Restructuring: The Viable Option For Nigeria

By Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN

In the year 2020, news broke out that the Central Bank of
Nigeria was in talks with the government of Zamfara State to buy
five billion naira worth of gold. Many were shell-shocked at such
strange development, given the position of the federal government
on issues of mines and minerals as part of the items listed in the
Exclusive Legislative List of the Constitution, which has hitherto
been held as being the exclusive preserve of the Federal
Government. Even though the CBN and Zamfara State have offered some
feeble defences on this transaction, it has raised fresh agitations
within the Niger-Delta region, which has been denied control and
use of minerals within their territory. The Zamfara gold has only
thrown open the absurdity of the present unitary government of
Nigeria stylishly termed federal. The new slogan in the Niger-Delta
that has trended online is: ‘if Zamfara can sell gold, Niger-Delta
can retain and sell its oil’.

Whether this is right or wrong is not the issue presently but
rather that these fundamental contradictions have only highlighted
the need for restructuring of the federation to achieve an equal
sense of belonging by all the federating units. The regions should
be allowed to develop their resources according to their capacities
and through mutual agreements, they can engage in bilateral
commercial arrangements that will allow exchange of goods and
services between themselves. What this translates to is that the
federal government has to shed weight, very urgently. Some days
ago, the Oodua Peoples’ Congress raised the alarm that bandits were
mining gold in Osun State on behalf of foreigners and some powerful
individuals. In the Niger-Delta region, indigenous modular
refineries are operating in the various creeks, although the
government has ceased to grant them recognition.

Even though it is not expressly stated in the demands of the
organisers of the EndSARS protest, the entirety of their agitation
speaks of a genuine desire for change, contrary to the slogans and
deceptions of the All Progressive Congress, APC and the People’s
Democratic Party, PDP, these many years. What the protesters were
clamouring for was nothing but restructuring. The youth are tired
of the status quo and ‘audio promises’, as they have now labelled
the empty statements of the politicians. To imagine that we have
had to remind APC of its own promise voluntarily made to
restructure Nigeria, by amending the Constitution to achieve
devolution of power is nothing but betrayal. The EndSARS protest is
thus a loud testimony of the demand for restructuring. Never in our
history have we seen it like this, with people from all sectors of
our national life uniting for a cause. Now, everything that should
define our nationhood is in shambles; from insecurity to a
dwindling economy, decayed infrastructure, corrupt leadership and
over-bloated bureaucracy, there is cause for us all to worry about
Nigeria.

What has made the situation worse now is that the President
seems to be living in denial of the true facts of the imminent
disintegration of the foundation of the nation, given the
utterances of his spokespersons, to the protests. The mood of the
nation since the Edo State governorship election should have given
enough warning signals to the powers that be as to the angst of
Nigerians over certain unpalatable policies of the government. How
do we cope with rising inflation, increase in electricity tariff
and insecurity across the land? Everybody has now voted for
restructuring, from South-South leaders in PANDEF, to Northern
leaders in NCF, South-West leaders in Afenifere, South-East leaders
in Ohaneze Ndigbo and indeed Middle-Belt leaders. The question then
is this: who is opposed to restructuring or frustrating its
manifestation?

Some people ask for the meaning and nature of restructuring. It
is very simple. Restructuring means fiscal federalism or resource
control, state police and devolution of powers to the States and
Local Governments, which will empower every part of the union for
greater productivity. Before the 1966 military incursion, Nigeria
was practicing true federalism, whereby the regions controlled
their resources as autonomous political territories. With over 250
ethnic nationalities, diverse cultures, multiple faiths and
irreconcilable historical experiences, federalism is the only
suitable form of government for Nigeria. To insist on anything
contrary to federalism for this nation is to ask for its eventual
balkanization. Today, of the 37 units making up Nigeria, only one
of them is viable, being the Federal Government. The 774 local
governments merely exist in name, almost choked out of any
meaningful impact, by the States. The States and Local Governments
cannot functionally respond to critical issues in their locations
without the intervention of the Federal Government. That is
unacceptable.

Why should Lagos and Kano States not be allowed to grow their
separate economies in accordance with their growth, capacities and
resources? Sao Paulo is the second richest city in Brazil with a
GDP that exceeds those of countries like Argentina and Paraguay. In
Australia, there is healthy competition between the regions in
mining, agriculture and industries. The monthly IGR of Lagos State
is now in excess of N300B, which exceeds those of five countries in
Africa. How do we hold down the development of such a State in the
name of unitary federalism? I got this post through one of my
WhatsApp groups and it speaks to the current state of affairs of
Nigeria. Please read along with me.

