by Alex O. Onukwue

What is the Nigerian Question?

To put it in the form of a null hypothesis, the Nigerian question would read something along the line that ‘There is no significant benefit for all the ethnic nationalities in Nigeria to continue to exist together as one country under the present arrangement’.

For the many analysts, the country is not working under the present structure, which is nothing in the frame of a true federalism. Ardent proponents of restructuring want to see the center devolved of its excessive power, with the various federating units of the country managing their resources and involved in some sort of healthy economic competition that will see all regions grow at their own pace.

However, the drafters of the ‘Kaduna Declaration’ have chosen to the above hypothesis but not by replacing it with an alternative. To them, there is absolutely no benefit, qualifying their stand with words that would not be suitable for any Research lecturer to assess without reprimanding the student’s remarkably dark choice of words.

The selective choice of historical interpretation in presenting evidence to their claims is not only unconscionable but can be interpreted as a poor understanding of history. If they were a group of Research students, then surely they have employed wrong and invalid instruments for their work.

It is only right that we ask that they retract this terribly done assignment and refocus on gathering more facts to answer the question as originally asked.

Editor