INTRODUCTION
The foundation of Nigeria could be traced
largely to the amalgamation of 1914 of the Southern and the Northern
protectorate which a number of scholars have identified as an ill wind that
blew and still blowing Nigeria no good. The 1914 amalgamation is regarded by
some as the basis of Nigeria’s disunity. Over the past decades of Nigerian
independence there had been increasing agitations and clamour
from all walks of Nigerian society from the North to South, to East and West
for better opportunities, inclusion in government and access to resources
amongst others, which in a broad sense is referred to as restructuring. The
strong demand for restructuring Nigeria is borne out of different and varied,
perceived difficult and negative situations, manifestations and experiences by
all segments of Nigerian populace. However, the ‘voice’ seems to be lower in
some areas, segments and sections than others.
Nigeria’s
federation has been attributed to be a paper, one which does not reflect in the
day to day running of government affairs. The federal government has been
accused of overcentralization of power, authorities,
responsibilities and resources to the exclusion or detriment of the other
federating units i.e. state and local government. In a nutshell it (Nigerian
federation) has been referred to as a pseudo one with only the structure and
not practice. The intrusion of the military has also been identified as a
corollary in the distortion of true federalism which was bequeathed to Nigeria
at independence through the introduction of over centralized government
exemplifying the command structure and unity of direction which the military is
noted for. The comtemporary federal system is
bedeviled with embezzlement, corruption, nepotism, greed, moral decadence,
discrimination, fraud, misappropriation of funds, and the likes, hence the
increased call for restructuring.
Democracy
is pivotal to federalism and hence, politics. Democracy cannot be achieved
without the involvement of politics and consequently politicians whether at the
gladiator, transitional or spectator levels (Ruedes,
2007). However, the group that plays the most prominent roles are the gladiators who contest election and thereafter,
participate in the running of government. Politicians are basically derivatives
of the society this is to the extent that they evolve from the society and
therefore, exhibit attitudes, characters and values that are evident among the
people of the society to which they belong. The contemporary Nigeria has lost
its most cherished values which it held sacred in times past. These include
honesty, hardwork, diligence, self-discipline,
integrity, sacrifice, brotherliness, industry, trustworthiness, equity,
fairness justice among others and replaced with greed, self-centeredness,
nepotism, ethnicism, embezzlement, corruption in all
its ramification, individualism, self love,
self-aggrandizement which are clearly evident in most citizens, the politicians
inclusive. Whatever value an individual hold sacred will reflect majorly in
whatever character or attitudes is put forth (Njoku,
2015).
The
questions this paper is poised to answer is - Is restructuring the only answer
to quell several agitations in Nigeria? Is there the need for a
value-re-orientation of political practitioners? What are the present values of
political practitioners that can impinge negatively on good governance in spite
of restructuring.
CONCEPTUAL
CLARIFICATION
Restructuring
Restructuring
is an emerging concept in Nigeria’s Federal System and it has been subjected to
a number and varied definitions depending on from which perspective it is seen.
Restructuring has been identified to be a revert to regionalism that is a
re-introduction of the 1963 constitution which recognized, the six geo
political zones as the federating units and allows for devolvement of power to
the regions (Yaqub, 2016; El, Rufai,
2017). Yaqub (2016) also submits that restructuring
is a process that requires its (Nigeria) citizens to take a closer look at the
natural edifice or better still the state of the nation with regard to how to address structural deformities. It is posited to
be a means through which Nigeria and its constituting units can be more
efficient, acceptable, productive, functional, effective, equitable fair and
just (Obaze, 2018).
Restructuring
is submitted to be the practice of true federalism, where some items like
prison, police are expunged from the exclusive list for state legislation and
control thereby enabling each unit to develop at its own pace (El-Rufai, 2017). Restructuring has also been viewed from the
standpoint of an attempt to compromise the historical and natural advantage of the
Northern part of the country which has about 55 percent population and
two-third land mass of Nigeria (Yaqub, 2016).
Restructuring
is therefore, the employ of equity, justice and fairness in the handling of
resources, appointments into offices and the share of the Nigerian
commonwealth. It also involves, de-over centralization of powers, functions,
responsibilities, authorities, resources at the disposal of the federal
government to the state and local government as it is provided for in the
constitution. In a nutshell the practice of true federalism.