“It’s difficult to comment on this EndSARs protest. The reasons
are not far fetched. The Govt has responded reasonably well to
almost all demands and in record time too. One wonders why the
youths are still protesting. If it’s based on the reasons stated by
the time the protesters started the Govt has done well. But, truth
be said, in my own opinion, the protest has continued because
people are just angry with the way the country is. They are
disillusioned with the governance of the country. They have been
patient and hoped for change, the Govt keeps claiming Nigeria is
getting better but to the common man he knows his life is not
particularly better now than the way it was in 2015. It is even
open to discussion if it has not gotten worse! Based on facts,
these protesters can’t logically argue why they are still on the
street, but deep down he/she knows it’s difficult to palpate the
change that has been so much anticipated from this Govt.

I know this because I saw how people prepared for the botched
Labour strike. People hitherto supporters of the Govt were ready to
hit the streets to tell PMB in particular that they are
disappointed in him. The consensus and support amongst different
stakeholders in the country for that strike has been unprecedented
for this administration. I knew it then that the Govt was lucky to
make Labour back down. But alas! People were just waiting for the
opportunity.

Why are they angry? The petrol and electricity hike, I guess was
what tipped people over. Let us not forget that this administration
has increased PMS price before but the streets were silent. The
reason in my opinion was simple. Majority still had some confidence
in PMB. That is no longer the case. That support base has waned
seriously. Those who tell the President otherwise are deceiving
him. While the Govt may still have some justification for the PMS
hike, the people cannot fathom the basis to keep paying crazily
more for the electricity that is just not there. And to add salt to
injury, you can be in the same street and you have different rates
for electricity under the guise of cost reflective tariff!

And what do we say about the cost of food in the land? Well the
ever increasing inflation rate should answer that. A bag of rice
now is more than the minimum wage! Yeah, the people were patient to
see the results of the rice revolution. They anticipated. They
waited. Now, Nigeria is said to be the highest producer of rice in
Africa. Bravo! But what is the explanation for this killing
increase in price. Before the revolution, rice was between 5k-8k.
Now, so-called local rice is hovering around 25k, foreign above
30k. Even if we are expected to jettison the foreign, why is the
local this expensive? Why? We can continue to give excuses for the
Govt, but what the common man wants is just to eat. If they can’t
afford chicken peri-peri at least they should be able to eat
pocket-friendly local rice. I don’t think that is too much to ask
for. Check other food stuffs, Garri, bread etc, just getting
totally out of hand.

At a point, the only argument left for the administration was
that at least security is getting better. But can we still say that
in all confidence? BH is increasingly getting bold all over again.
But even if we say the capacity of BH is not like 2015 and
preceding years, what do we say about the spreading menace of
bandits? Kidnapping is now a national emergency even if the Govt
hasn’t declared it so. Yet call to rejig the security apparatus has
met deaf ears. People have even questioned if the President is
aware in time, place and person!

So in my opinion it’s all these disillusion in the governance of
the country that is behind this agitation. EndSARs just provided
the opportunity. They want to tell the President in clear terms –
You are not doing well!! Perhaps some of us feel its political
jobbers that are behind this. I don’t think so. Obviously they want
to take advantage of it and they will do it. If we notice some of
the protesters have tried in their own little way to ward off
political opportunists but surely this kind of protest won’t last
without some funding. Those who wish to create anarchy in the land
will surely seize the opportunity. They had wanted to bring the
President /administration down from day 1. They threw several
things to make the people rise against it but consistently the
masses had looked away. They actually had trust in the Man at the
center until now. It is not strange that opportunists cash in on
things like this. Lest we forget, a similar thing happened during
the protest against the last administration. Tables have turned
now, nobody should cry foul.

I hope the President is reading this whole scenario well. I hope
he gets the right message from it. His legacy is obviously being
questioned. He should be mindful of what he will be remembered for.
He can’t blame anybody, he asked for this position 3 times before
he was given on the 4th time asking. He also has the luxury of a
renewed mandate. History will not accept any excuse from him.”

I have nothing more to add, save to call upon the President to
do the needful, NOW!

