Ozekhome’s Zoning To Unzone… In Print

Zoning To Unzone: The Politics of Power and The Power of Politics (Mikzek Law Publications Limited, Lagos; 2014) is the first of Mike Ozekhome National Discourse Series. The author, a renowned constitutional lawyer and leading social critic, took the title from the political concept enunciated by the most grandiloquent politician of the Second Republic, Dr. K.O. Mbadiwe, on the vexed issue zoning the presidency.

Mbadiwe, referred to as “man of timber and calibre, Iroko and obeche tree” was credited with coining such esoteric phrases as “When the come comes to become,” “operation earthquake and landslide” referring to the envisaged victory of his National Party of Nigeria (NPN).

Ozekhome says that Mbadiwe used the term “zoning” on the vexed issue of zoning the presidency and that since then the term which lexically refers to planning and designation with special reference to land has become a “political word emperor” that has come to stay and has been at the heart of Nigeria’s problem of nationhood.

Mbadiwe introduced the idea of zoning and rotation of the presidential candidacy of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) on a regional basis to establish in the consciousness that every Nigerian citizen, no matter his ethnic origin or religious persuasion should aspire to the presidency.

Although, the idea and its principles had been incubated by the political elite right from pre-Independence era, zoning has become so controversial in contemporary politics that it is threatening the corporate existence of the country.

He traces the trajectory of the concept which had dominated our national discourse and posits that the entire hullabaloo about zoning is nothing but a ploy by the political elite to partition the country into fiefdoms to share her booty, more about sharing the national cake than baking it. He says it connotes “bulkanisation of political offices and positions by way of compensation to satiate constituent interests.”

He observes that from constitutional development of the country, from the 1898 Selbourne Commission Report to the serially amended 1999 Constitution, the goal of the actors was similar – share the national cake.

The book specifically examines all the arguments of both protagonists and antagonists of zoning, the perspectives of the law, its national history and other associated concepts such as fiscal federalism, federal character and the intense struggle for political power, resource control and derivation by ethnic nationalities of about 374 ethnic groups speaking over 250 languages.

He distinguishes between zoning and rotation. He also discusses the vexed issue of rotational presidency and devolution of power.
The author points the way forward. He submits unequivocally that the assumption that the principle of power rotation and zoning are mutually exclusive is patently fallacious. He insists that one actually presupposes the other, observing that the thought of giving every citizen and zone a sense of belonging and inclusiveness in the government of the country through rotation actually necessitated the concept of zoning.

He contends that zoning without power rotation is meaningless and irrelevant in the political scheme of things in Nigeria; that zoning standing on its own, is no more than systemic quest to maintain the status quo thereby defeating the actual reason for the evolution of the concept. He says that even the PDP which saw the wisdom of inserting the word zoning in its constitution never contemplated the subject in isolation of rotation.

Ozekhome submits that there is no zone in Nigeria that has the exclusive right to access the Presidency of Nigeria to the exclusion of all others. He argues that though zoning among the six geopolitical zones is not recognised by the 1999 Constitution, the same constitution which allows every Nigerian to aspire to the presidency, does not also state expressly the manner and order it should take. He contends that the constitution therefore does not prohibit the concept of rotation or principle of zoning, which brings about orderliness and a sense of belonging to and hope by all segments of the society that it would one day be their turn to govern.

This brings about patriotism and a sense of nationalism. Were we to use majoritorial or numerical strength alone, some of the country would lord it over others for ever, while some other will be perpetually dominated and subjugated,” he says.
The author concludes by saying that rotational presidency and zoning help to unite the heterogeneous, religious, cultural, linguistic and ethnic diversity of Nigeria that consists of many nationalities.

He therefore recommends for all Nigerians of whatever gender, religion, language, ethnic group, state in life, circumstances of birth, academic and cultural backgrounds the philosophy of live and let live, and learn the principle of zoning to unzone.

The book is very relevant in the contemporary politics of Nigeria. For students, teachers of Nigerian History, Politics and Government, any one aspiring to the leadership of Nigeria and all patriotic Nigerians, Zone To Unzone is a must read.
Ozekhome in writing the book explored his wealth of knowledge of law, history, religion and literature to show the depth of his scholarship and flawless logic. It is a book every Nigerian or anybody for that matter that is interested in understanding ethnic politics and power play in contemporary Nigeria.

Included in the book are some useful appendixes and postscripts as well as the brief narration of his three weeks’ ordeal in the hands of kidnappers.

The author, High Chief Mike Ozekhome, is a renowned Constitutional lawyer who has handled and participated in many epochal and sensational cases that have defined and shaped Nigerian Legal jurisprudence and enthroned a regime of Human Rights, Democracy, good governance and the Rule of Law.