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The forgotten debate on restructuring

By Editorial Board
22 March 2023   |   3:15 am
For close to two decades, the debate on the need to have the country restructured has occupied the public spaces and Nigerians have had the opportunity of reading different opinions, and editorials expressing divergent views about the topic. In most of these commentaries, which I will objectively describe as counter, Trans and cross ideas, one thing seems to stand out; the vast majority of Nigerians supported nation restructuring.

National Assembly (NASS)

Sir: For close to two decades, the debate on the need to have the country restructured has occupied the public spaces and Nigerians have had the opportunity of reading different opinions, and editorials expressing divergent views about the topic. In most of these commentaries, which I will objectively describe as counter, Trans and cross ideas, one thing seems to stand out; the vast majority of Nigerians supported nation restructuring.

To further put issues where they belong, a peep into nation restructuring conversation will reveal that while many in the time past argued that the nation is asymmetrically structured and standing in an inverted pyramid shape with more power concentrated at the top and the base not formidable enough, making collapse inevitable if urgent and fundamental steps are not taken, some feel that restructuring is a panacea for enduring nationhood, and need not be a one-off thing.

Hence, must be handled the same way one seeks equity; everyone is obligated to come to the table with clean hands; meaning, tolerance, openness and accommodation.

To the rest, Nigeria has a choice, to restructure by plan or by default. In their explanation, a planned restructuring will be collaborative, systematic, and redesign Nigeria, yet keep it whole. A default restructuring will happen, certainly not by choice, but definitely like an uncontrolled experiment with attendant risks and indefinite outcomes. The challenge confronting Nigeria now is that the long-overdue restructuring will happen when the cost of not restructuring far outweighs the cost of restructuring.

Those were the arguments of the good old years. Presently, things have changed. The calls to restructure the nation have gone on political sabbatical. Even those that still have such views are mere commentary of declaration of intent stripped of political will.

For how long are we going to continue like this as a nation?
This shift in action is important as we cannot solve our socio-economic challenges with the same thinking we used when we created it. This time is auspicious for us to bring a change in leadership by switching over to a leadership style that is capable of making successful decisions built on a higher quality of information while dropping the age-long mentality which presents execution as more important than idea incubation
This is the way to go.

Jerome-Mario Chijioke Utomi is the Programme Coordinator (Media and Policy), Social and Economic Justice Advocacy (SEJA), Lagos.

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