bequeathed to the country by the founding leaders of Nigeria was a parliamentary system of government anchored on autonomous regions namely: Western, Eastern and Northern Regions respectively, with a central government to which every region had an equal stake and contributes to sustain.

Following a popular constitutional plebiscite, a fourth region, the Mid-West Region was created August 09, 1963 as the first and only constitutionally created region in Nigeria to date.

By October 01, 1963 Nigeria formally became a Republic with a federal republican constitution which was a slight modification of the 1960 Federal Constitution to accommodate the newly created Mid-West Region and the re-designation of the position of Governor-General of Nigeria to President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Then, the executive arm of government was sourced from among the elected parliamentarians both at the regions and the center.

The said parliamentary system of governance brought government and governance very close to the people in such a way that was highly cost effective and people oriented.

However, following the military incursion into governance in 1966, the mode of governance was significantly and drastically altered by military fiat.

(iii) ANY NEED TO RESTRUCTURE NIGERIA?

Yes! Following the military alterations of the governance model agreed upon by the founding leaders of Nigeria since January 15, 1966, things that held the country together have gradually been falling apart so much so that now, the centre seems unable to or can hardly hold. A lot of water has passed under the bridge ever since such that, a recalibration of our governance model has become a sine qua non.

There is no gainsaying the fact that Nigeria is presently in dire straits and at a cross road where nothing seems to be working. So, in a way, the structure upon which Nigeria rest presently seems to be so troubled if not in complete comatose, far more than can be expressed in words.

Everything around us indicates that the state of our country Nigeria needs very urgent intervention if we are to continue as an entity.

It has thus become a very urgent matter of utmost national importance to look again at, review and possibly tinker with the present governance structure of Nigeria for effective National Integration, Peace and Security of the country.

(iv) WHY RESTRUCTURE?

If the present mode of governance is working and serving our purpose as a country, there wouldn’t have been any need to talk of restructuring the country now.

The situation of the country became even more precarious with a skewed military imposed fraudulent decree now styled 1999 constitution as variously amended, to which many of the ethnic nationalities that constitute Nigeria had no input whatsoever!

It was a settled matter by the founding leaders of this country that Nigeria shall be a FEDERATION made up of autonomous Federating Units known as REGIONS with equal stake at the centre which became our country’s governance model from Nigeria’s Independence in October 01, 1960.

Just about six years after Independence, precisely by January 15, 1960, some military men took it upon themselves to usurp political power and interrupted the mode of governance by force. This was when the journey of Nigeria to the doldrums began for which the country is yet to redeem itself. Ever since then, Nigeria has been wobbling, staggering and is still grasping for breadth of fresh air.

Besides, the present system of government is very expensive to operate, wasteful and parasitic.

Just imagine a Federal Government with a minimum of 42 Ministers excluding numerous Departments and Agencies with many replications of Federal Agencies and Departments in the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory, Special Advisers and Personal Assistants etc;

109 Senators with 64 Committees and its bureaucracies;

360 House of Representative Members with 89 Committees and its bureaucracies;

36 State Governors and FCT with government bureaucracies comprising of several MDAs with many State Commissioners;

about 1000 Members of States House of Assembly;

774 LGA Chairmen with their bureaucracies etc;

all depending on the feeding bottle system rested on system rested on a diminishing asset of the proceeds from oil sales that is shared at Abuja; then, the costs implications with the attendant wastefulness of the present governance structure will become more apparent and better appreciated!

The military incursion into governance and their subsequent handing over power to their cronies and/or allies with the systemic grounding of all governance blocks has thus necessitated the need to recalibrate the governance structure of the country.

(v) RESTRUCTURE TO WHAT?

A mode of governance was bequeathed to us by the founding leaders of this country at independence October 01, 1960.

There was also a pre-independence trial of that system of government for almost a decade which ensured monumental progress and unparalleled development across the regions of the Federation. These landmark achievements remain unbeaten to date in all facets of our national lives.

So, why not consider a retrace of our steps to what has worked and better serve our purpose as a people and a country?