Values
The
term value has been defined in different ways, which include being a
representation of the quality of worth or importance which people identify with
what they have in mind (Okoh, 2012). Bolarin (2005) in Okoh (2012)
submits that value is the worth, merit or esteem given to a person or an object
or an idea. It is posited to influence how people behave and a pedestal on
which other people’s behaviour is measured. Value is
believed to be principles or standards of attitude, behaviour,
character which a group of people hold dear or important (Asaju,
Arome and Galloway, 2008; Mukaila,
2014). It is an acceptable standard, ideal way as well as the proper way of
doing things in a society (Njoku, 2015).
Value is about the
attitude, character and acceptable ways of doing things. It is a concept of
what a particular society holds sacred in terms of what behaviour
is good or bad. This however, differs from society to society. Attitude and
character are adjudged as derivatives of value, that is, what is held as worthy
and standard way of behaviour.
Re-orientation
Re-orientation
is opined to be a re-enactment of what had been before (Njoku,
2015). It is also seen as doing something again (Odey
and Ashipu, 2018). Re-orientation therefore,
presupposes bringing back or re-introducing what had been in existence before.
The implication is that those things had been forgotten, expunged, deleted or
no more visible. It is a sort of a new attempt at charting a cause for what had
been done before.
According
to Asaju, Arome and Mukaila (2014), value re-orientation is an act of
re-consideration of value orientation that are more
philosophical with acceptable ideologies that form natural belief system which
are workable for the individuals and national development. It is about bringing
back, recreating, re-introducing or re-teaching an awareness of a person’s
temporal, practical and circumstantial situation with a view of drawing the
individual’s focus to as well as helping him/her to ponder on his/her societal
values which is excepted to result in modification or
improvement of behaviour. It is submitted to mean a
conscious or deliberate development of human resources through ideological
appeals, indoctrination, planning, training, productivity, effectiveness and
efficiency in achievements and positive results through a collaborative culture
(Njoku, 2015). To Odey and Ashipu (2018) value re-orientation is the ability to bring
back the good values of old back into existence. They stressed that it could
also mean efforts directed towards re-enacting the good values that had been
held sacred before and the ability to imbibe these values on the individual or
members of a particular society.
Value-orientation
therefore, involves an attempt at re-introducing some previously accepted good
values that had gone into extinction or on the verge of going into extinction. Bringing back to the fore societal values that had been adjusted to
be best practices which however had become unpopular or no more in practice.
Political
Leader
A
political leader, politician or political figure is posited as a person
actively involved in politics and influencing policy and decision making. It
includes people who hold decision making positions in government and seek such
positions by whatever means (“Who is a Politician”?,
2020). A politician is also perceived in a broader sense as a person with the
specific and accurate ability, experience, knowledge, skills, passion, sense of
justice and trust with an awareness and understanding. Who is chosen to work in
getting an optimum result in governance. Ensuring that all fundamental rights of citizens are taken care of
through equal distribution of wealth and justice across society, country and
jurisdiction. Creating and empowering an accurate
system of checks and balances (MaryC, 2019).
The above brings to the fore an all encompassing
conception of a politician or political leader to the extent that societal
values, attitudes, behaviours and conduct of a good
political leader are embedded in it.
A
political leader is conceived as an elected person who holds office for a
particular period of time in a continent, country or state. Who is expected to
serve the people with a clear understanding, being accountable to the
electorates that voted him into power (“How do we define Leadership…”?, 2020). Deriving from these views about the concept,
political leader or politician one can work through Milbrath
1965 Framework of political participation. He identified three levels of
political participation, that is, spectators, transitional and gladiators (Rueden, 2007). Examining the activities involved at these
three levels, the researcher is of the opinion that a politician is not
exclusive to a person who contested and was elected into a political office but
also include anyone who is actively involved in politics. This is in view of
the fact that there are no clear cut demarcation at
each of the level of political participation as identified by Milbrath (1965). Hence, a politician at
the spectator stage can at any time get to the transitional stage and
consequently become a gladiator.