Life without Christ is Crisis

By Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN

In the year 2020, news broke out that the Central Bank of
Nigeria was in talks with the government of Zamfara State to buy
five billion naira worth of gold. Many were shell-shocked at such
strange development, given the position of the federal government
on issues of mines and minerals as part of the items listed in the
Exclusive Legislative List of the Constitution, which has hitherto
been held as being the exclusive preserve of the Federal
Government. Even though the CBN and Zamfara State have offered some
feeble defences on this transaction, it has raised fresh agitations
within the Niger-Delta region, which has been denied control and
use of minerals within their territory. The Zamfara gold has only
thrown open the absurdity of the present unitary government of
Nigeria stylishly termed federal. The new slogan in the Niger-Delta
that has trended online is: ‘if Zamfara can sell gold, Niger-Delta
can retain and sell its oil’.

Whether this is right or wrong is not the issue presently but
rather that these fundamental contradictions have only highlighted
the need for restructuring of the federation to achieve an equal
sense of belonging by all the federating units. The regions should
be allowed to develop their resources according to their capacities
and through mutual agreements, they can engage in bilateral
commercial arrangements that will allow exchange of goods and
services between themselves. What this translates to is that the
federal government has to shed weight, very urgently. Some days
ago, the Oodua Peoples’ Congress raised the alarm that bandits were
mining gold in Osun State on behalf of foreigners and some powerful
individuals. In the Niger-Delta region, indigenous modular
refineries are operating in the various creeks, although the
government has ceased to grant them recognition.

Even though it is not expressly stated in the demands of the
organisers of the EndSARS protest, the entirety of their agitation
speaks of a genuine desire for change, contrary to the slogans and
deceptions of the All Progressive Congress, APC and the People’s
Democratic Party, PDP, these many years. What the protesters were
clamouring for was nothing but restructuring. The youth are tired
of the status quo and ‘audio promises’, as they have now labelled
the empty statements of the politicians. To imagine that we have
had to remind APC of its own promise voluntarily made to
restructure Nigeria, by amending the Constitution to achieve
devolution of power is nothing but betrayal. The EndSARS protest is
thus a loud testimony of the demand for restructuring. Never in our
history have we seen it like this, with people from all sectors of
our national life uniting for a cause. Now, everything that should
define our nationhood is in shambles; from insecurity to a
dwindling economy, decayed infrastructure, corrupt leadership and
over-bloated bureaucracy, there is cause for us all to worry about
Nigeria.

What has made the situation worse now is that the President
seems to be living in denial of the true facts of the imminent
disintegration of the foundation of the nation, given the
utterances of his spokespersons, to the protests. The mood of the
nation since the Edo State governorship election should have given
enough warning signals to the powers that be as to the angst of
Nigerians over certain unpalatable policies of the government. How
do we cope with rising inflation, increase in electricity tariff
and insecurity across the land? Everybody has now voted for
restructuring, from South-South leaders in PANDEF, to Northern
leaders in NCF, South-West leaders in Afenifere, South-East leaders
in Ohaneze Ndigbo and indeed Middle-Belt leaders. The question then
is this: who is opposed to restructuring or frustrating its
manifestation?

Some people ask for the meaning and nature of restructuring. It
is very simple. Restructuring means fiscal federalism or resource
control, state police and devolution of powers to the States and
Local Governments, which will empower every part of the union for
greater productivity. Before the 1966 military incursion, Nigeria
was practicing true federalism, whereby the regions controlled
their resources as autonomous political territories. With over 250
ethnic nationalities, diverse cultures, multiple faiths and
irreconcilable historical experiences, federalism is the only
suitable form of government for Nigeria. To insist on anything
contrary to federalism for this nation is to ask for its eventual
balkanization. Today, of the 37 units making up Nigeria, only one
of them is viable, being the Federal Government. The 774 local
governments merely exist in name, almost choked out of any
meaningful impact, by the States. The States and Local Governments
cannot functionally respond to critical issues in their locations
without the intervention of the Federal Government. That is
unacceptable.

Why should Lagos and Kano States not be allowed to grow their
separate economies in accordance with their growth, capacities and
resources? Sao Paulo is the second richest city in Brazil with a
GDP that exceeds those of countries like Argentina and Paraguay. In
Australia, there is healthy competition between the regions in
mining, agriculture and industries. The monthly IGR of Lagos State
is now in excess of N300B, which exceeds those of five countries in
Africa. How do we hold down the development of such a State in the
name of unitary federalism? I got this post through one of my
WhatsApp groups and it speaks to the current state of affairs of
Nigeria. Please read along with me.

