A posting on David Kennena’s wall went viral last week in the social media due primarily to the fresh ideas contained therein and the all embracing benefits which a restructured Nigeria would give to all partners in Project Nigeria .
All those who have been hesitant or reluctant to embrace the wind of change which is ferociously blowing across the land called Nigeria would now, hopefully see the need to do a rethink and come to terms with reality of history and expediency. No group of people can hold another group hostage forever. As horrible and traumatic and most times hopeless the Roman, Portuguese, Spanish, Belgian and Belgian stranglehold of their colonies was, these imperialistic tyrannies collapsed and their victims won their freedom. The Jews survived the Holocaust the same way the African slaves survived the brutal inhumanity of the slave masters.
Internal colonialism has no place in modern civilization and we are relieved that great leaders hitherto opposed to restructuring in Nigeria and those who mischievously confused Restructuring with Disintegration are singing new tunes. Nigeria has no alternative to Restructuring and giving herself a People’s Constitution. We must go back to the tried and tested terrain that gave us glory and development in the First Republic . We must bgo back to the 1963 Constitution. We must go back to Regionalism and Parliamentary democracy. We must jettison corruption-laden Presidential system, collapse the unviable states, make legislatures part time and generally severely reduce the humongous cost of governance.
The North West and the North East have a lot to gain if Nigeria returned to regionalism and the healthy competition that propelled heroic Ahmadu Bello to establish the largest University in West Africa will happen again and the North West particularly Sokoto, Katsina and Kano will soon start exporting agric produce including cattle/beef to the rest of the world.
The North West will easily realize that they do not need Quota system, JAMB, Federal Character etc, to catch up with the rest of the country. Great brains like Dr Tahir and Dr Dikko who made First Class honours degrees in the 50s and 60s still abound in the North and the region has all the economic and human capital resources to make it excel economically and industrially given necessary impetus currently impeded by undue pampering and undue advantage.
Ten positive things which restructuring Nigeria into six PROVINCES along the lines of Northern Province; Middle Belt Province ; Oduduwa Province ; Eastern Province; 1. The first province to experience economic explosion would obviously be the Western Province . The Oduduwa Master plan will be revealed. There would be trans-regional 4g internet fiber connection/rail/subways/highways/power grids etc. Yoruba will become the 2nd official language. They are relatively united. They have oil. They own academia. They have mega corporations. The WP would be the first to have stable 24/7 power supply! Foreign money will flood the province.. More Forbes recognized billionaires will arise. Some of them will be internet billionaires. Lagos will be relieved a little from overpopulation as railway lines from other states will make living elsewhere and working in Lagos a breeze.
Niger Delta Province (Atlantic); The Central Government at FCT will bring in 5 years, primarily due to inter-province competition, according to David Kennena’s wall, include the following:
2. The Northern Province will have stronger Islamic laws. Sharia will be entrenched and this will make the NP become the least corrupt province. The middle east (Arab) nations will move in to partner with them, bringing major development. Jaiz bank and Unity Bank will become mega banks. Arabic and Hausa will compete with English for dominance in schools. This province will generate more solar power than any other province. After the west, this province will be the 2nd to have 24/7 electricity. They will start exporting food as a major revenue generator.
I hasten to add clause 2B for the Borno or El-Kanemi Province which will also create its own energies and rapidly develop along the line of other provinces in vibrant competition.
3. The Middle Belt Province will have a development conference. Focus will be given to solid minerals development/
exports, tourism development and food production/exports. This will become a food hub in West Africa . They will export more food than any other province. Mega mining and food corporations will arise. This province will have foreign inflows through tourism development greater than any other province. It will host the most beautiful places to live in Nigeria .
4. The Eastern Province will transform into the Auto Industry Hub of Africa. Indigenous manufacturing of vehicles that will start competing with foreign vehicles will commence in earnest. This will grow to manufacturing of airplanes, helicopters, tractors, cranes, heavy duty construction equipment etc. Forbes recognized billionaires living in Anambra will arise. The Biafra agitation will fizzle out since formation of the EP will be seen as a Biafra success in another form.. There would be so much development that villages (as we currently know them) will quickly cease to exist. This province will be the first to semi-urbanize all their rural areas as all the Igbos living abroad will rush back to take advantage of the changes.
5. The Atlantic Province will take the Uyo blueprint and run with it. An abundance of oil wealth and opening up of major sea ports at Rivers and Uyo will enable this region to revamp their infrastructure quickly. There will be more monorails here than anywhere else. This will be the 3rd province to achieve 24/7 electricity generation in Nigeria (mainly from gas turbine technology).
6. With provincial indigenous security forces in control, kidnapping, Armed robbery, Boko Haram, Fulani herdsmen and the Niger delta militancy attacks will all fizzle out. Nigeria will become the most secure and peaceful African nation; thus attracting more foreigners.
7. Each Province will have its own airline professionally managed. And with better roads/rail, air and land transport costs will crash.
8. With the rapid development occurring all over, Nigeria ’s GDP will shoot up. Obtaining visas to travel out will become easy as more people will want to come in than go out. A worldwide immigration into Nigeria will commence, as Nigerians living abroad will be struggling with foreigners to enter the country. ‘’ Nigeria will become the most desirable Nation to live in”
9. The central government at the FCT will become smaller and less powerful. There will be a mini-exodus from Abuja to the provinces as the action is now elsewhere. The outskirts of Abuja will no longer be heavily overpopulated. Abuja will become awesome again.
10. The 10th positive thing that would quickly happen is positive idea..
No reasonable person who believes in the continued existence of this country, who believes in the unity and indivisibility of this country in peace and justice and who believes in assured progress for all the federating units of this country will be opposed to this transparent path to progress and rapid development of the land.
We must keep Nigeria one, on one condition; JUSTICE for all.