(vi) WHEN TO RESTRUCTURE?

Yesterday! That is to say, the time to restructure is long overdue!

(vii) HOW TO RESTRUCTURE?

There are many suggestions on how to restructure in the public place already. Some have suggested a sovereign national conference. Some have suggested the adoption of the 2014 political conference report. Some have even suggested a revisit to the Aburi Conference Report of January 1967 among others.

It is hereby rationalized that, we can use what we have presently to get what we want.

We can invoke the doctrine of necessity again to serve our purpose at this crucial moment of our national life.

The present operating document styled the 1999 Constitution as variously amended is a schedule of military Decree 24 of 1999 which is now assumed to be an Act of the National Assembly.

Since the National Assembly is empowered to make laws for the good governance of Nigeria including amendment, alteration, repeal, replacement and even complete abrogation of any existing law, they can as a matter of urgent national importance make laws that will allow for the replacement of the schedule attached to the military decree 24 called 1999 Constitution, with the preferred mode of governance by the citizens of Nigeria which should be subjected to a referendum for validation.

A tactical retreat to the federal republican constitution in place when the military usurped power in 1966 with appropriate review to accommodate our present realities could be the ace at resolving the nagging and recurrent issue of and agitations for restructuring Nigeria.

It is an open secret that military imposed 1999 constitution is not working and not workable for Nigeria. It is inherently and incurably defective and no amount of amendments as has been done and still being done can cure its defects.

So, why continue to waste the scarce national resources on something that neither works nor workable?

Therefore, it is rationalized that the National Assembly should invoke its inherent powers to make laws that will allow for the stakeholders of Nigeria to discuss and agree on the governance model that best suits Nigeria following which, the attached schedule to the military decree number 24 of 1999 currently styled 1999 Constitution as amended, which is now assumed to be an act of the National Assembly, can then be replaced by the peoples Constitution based on the 1963 Republican Constitution model earlier agreed to by the founding leaders of Nigeria going forward.

To this end therefore, it is hereby reiterated that for a cost effective, people oriented and peaceful coexistence, a new governance model that is recommended for Nigeria shall include but not limited to the following:

(a) A Republican Federal Constitution based on parliamentary system of government as handed over by the founding leaders of Independent Nigeria where the Federating Units are autonomous and contributing to the center for common services to the Federation.

(b) A reversal to the Regional system of governance based on the 1963 constitutional model but taking into cognizance the present six geopolitical zones, the existing 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

(c) A unicameral National Assembly with equal representation of the Regions/Geopolitical Zones whose membership are sourced directly from the Regions in which there is parity of regions in both Northern and Southern parts of Nigeria.

(d) The secularity of Nigeria where there is no State Religion whatsoever must be guaranteed; where religion is made person to individuals, where the Constitution shall not contain anything that has any religious connotation, where the government at all levels shall not promote, fund and/or participate in any religious activities and/or programmes.

(e) Regional Supreme Courts as distinct and different from the Supreme Court of Nigeria at the centre.

(f) Creation of and management of States/Local Government Areas shall be domiciled in the Regions/Geopolitical Zones and States respectively.

(g) Nigerian Military armaments and personnel shall be equally distributed among the Regions/Geopolitical Zones

(h) Decentralization of the national electoral body and domiciliation of same in the Regions/Geopolitical Zones and States.

3.0 THE REAL ISSUES AT STAKE

The ‘Federal Republic of Nigeria’ today only exist as a mere expression and not in reality.

A proper nomenclature for what is now operative in Nigeria is an ill acquired “UNITARY Republic” imposed by the military against the negotiated genuine Federal Republic passed on to us by the founding fathers of Nigeria.

The Federation of Nigeria as presently constituted has tremendously retarded the growth, progress and peaceful coexistence of and in Nigeria as evidenced by Nigeria’s backwardness and stunted growth in virtually all spheres of endeavours in the committee of Nations.

