The Rise, and Fall of the Clamor for a Restructured Nigeria: Implication for National Unity, and Development

International Journal of Humanities and Social Science
© 2020 by SSRG - IJHSS Journal
Volume 7 Issue 5
Year of Publication : 2020
Authors : Emeh, Ikechukwu Eke, ONWUKA, Ifunanya Amara, UDENZE, Chukwudike, TIFITY, Johnson
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Emeh, Ikechukwu Eke, ONWUKA, Ifunanya Amara, UDENZE, Chukwudike, TIFITY, Johnson, "The Rise, and Fall of the Clamor for a Restructured Nigeria: Implication for National Unity, and Development," SSRG International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, vol. 7,  no. 5, pp. 98-110, 2020. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23942703/IJHSS-V7I5P112

Abstract:

Almost every active Nigerian w, as caught in the web of restructuring rumpus between 2014 , and 2018. Individuals, corporate organizations, ethnic affinities, , and even political parties succumbed to the wave of "restructuring clamor" from different perspectives. Again, concepts such , as true federalism, confederation, convolution, decongestion, devolution, , and deconcentration festered around the restructuring clamor. While some people from the same ethnic , and political leanings seem to be championing the restructuring call, some seem to be antagonizing it. Yet some were onlookers sitting on the fence. Today, the once headliner of every national daily h, as suddenly disappeared. This sudden disappearance h, as necessitated an investigation into the factors that led to the call for restructuring in the first instance, its demise, , and the implication for national development , and unity. , as a qualitative study, data used were generated through the secondary sources embodied in journal articles, newspaper articles, magazine stories, , and articles on the internet. These data were analyzed with the documentary method of data analysis. It w, as revealed that factors responsible for the rise of the call for a restructured Nigeria are the obvious need for the federal government to give up some of its power, especially , as regards finance to the state , and the local government; the volatile nature of the political environment; political power imbalance between the constituent regions; bad leadership , and economic quagmire; high level of corruption , and the national question of nationhood, etcetera. The factors that led to the call's demise are tribal sentiments, political power hegemony, constitutional issues, , and lack of unity of purpose. The implication for national development , and unity is the return to status quo ante that favors certain regions with the upper h, and over the affairs of the country , and retains the other at the b, ase level where they beg for any meager opportunity they get. At the same time, poverty, hunger, corruption, , and insecurity continued to devour the country. B, ased on the findings, the paper recommended among others that the country be returned to the path of equity, equality, , and justice; people of the same language (regions) should be allowed to develop policies that will guide their developmental trajectories, including resource control, policing, education , and law on religious practices, otherwise known , as true federalism; at the Centre, power must rotate sequentially among the six geo-political zones of South West, South-South, South-E, ast, North-E, ast, North-West, North-Central uncontested with irrespective of political power affiliation.

Keywords:

Development, Federalism, Good Governance, National Unity, , and Restructuring.

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