Nigeria is set to mark its 66th anniversary as an independent nation on October 1, 2026, but the country is still grappling with its identity and structure. The Igbo leaders of thought have reminded the country of the urgency of restructuring Nigeria, suggesting that the country should be federated along ethnic lines. This idea is not new, and the late Obafemi Awolowo had previously suggested that Nigeria's diverse nationalities and cultures needed to be protected through restructuring.
The country's history has been marked by a tedious and chequered past, including a bloody and wasteful civil war. Every independence anniversary, commentators wonder when Nigeria would admit its failings and attempt a total reboot. President Bola Tinubu has begun a piecemeal approach to restructuring, introducing policies such as local government financial autonomy and state police. However, these efforts may be insufficient to reinvent a country that has been moving steadily away from federalism since 1963.
The country's superstructure is old and ossified, incapable of matching or sustaining digital age systems and modifications. The insurgency and banditry in some parts of the country may be a manifestation of deeper and divergent messages. The courage to reboot the country is sorely needed, and most commentators have focused on political federalism, which is indispensable. However, fiscal federalism also plays a crucial role in dealing with issues of accountability, corruption, and underdevelopment.
The current system of revenue allocation has been criticized for being a stultifying reprise of communism, where pooling revenue together and sharing it among states and local governments often in equal measure can lead to complacency. This has resulted in agitations for the creation of more states and local governments, which can lead to a cycle of dependency on routine revenue allocation. Without fiscal federalism, it is impossible to unleash the country's economic potentials or creative genius.
Contemporary world history has shown that multi-ethnic and multi-religious societies like Nigeria must adapt to survive. The country's leaders have tiptoed around the issue of restructuring, instead embracing stability, national reorientation, and religious harmony. However, these measures have been criticized for being retrogressive and unworkable. It is time for Nigeria to summon the courage to reinvent itself from its very foundations.
The alternative to restructuring is to continue to indulge in brinkmanship, waiting for the day when pent-up frustrations boil over. Nigeria's 66th anniversary is an opportunity for the country to reflect on its past and chart a new course for the future. The country's leaders must take bold steps to address the systemic issues that have held the country back for decades.
As Nigeria looks to the future, it is clear that the country needs a new approach to governance and development. The current structure has failed to deliver prosperity and stability, and it is time for a change. The country's leaders must work together to create a new vision for Nigeria, one that prioritizes the needs of its citizens and addresses the challenges of the 21st century.
Key points
- Nigeria needs to restructure and reboot its system of governance to address the challenges of the 21st century.
- The country's current superstructure is old and ossified, incapable of matching or sustaining digital age systems and modifications.
- Fiscal federalism is crucial in dealing with issues of accountability, corruption, and underdevelopment.