As if the self inflicted pains on Nigeria isn’t enough, the level of insecurity and wanton waste of human lives and properties across the country which negates the primary purpose of any government, has reached a pick never before known in history; thus, leaving many wondering what gain there is in remaining as one country.

It is indeed a shameful irony that after several years of being colonized by the British, after 108 years of the amalgamation of both Southern and Northern protectorates to become one Nigeria in 1914 and after about 62 years of independence from the British colonial masters, Nigeria as a Country is yet to become a Nation.

As at 1960 when Nigeria gained Independence from the colonial overlords, our governance structure was based on regional governance with a common center. By 1963, following a constitutional plebiscite and popular acclamation, a fourth region named Midwest Region was created thus, making Nigeria which had hitherto stood on a tripod to stand on four legs.

We had three Regions in the South namely: Eastern, Mid-Western and Western Regions with one Northern Region.

Monumental progress was being recorded at the Regions and the Centre but not without some political upheavals particularly in the then Western Region of Nigeria which details are already in the public domain.

Then, some military adventurers took it upon themselves to disrupt our governance system January 15, 1966.

The military disruption of our political mode of governance then, heralded the beginning of our retrogressive journey to where we are today.

Now, let’s look at some specifics.

(a) THE TINKERING WITH THE NATURE OF THE FEDERATION

A federation is normally and essentially, a two tiers of government made up of the federating units and the center.

What is presently operative in Nigeria today is not a federation but a totalitarian unitary system that has made the states and local government areas created by the military dependent and parasitic on the patronages of the government at the centre.

The military conscripted and appropriated the constitutional roles of the federating units of Nigeria and over concentrated power on virtually everything to the centre.

The military fundamentally distorted the principle of federalism as envisioned by the founding leaders of the Independent Nigeria and laid the foundation to what has now become an unacceptable governance model for which there are many agitations and clamour for a reversal and/or recalibration.

(b) THE IMPOSITION OF UNITARY SYSTEM

The military brought in a command system of unitary government as against the Federal system that was discussed and agreed by all interest groups and nationalities of the fledging country Nigeria. Since then to date Nigeria is yet to recover and retrace her steps.

The military with the active connivance of some accomplices across the country introduced what has become structural and governance imbalance coupled with monumental corruption in virtually all facets of our national life.

For example, the federal military government of General J.T.U. Aguiyi-Ironsi, who took over power from the civilian administration of the first Republic as the first military Head of State after the failed coup of the January 15, 1966 that was staged by some young army officers, introduced a unitary governance system which is synonymous to military command system by military decree that has somehow endured till date.

The imposed military unitary system, as a matter of fact, was contrary to the federal governance system agreed upon by the founding leaders of Nigeria at Independence in 1960.

The bloody counter coup of July 29, 1966 in which General Aguiyi-Ironsi lost his life while on an official trip to Ibadan popped up the then Lt. Col Yakubu Gowon as Head of State and the subsequent military regimes failed, refused and /or neglected to cure the malady of the imposed totalitarian unitary system.

An attempt made at the Aburi conference of 1967 in Aburi, Ghana to cure the unitary system of governance among others almost came to the rescue but unfortunately, it became stillborn!

(c) THE INEQUITY IN STATES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS CREATION

Contrary to the provisions of the 1963 Republican Constitution of Nigeria, General Yakubu Gowon that took over power from General Aguiyi-Ironsi after the bloody counter coup of July 29, 1966 distorted the nature of the federating units by creating twelve States unconstitutionally from the existing four Regions by military fiat without following the due process well stated in the 1963 constitution including plebiscite.

Subsequent military governments of Generals Murtala Mohammed, Ibrahim Babangida and Sani Abacha (all Northerners), further compounded the matter by creating additional States and Local Government Areas across the federation at their wimps and caprices in an inequitable and unjust manner.

Another aberration was the balkanization of the entire three Regions in Southern Nigeria into a mere 17 States as follows:

South East – 5 States

South West – 6 States

South South – 6 States

The North which used to be just one Region was split into 19 States with the Federal Capital Territory as follows:

North East – 6 States

North Central – 6 States

North West – 7 States

The aforementioned States which were all created by skewed military fiat is fundamental for the inequity of States in Nigeria as well as the North-South dichotomy for which agitations are unending.