What
Necessitates the Call for Restructuring?
The
clamour and agitations for restructuring had become a
recurring and resonating decimal in Nigerian parlance. This is borne out of the
fact that a number of citizens, sections, ethnic groups are disgruntled about
how the polity is being run and governance in general. Reasons that have been
advanced for the urgent and perceived inevitable need for restructuring
include.
The need to make the other federating units, states and local
government to be more pragmatic in their operations. The present
practice makes these units to be over dependent on the federal government which
is perceived not to portend the ability or opportunity to be innovative,
creative and dynamic in governance. Consequently, delivery of
functional and good standard of living to the populace (Obaze,
2018).
In
addition, there is an urgent need to stem the tide or mitigate the effects that
evident distrust, agitation, marginalization, lack of justice, inequitable
allocation of resources and official posts are generating. This a number of
times have led to inter-ethnic skirmishes, unrest, crisis, instability, tension
insecurity in the country. It is believed that restructuring Nigeria when
handled in a collaborative, and systematic way will achieve this aim and still
keep the country as a whole (Abutudu, 2010; Yaqub, 2016; Obaze, 2018).
The
central government have also been alleged of having
too much power, responsibilities, authority and wealth of government at its
disposal. It is posited that there is a pertinent need for the government to
shed some of this weight in terms of allowing the state to have more access to
the resources and wealth of the nation with issues like resource control,
allocation of resources, policing, prison services re-visited in a way to
enable higher, greater participation and involvement of the state governments (Yaqub, 2016; El-Rufai, 2017).
Political
leaders especially people in government have been capitalizing on the lacuna in
the operations of the federal system of government in Nigeria to embezzle, loot
and waste public funds. They have also been accused of engaging in nepotism,
ethnicity and selfishness in governance. Public funds are siphoned into private
purses thereby depriving the populace of the much desired good governance.
Official posts are also reserved for party cronies, families and ethnic members
at the detriment of meritocracy. The political leadership are
identified as being corrupt, abusing power and not charting the path of
sustainable development (Abotudu, 2010: Agu, 2015).
The
thrust for restructuring is majorly hinged on demands for equity, justice,
fairness in the allocation of political space and proceeds from resources. This
is in view of the fact that, governance and entitlements to revenues and posts
are now determined by access to power. The winner takes all stance of
politicians in power/government is generating a lot of agitations from
minorities and marginalized groups and persons. Most of the items under
restructuring reflects issues around resource control,
revenue allocation and power sharing formula. These include (but not exclusive
to) devolution of power, resource control, power sharing and rotation of
political offices, fiscal federalism and revenue allocation (El-rufai, 2017).
The
Penchant/Predisposition of Nigerian Politicians/Political Leaders
The
Nigerian traditional or pre-colonial system across regions, ethnics,
geo-political zones, peoples and citizens held some values sacred. These values
are the hallmark of human relationships and behaviours
and they are standards on which attitudes, characters and ways of life are
expected to be based. From the North to South to the West and to the East in
Nigeria the foundation of human interactions are entrenched in these identified
values which include: honesty, hardwork, temperance,
self-discipline, moderation, obedience, loyalty, self-control, trust,
gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, kindness, peace loving, contentment,
loving, brotherliness, cooperation, compassion, forgiveness, respect for
others, accountability, sacrifice, integrity, justice, fairness, equity,
industry. The tenets of what is wrong or right as regards acceptable behaviour are based on these qualities (Babawale,
2008; Galloway, 2008; Okoh, 2012; Asaju
et al, 2014; Njoku, 2015 and Odey
& Ashipu, 2018). Value are imbibed through
socialization and consequently, political socialization which involves the
development of processes through which individuals acquire political cognition,
attitude and behaviour. Acceptable norms and behaviour in respect of running a virile political system
are cultivated and transmitted from one generation to the other, ideas about
political values which are transmitted through agents like family, educational
institutions, peer groups, and mass media have as its bedrock societal values.
By implication, political values do not exist in a vacuum but are derivatives
of values held by the society at large (“Political Socialization”, 2014).
