Federalism is the answer, after all – Part 61 Opinion The Guardian Nigeria News Nigeria and World News – Guardian Nigeria

Incidentally, Nigeria clocked 61 as an independent country this year.

As though fated to be so, this 61st edition of our editorial advocacy to return the country to a federal state structure concludes the remarkable serial on Federalism is the answer, after all.

Last year, we began with the knowledge that Nigeria was suffering from a crisis of the state and the conviction that it could be cured with a federal recipe. Our conviction has not changed. Truly the sick man of Africa can be saved given the political will to do so by duty bearers.

In its absence, the sick man could die. Our wish is that it should live and be an entity with abundant life and a bastion of peace and justice. But the ruling elite, who by their omission and commission have brought the country to its knees, should not take the country for granted.In the 2003 maiden annual democracy lecture of the Centre for Constitutionalism and Demilitarisation, titled, Remapping the Nation: National Boundaries and Normative Bounds, Professor Adebayo Williams then of the University of Incarnate Word, San Antonio, USA, addressed the question: When is a nation? The erudite scholar argued then that nations are not permanent entities.

As historical constructs; they change over time, in other words, due to irreconcilable contradictions, they may fade into history. In his words: The history of the modem nation-state is replete with nations that have disappeared, nations without accompanying states and states pretending to rule over non-existent nations.

Since the beginning of this serial, we have dissected the federal essentialities of the Nigerian state and stressed the point that they make a federal constitutional arrangement not only attractive but good for our country. It is a veritable basis to unleash the creativity of our people and drive the countrys development.Throughout the serial, we have noted clearly that the country has been suffering from a crisis of state and the battle for Nigeria is about restoring freedom to the component units to chart the course of development in their respective enclaves. Those who plant yam should harvest yam, and those who plant rice should harvest rice and should not be made poor despite their natural resources.

Concluded.

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Federalism is the answer, after all - Part 61 Opinion The Guardian Nigeria News Nigeria and World News - Guardian Nigeria