For example, whereas the former Northern Region was subsequently split into 19 states and spread across 3 geopolitical zones; the old Eastern Region was split into nine states and spread across 2 geopolitical zones; the former Western Region was split into six states in a monolithic geopolitical zone; only the former Midwest Region remained as one state till lately when it was inequitably split into two states and subsumed in another strange geopolitical zone.

So, Midwest Region that used to be one out of four equal Regions has been emasculated and shrank to just two out of 37 States including the Federal Capital Territory against the popular wish and desire of the people of the old Mid-West Region just like that!

The story of Midwest region is thus a mirror reflection of the collapse of the structural and Constitutional governance of Nigeria as envisioned by the founding fathers of Nigeria.

There is also inequity in the creation of the Local Government Areas.

For example, the military awarded the former Northern Region with 419 Local Government Areas which is being used to share resources generated from the South as follows:

North East – 113 LGAs

North Central – 114 LGAs

North West – 186 LGAs.

The former three Regions in Southern Nigeria were altogether given 355 Local Government Areas as follows:

South East – 95 LGAs

South West – 137 LGAs

South South – 123 LGAs

For instance, Lagos State which is the most populous State in Nigeria was allocated only 20 LGAs as the old Kano State at some point in time but, the old Kano State has since been further split into the present Kano State with 44 LGAs and Jigawa State with 27 LGAs respectively thus, making it a total of 71 LGAs while that of Lagos State remained 20 LGAs to date. How fair, just and equitable is this?

The arbitrary creation of States and Local Government Areas by the various military governments also separated some people from their kit and kin and created new minorities in the new states. This error and/or aberration have aggravated new agitations for more States and LGAs across the country thus, further compounding the challenge.

These military aberrations coupled with unjust allocation of resources and wealth generation created parasitic governments at various levels that further exacerbated the nose dive of the country Nigeria into the abyss.

(d) DISTURTION OF THE SECULARITY OF THE NIGERIA

Nigeria was envisioned to be a secular state by the founding leaders of Nigeria giving the plurality, heterogeneity and multiple religious beliefs of the people that make up Nigeria but, by military fiat under the regime of General Abdusalam Abubakar, a particular religious system was preferentially and surreptitiously embedded in his military decree now referred to as 1999 constitution.

The smuggling and imposition of a particular religion in what is now styled 1999 constitution has become a source of concern to many patriotic citizens and rightly too.

Besides, the so called 1999 constitution was a very guided secret by General Abdulsalam Abubakar’s regime such that people were made to contest for positions at all levels in 1999 without any idea of the content of the constitution under which they will govern!

The introduction and imposition of religious laws and religious police in Northern parts of the country in a country that was designed to be secular State is not only an affront to the vision of the founding fathers of modern Nigeria, it is also a serious source of dissent, necessitating calls for the Restructuring and/or unbundling of Nigeria.

Many people have and many more are still asking to know where and when the operating 1999 constitution as variously amended was discussed and agreed by the people of Nigeria to warrant the opening statement in the said constitution that: WE, THE PEOPLE OF NIGERIA gave ourselves the said fraudulent document styled constitution!

(e) TURNING THE REGIONS/STATES INTO COST CENTRES AS AGAINST BEING PROFIT CENTRES

Hitherto, the Regions generated their income from their environment and contributed a percentage of their income to the Federal Government.

However, the incursion of the military into the governance of the country reversed this mode of revenue generation and sharing anchored hitherto on ‘Derivation Principles’ as agreed by the founding leaders of the Independent Nigeria.

The Federal Government has since taken over of all the revenues generated in the country particularly from Southern parts of Nigeria and then dispenses same to the States on a formula set by them which negates the principle of derivation they inherited from the constitutional government they overthrew in military coups.

