Based on study of the history of nations and as outlined in my article, you should please read it in its entirety. Here are Nigeria’s problems: colonialsm.
Like in most of post independence Africa the boundaries Europeans created, were artificial and never existed before the advent of colonialism. They were created for the purpose of administrative convenience and to benefit European capitalist designs. By merging so many dis-similar ethnic, religious, linguistic and cultural groups together, the colonial rulers created countries which were a tinder box for conflict.
As in the case of Nigeria the facts show that southerners as at the 1950’s were more educated and were fighting for independence. The British however, falsified all the census figures of Nigeria in the pre-independence days and gave the North more population and encouraged them to join the army enmase as explained in Wale Ademoyega’s (one of the five majors of the 1966 coup). By giving the north more population it meant that they would have more seats in parliament and produced the first prime minister. Also by encouraging the northerners to join the army they were guaranteed a stranglehold on power.That explains why the north has been ruling Nigeria more than any other ethnic group.
The British put the northerners in power because they were their best allies in their post colonial imperialistic designs. Nigeria’s colonial experience is represented across Africa as colonial boundaries of new African states began to crack as tribal, ethnic, religious and linguistic conflicts led to wars in Rwanda, Angola, Sudan and even Nigeria leading to a civil war (1967-1970) and instability that has left the country comatose and now almost a failed state.
HETEREGENEOUS NATIONS
Nigeria is a heterogeneous nation which means that it is a diverse country with over 250 linguistic and ethnic groups. A multi religious and multi-cultural society and the conflict of interest among those dissimilar groups is the major source of conflict, lack of cohesion and structural decay.
Heterogeneous societies like Old Soviet Union, Sudan, Rwanda, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Ethiopia/Eritrea either slide into war or like Nigeria become failed states. The problem is diversity breeds conflict and war. Nigeria is not a nation but a nation-state of feuding ethnic, linguistic,c ultural and religious groups in perpetual conflict and there is no convenient formulae for viable combination.
HOMOGENEOUS SOCIETIES
These are societies like: Western Europe before (1945), United States, Australia, Canada before 1950 and perhaps India, Japan and South Korea. They are inhabited by people with the same, one dominant or prevalent culture, language, ethnic nationalities and religion. As a result there is a feeling of unity, patriotism and convenient formulae for combination.
RESTRUCTURING/BREAK UP
Before the military intervention in 1966 Nigeria was practicing a semblance of true federalism. We a had powerful regional governments (Northern, Western and Eastern). These regions were viable and to some extent were based on ethnic, linguistic, cultural and to a lesser extent religious affiliation. The regions had a level of self governance and so every region had its destiny in its hands. Since the 1966 coup and the discovery of oil Nigeria has moved away from Federalism and is practicing more of a unitary government in which the center or federal government controls a large bulk of the country’s resources to the detriment of the states.
Re-structuring means that we need to return to true federalism in which the federal government cedes certain powers to the states. The federal government should only be involved in national defense, Monetary policy, Foreign affairs and immigration policy and perhaps other areas that are mutually agreed on. Nigeria needs to be re-structured into 8 regional jurisdictions based on ethnic, religious, cultural and linguistic affiliation, so that the various sub -cultures can find a greater sense of cohesion in the mosaic called Nigeria. If that does not work we can break up like Sudan in 2011 and Eritrea in 2001 and that will allow those sub groups opportunity for greater self determination and self actualization.
REALIST VS IDEALIST
The realists know that Nigeria needs to re-structured or broken up but the idealists suggest the current unworkable formula should continue. However, as the realist know in 1960’s before the 1966 coup, the regional governments and regions which were based on ethnic, cultural, linguistic and to a lesser extent religious affiliation were more cohesive and more vibrant than the current geo-political configuration. The fact is that Nigeria would be more viable either as a re-structured federation or disintegrate into new nations built on homogeneity. That is the formulae that has worked for US, Canada, Australia, Japan, India. There may be pockets of discontent but not large enough to induce wars. The Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa, Ijaw and other similar groups are better off in their own nations.
