A political system that makes it difficult for leaders to lead effectively and for followers to follow voluntarily is a recipe for either progressive anarchy or national catastrophe. Therefore, as a way to contain adverse effects on our efforts towards nation-building, national integration and national development, Nigerian politics needs to be restructured and institutionalized. It is important because with appropriate political structures, leadership and other national problems can be alleviated through the democratic process. By this, Nigeria needs a system of power decentralization, noting that political decency work best in societies in which stable, peaceful and decent political institutions make it almost impossible for reckless and lawless political adventurers to thrive.
Today we have two options: To continue to follow our present political arrangements which favour over-centralization of governance and resources or to recognize our irrepressible pluralism and the necessity for voluntary integration. Our present political arrangement if truth must be told has led us to different stages of difficulties and suffering, including a civil war, the Niger Delta crises, Boko Haram and a renewed agitation for the creation of a Biafran state from Nigeria, among others. But to come out of these problems, we must recognize our irrepressible pluralism and the necessity for voluntary integration. It is a difficult part to follow but a guarantee for the achievement of success, sustainable nation-building, national unity and integration.
THE WAY FORWARD
We need a transparent and true federal system as the United state and a system that make room for citizenship instead of ethnicity. We need a system of government that accomodates every citizen and respect our respective cultural identities, interests and priorities. Federalism, in essence, will make room for effective resource control, structural dispersion of power among many centres whose legitimate authority is constitutionally guaranteed. By so doing, Unity and progress takes the leads. It therefore becomes clear that when one speak of federalism, one means, in short, “coordinate supremacy of the levels of government with regards to their respective functions”. Today, the “golden rule” of federalism as stipulated by scholars, leaders and political analysts, has been constantly ignored in Nigeria over the years. Nigeria has also ignored the important aspect of the equilibrium between the center and the regions.
Our present defective federal system needs to give way to true federalism, which will also enable leaders to deliver social justice and guarantee citizens’ rights, safety and security across the country. It has become clear worldwide that leaders who are unable to ensure justice at all times and to citizens regardless of their ethnicity, region, creed or ‘state of origin’ have no right to demand peaceful behavior amongst the citizenry. I discovered that “Throughout history, those denied justice have had no interest in peace”
The nature of political system conditions the expectations and behaviours of the operators, politicians, bureaucrats and citizens of like minds. A bad system can hardly compel the loyalty of all citizens, nor can it promote good governance. Here we cannot avoid stating the obvious fact that operating a system with a strong, overarching centre and basically a unitary system in the guise of a federation – as we have had since 1967 – has been the root of the constant do – or – die struggles by our sectional political leaders for the control of the central government. This has turned the game of politics into the battle of politics” among Nigerian politicians and elite.
Written by Jomo Iroha.
About the Author