The usage of extraneous factors that are neither productive nor contributive to the revenues generated in the country like land mass, number of Local Government Areas, imaginary population among others in revenue sharing whether or not they contribute anything to the centre has also been a source of great concern and decadence necessitating the various calls for the Restructuring of Nigeria along the lines envisioned by the founding leaders of Independent Nigeria.

Most of the states and LGAs created by the military weren’t revenue generating and/or production centers but consumption centers that depend on the revenues generated mainly from the southern part of Nigeria contrary to derivation principle in place at the Independence of Nigeria in 1960.

4.0 FURTHER THOUGHTS ON RESTRUCTURING NIGERIA

Having reflected deeply on the state of affairs of this country Nigeria in an attempt to proffer a lasting solution to the numerous, various and varied challenges currently plaguing the country, it is a well considered opinion that:

(1). We need to revisit the various pre-independence agreements of our founding fathers that culminated into our mode of governance from 1960 up to 1966 before the military intrusion of January 15 and July 29, 1966; and, as a matter of urgent national importance, reactivate and adapt to suit the present realities, our costs and human capital effective 1963 Constitution as the operating Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria going forward.

All the States in the Federation as presently constituted could then just fit into the various Regions as it were then prior to the 1966 military coups or the present six Geopolitical Zones, with the options to ‘merge’, ‘demerge’, ‘remerge’ and/or create new regions/geopolitical zones therein; provided that, there shall at all times be parity of Regions/Geopolitical Zone between the North and South of Nigeria.

(2). A review of the January 04 - 05, 1967 Aburi conference Resolutions/Accord/Agreement of as originally negotiated as well as the subsequent Constituent Assemblies/Conferences Resolutions/Reports including the recommendations of the 2014 Confab to suit (1) above may also be helpful going forward.

(3) Since Religion, apart from tribal, ethnic, accident of place of birth, state of origin and such like have always tended to divide us the more and continued to threaten our peaceful coexistence; and, because we tend to be more religious than knowing the Almighty God of the religions we profess, it is rationalized that, irrespective of the mode of governance we chose to operate, the adherence to the following terms is a necessity.

The NEW NATION OF OUR DREAM SHALL AT ALL TIMES NOT HAVE ANY STATE RELIGION

(ii) Nothing in the Constitution we chose to operate shall have any particular religious undertones/expressions/systems howsoever and whatsoever therein.

(iii) Religion shall be and remain very personal to all the citizens of the country and all those that dwell therein.

(iv) All religious activities shall be restricted to only approved and designated areas for that purpose.

(v) Prayers at all public functions if so necessary and/or required, shall no longer be led by any religious groups as the second stanza of our current indigenous national anthem shall at all times suffice for that purpose.

In other words, the second stanza of our current National Anthem shall at all times suffice as our prayer at all public functions irrespective of our religious beliefs.

(vi) The country shall not operate, promote and/or support any religious body, activities and/or Institution in any form whatsoever.

(vii) The SECULAR STATE OF THE NEW NATION of our dreams shall at all times be guaranteed.

(viii) CITIZEN of the new Nation of our dream shall NOT be discriminated against in any form whatsoever particularly on account of religion, tribe, accident of the place of birth, state of origin and/or ethnic nationalities of origin.

(4) The preceding article (3)(i) to (viii) above shall at all times be a constant, common and inviolate to any mode of governance we chose to operate.

At this juncture therefore, it is expedient to also intuitively consider the following:

(A) CHANGE OF NAME FOR THE COUNTRY

It has become imperative to consider a change of name of the country from ‘Nigeria’ to something more acceptable and common to the nationalities that constitute the present Nigeria.

The origin of the word ‘Nigeria’ is not only derogatory and idolatrous, it is also alien to us and a product of immorality however viewed.

The original source of the name ‘NIGERIA’ being ‘NIGGER AREA’ – meaning an area/centre where slaves and/or slave trade flourish; and later adulterated to ‘NIGER AREA’ – meaning area covered by river Niger and finally to ‘NIGERIA’ (Re: Lord Lugard’s ‘mistress’ angle) is not only inherently inhuman in origin, it is also highly flawed spiritually.

