PART-THREE:PROBLEM -SOLVING WAYS FOR NIGERIANS TO FOLLOW

BY:
Habibu Gente
DATE: Saturday,
A continuation of last weekend column.
Still on the political ways on how some of our problems will be solved.
3.     Federal Character: Government should terminate the evil of so called ‘federal character’. Although,  there may be a wisdom  behind the entrenchment of it in our constitution, the draft men on their wisdom looked the society at that time, the challenges the country might have been confronted with and resolve to introduce the federal character because the country at that time was very young independent nation. Surely,  they were right at that time to considered that mechanism for equal participation in government for every region, thus not merit determine the domination of a particular people in public offices rather political population. Having justified their reasons at that time,  in our today's society we need not this mechanism because we are now matured in our independence, the educational system are now far advance than it was in our 60s, 70s for every region in the country have far better qualified people based on educational merit which is why the 'federal character ' wouldn't do good in the country's politics than the bad. For it did a lot of damages and brought setbacks in our country. { it may be is not suitable and adoptable in Nigeria}. ‘federal character’ always give room in providing incompetent, selfish, and unpatriotic  leaders in the government or even unready individuals for leadership. Which in turn, is decaying and killing the spirit of our country politics.
The legislature should find a good alternative for the federal character and replace it with something better. Because the president or top government officials are usually thrust into a dilemma when  they are to choose between two potential would-be public servants in his cabinet because he his constrained by 'federal character' remaining him that he should look on equal participation rather than choose based on merit /qualities. If we should be honest with ourselves this mechanism is bad than it is good especially in our country that is crying for honest,  competent and clue leaders in the government.  If we are to be constrained by federal character it will be very hard if not impossible to produce leaders and public servants with such qualities.
4.    General citizenship for states: government and other legal agencies should try to invent and adopt what is called ‘free citizenships’ that is every state in Nigeria should entrenched in their ‘states laws’ that so far you are a citizen of Nigeria that legal validity so stated in the constitution  federal republic of Nigeria by the virtue of it you are automatically citizen of every states in Nigeria. I think if that should be granted, a native of Anambra knowing  that he can feels freely like home in Kano with all the rights, obligations and privileges being given to him as when he is in Anambra. And vice versa. Surely the magic will work, unity, respect, tolerance, love, understanding, justice, equality and fairness will reign in the country as united Nigeria.
                                                                                            To be continued .