“It’s difficult to comment on this EndSARs protest. The reasons
are not far fetched. The Govt has responded reasonably well to
almost all demands and in record time too. One wonders why the
youths are still protesting. If it’s based on the reasons stated by
the time the protesters started the Govt has done well. But, truth
be said, in my own opinion, the protest has continued because
people are just angry with the way the country is. They are
disillusioned with the governance of the country. They have been
patient and hoped for change, the Govt keeps claiming Nigeria is
getting better but to the common man he knows his life is not
particularly better now than the way it was in 2015. It is even
open to discussion if it has not gotten worse! Based on facts,
these protesters can’t logically argue why they are still on the
street, but deep down he/she knows it’s difficult to palpate the
change that has been so much anticipated from this Govt.

I know this because I saw how people prepared for the botched
Labour strike. People hitherto supporters of the Govt were ready to
hit the streets to tell PMB in particular that they are
disappointed in him. The consensus and support amongst different
stakeholders in the country for that strike has been unprecedented
for this administration. I knew it then that the Govt was lucky to
make Labour back down. But alas! People were just waiting for the
opportunity.

Why are they angry? The petrol and electricity hike, I guess was
what tipped people over. Let us not forget that this administration
has increased PMS price before but the streets were silent. The
reason in my opinion was simple. Majority still had some confidence
in PMB. That is no longer the case. That support base has waned
seriously. Those who tell the President otherwise are deceiving
him. While the Govt may still have some justification for the PMS
hike, the people cannot fathom the basis to keep paying crazily
more for the electricity that is just not there. And to add salt to
injury, you can be in the same street and you have different rates
for electricity under the guise of cost reflective tariff!

And what do we say about the cost of food in the land? Well the
ever increasing inflation rate should answer that. A bag of rice
now is more than the minimum wage! Yeah, the people were patient to
see the results of the rice revolution. They anticipated. They
waited. Now, Nigeria is said to be the highest producer of rice in
Africa. Bravo! But what is the explanation for this killing
increase in price. Before the revolution, rice was between 5k-8k.
Now, so-called local rice is hovering around 25k, foreign above
30k. Even if we are expected to jettison the foreign, why is the
local this expensive? Why? We can continue to give excuses for the
Govt, but what the common man wants is just to eat. If they can’t
afford chicken peri-peri at least they should be able to eat
pocket-friendly local rice. I don’t think that is too much to ask
for. Check other food stuffs, Garri, bread etc, just getting
totally out of hand.

At a point, the only argument left for the administration was
that at least security is getting better. But can we still say that
in all confidence? BH is increasingly getting bold all over again.
But even if we say the capacity of BH is not like 2015 and
preceding years, what do we say about the spreading menace of
bandits? Kidnapping is now a national emergency even if the Govt
hasn’t declared it so. Yet call to rejig the security apparatus has
met deaf ears. People have even questioned if the President is
aware in time, place and person!

So in my opinion it’s all these disillusion in the governance of
the country that is behind this agitation. EndSARs just provided
the opportunity. They want to tell the President in clear terms –
You are not doing well!! Perhaps some of us feel its political
jobbers that are behind this. I don’t think so. Obviously they want
to take advantage of it and they will do it. If we notice some of
the protesters have tried in their own little way to ward off
political opportunists but surely this kind of protest won’t last
without some funding. Those who wish to create anarchy in the land
will surely seize the opportunity. They had wanted to bring the
President /administration down from day 1. They threw several
things to make the people rise against it but consistently the
masses had looked away. They actually had trust in the Man at the
center until now. It is not strange that opportunists cash in on
things like this. Lest we forget, a similar thing happened during
the protest against the last administration. Tables have turned
now, nobody should cry foul.

I hope the President is reading this whole scenario well. I hope
he gets the right message from it. His legacy is obviously being
questioned. He should be mindful of what he will be remembered for.
He can’t blame anybody, he asked for this position 3 times before
he was given on the 4th time asking. He also has the luxury of a
renewed mandate. History will not accept any excuse from him.”

I have nothing more to add, save to call upon the President to
do the needful, NOW!

Life without Christ is Crisis