Politicians or political leaders and office holders are expected to hinge their
behaviour, attitudes and character in government on
these. It is however, unfortunate that in the contemporary Nigeria the hitherto
respected values had been warped and exchanged for greed, bribery, embezzlement, instant wealth without hard
work, unearned income, misappropriation, lackadaisical attitude to governance,
lawlessness, tribal and religious division, economic sabotage, inordinate
ambition, manipulations amongst others (Okoh, 2012; Asaju, et al 2014 and Njoku,
2015). Political leaders in Nigeria are not excluded from these vices and some
scholars in Nigeria have attributed the failure of leadership in Nigeria to
their inability or refusal to imbibe these essential values which the society
holds supreme (Asaju et al, 2014). In fact, a
sizeable number of Nigerian political leaders are in particular characterized
by love of money, base honour, immediate material
gain (nothing is done for posterity or altruistic reasons), no respect or
penchant for creative labour, ethnicity and nepotism,
accentuation of private gains as against public gains and benefits (Njoku, 2015).
These
positive characters play a pivotal role in shaping decisions, goals,
aspirations, choices, relationships, life achievements and outcomes (Prensky, 2014).
Juxtaposing
the Call for Restructuring with Predisposition of Political Leaders
Examining
the factors of resource control, revenue allocation and power sharing which are
at the front burner of reasons for the call of restructuring Nigeria. This is
against the backdrop that when there is devolution of powers and wealth more
people will be able to benefit from the national wealth and posts. Hence,
development would be achieved with little or no feeling of marginalization that
generates agitation, tension pressure amongst others. It is believed that it
would lead to an equitable, just and fair society devoid of deprivation and
exclusion. However, this might not be the situation in view of the evident
characteristics of most political leaders. It should be noted that these are
derivatives of the society whether at the federal or state level. Political
leaders is Nigeria regardless of their location or origin (North, West, South,
East) have been found to practice, embezzlement, ethnicity, nepotism and the likes. It is therefore,
pertinent that for restructuring to achieve the aim of its propagators there is
an urgent need for value-re-orientation on the part of all Nigerians and most
especially the political leaders. This is in view of the fact that no system is
fraught of loopholes or lacuna which pervert minds can cash in on to perpetuate
whatever ill that are conceived. For restructuring not to be a risk, an
aggressive attention must be given to the indices of National Policy on
Education directed towards imbibing
-
Values and attitudes, moral principles in
interpersonal relations.
-
Shared responsibility for the common goals of
the society.
-
Respect for dignity of labour
and promotion of emotional, physical and psychological health of all children.
(FRN, 2014).
Leadership
is about being an example of what is preached or taught others and such must be
seen as obedient and practicising the tenets on which
the society is based because of the influence it wields on the followers. It is
expected to show direction. For Nigeria to achieve its major goals and
objectives of achieving an holistic development, the
values that were in operations before should be re-enacted and re-cultivated by
all including politicians. With the crop of people that are at the helms of
affairs or major players in Nigeria political parlance restructuring may not be
able to achieve its desired goals.
CONCLUSION
For
Nigeria to practice true federalism and go away from the Unitary Federalism
introduced by the military into the system, restructuring, true federalism,
fiscal federalism, devolution, resource control, regionalism self-determination
or whichever coinage is used the political leaders have a major and pivotal
role to play in its success. If the present mindset of these leaders is not
worked upon in order to re-enact positive values which will ultimately affect
their delivery of good governance, restructuring even when carried out would be
a ruse. It is therefore, pertinent that value re-orientation be given a pride
of place among all citizens of Nigeria and more importantly, the political
leaders who are the driving force of the system.
RECOMMENDATIONS
·
Political leaders in Nigeria should be
tutored (through seminars, workshops etc.) on the values that are held sacred.
·
Stringent punitive measures should be meted
out to erring political leaders who contravenes these ethical
values to serve as deterrent to others.
·
The media (public and private) should hear programmes,
jingles etc. that accentuate these core values.
·
Intensive teaching to imbibe positive values
in young Nigerians should be given a pride of place.
·
Rhymes, songs, eulogies that used to potray basic virtues and values should be re-introduced in
Nigerian schools.
·
Citizens who exhibit these positive values
should be handsomely rewarded and celebrated.
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