The name Nigeria is also not reflective of the fact that another country, Niger Republic, has already been named after river Niger and that there are many other areas in the present day Nigeria that are not covered by or associated with river Niger.

So, there are compelling reasons why the word ‘Nigeria’ should be changed to something indigenous and mutually acceptable to the various nationalities that constitute today’s Nigeria.

This proposed change of name for Nigeria should be able to give us as a people, a fresh start under God Almighty with a fresh sense of belonging and a renewed zeal of patriotism.

We could easily tap from the experiences of other countries that have successfully changed their country’s name to something common and acceptable to them and are prospering therewith even from our West African neighbours.

It is reasoned that a compound word coined from the major tribes of Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba (not in any particular order) together with that of Northern and Southern ‘Minorities’ may just do the trick!

So, let the discussion start now to come up with an optimum new name for Nigeria.

(B) EVOLVING A COMMON NATIONAL LANGUAGE

Whilst not canvassing for a wholesome adoption of any language of the existing nationalities of today’s Nigeria; and, while not also canvassing for an instant or an outright discarding of our English Language ‘colonial heritage’ as our lingua franca, we could easily evolve a common indigenous national language mutually acceptable to all.

For instance, there is hardly any part of Nigeria today where ‘pigin english’ is not spoken and/or understood.

So, nothing really stops us from exploiting the possibility of developing and harnessing the many variants of the ‘pigin english’ into a common national official language.

We could and in fact inject same with words from our various indigenous languages that best expresses anything as appropriate and expedient and grow the new language.

A new word could then be coined for the new national official language from the new name for Nigeria just as the monetary currency ‘Naira’ was coined from ‘Nigeria’.

A common language is one of the basic things that binds people together. Therefore, evolving, developing and using (speaking and writing) a common indigenous national official language which should also be used and taught in our schools at all levels, will go a long way at promoting our mutual understanding, national cohesion, effortless national unity and sense of patriotism without necessarily neglecting our original nationalities languages as well our ‘colonial heritage’ of English language.

(C) CHANGE OF OUR MONEY NOMENCLATURE

As a necessary corollary, if and/or when the change of name of Nigeria is effected, the change of name of our monetary currency shall also of necessity be changed and coined from the new name of Nigeria just the way ‘Naira’ was coined from ‘Nigeria’.

It is envisaged that, building consensus across board and adopting above proposals as expedient, a brand new NATION we can all be proud to call our own would emerge from the present country called Nigeria.

It is also envisioned that reworking the country along the aforementioned lines of thought shall once for all calm all nerves, guarantee peaceful coexistence, promote national unity and ignite the spirit of patriotism within and among the citizens of a new NATION of our dream.

5.0 CONCLUSION

Nigeria as a Country has suffered a lot of governance summersaults that needs urgent further diagnosis and treatment to stem in the bud an avoidable collapse.

How the country is governed right now, certainly, isn’t the intention and/or vision of the founding fathers of the country Nigeria.

The military disruption of civilian governance since 1966 coupled with failure of the politicians to do the right things have created a lot of imbalance, absurdities and abnormalities which has given rise for the need to review Nigeria’s governance system as

presently constituted.

Therefore, let’s go back to where we missed the way and start retracing our steps since the military interruptions and democratic experiments from January 15, 1966 haven't quite worked well for the benefit of the citizens and the country Nigeria.

So, let’s make a tactical retreat to stem in the bud a seemingly looming catastrophe.

The recalibration of the configuration of Nigeria as well as a rijig of the governance model is a sine qua non if the country Nigeria is to continue to remain as one.

•Being a paper delivered by Echefuna’ R.G. Onyebeadi, [DBA; PhDs; CEng. etc], Professor of Engineering Economy, Strategic Management Expert and the Inegbese of Oligbo Kingdom, at The Citizens’ Summit for National Integration, Peace and Security organised by the National Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), on August 23 – 24, 2022 at Africa Hall, International Conference Centre, Garki, Abuja, Nigeria.

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