The Perniciousness of Federal Character, Zoning and Regionalism By Azu Obiaya

Section 14(3) of the 1999 Nigerian constitution states The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs sha !e carried out in such a manner as to ref ect the federa character of Nigeria and the need to promote nationa unity" and a so to command nationa oya ty" there!y ensuring that there sha !e no predominance of persons from a fe# State or from a fe# ethnic or other sectiona groups in that Government or in any of its agencies$% &n fu ac'no# edgement of the good intentions of the framers of our 1999 (onstitution" as necessary to address the need for !a ancing the interests of the mu tip icity of ethnicities in our country and the disparate eve s of iteracy and economic progression" & !e ieve that" #ith the increasing y ethnic)!ased distur!ances" continued !a 'ani*ation of the country !y non)sustaina! e ethnicity)driven state creation" the acrimonious po itica discourse that is fue ed not !y su!stance !ut ethnic or regiona considerations" the citade of incompetency and mediocrity that" for the most part" is the civi and pu! ic service today" given the re ated diminished standards" the time has come for re) consideration of the Federa (haracter re+uirements$ The concept and practice of a ocation of federa and state government positions" issues advocacy !y *ones or regions" po itica aspiration !y *oning" undermines the princip e of fair p ay and unity that is" seeming y" the o!,ectives of the re+uirement$ Specifica y" mediocrity" continued ethnic riva ry and !a 'ani*ation" gerry mandering of po itica aspirations" regiona factiona ism" a system that see's to put geo)po itica affi iation ahead of performance and +ua ifications" a po ity that is perpetua y heated up" are a products of the fair p ay% arrangements of the Federa (haracter" +uota and *oning mechanisms$ Federa (haracter re+uirements may superficia y convey the impression that there is a !a ancing of geo)po itica representation at the federa &eve and ethnic or tri!a at the state eve " vie#ed unemotiona y" it is a practice that is de eterious to a nation that see's to !e amongst the first t#enty economica y deve oped countries !y the year -.-.$ /o# does an a ocation of federa government positions ensure that #e have the !est and the !rightest in those positions0 1hat happens if a particu ar region ac's persons #ith the re+uisite s'i s" proficiency and e2pertise to fi its a ocation0 1hat a!out the su!ordinate personne " from a different region" #ho has superior +ua ifications0 /o# does such a ocation foster the competition amongst the regions and states that is necessary to !oost iteracy and economic eve s #hich" u timate y" shou d resu t in the production of personne #ho are a! e to compete #ith their peers on a nationa eve " or on internationa eve against those countries" such as 3e gium" that

have to !e pushed out of the top -. economies !y Nigeria4s economic ascendency$ 5o #e rea y #ant to continue to teach our chi dren that you can study hard (or not) and then eave it to prayers" that #hen you see' to perform your civic duty" as a federa or state emp oyee" that you have the uc' of having geo)po itica *one !a ance in favor of your state of origin0 &f our mechanism for recruiting and promoting our current and future po icy ma'ers and imp ementers is a ready f a#ed" ho# can #e e2pect the organs of government to function at a performance eve that resu ts in the de ivery of the !enefits of democracy0% &t is frightening #hen #e rea i*e that these individua s ma'e and imp ement po icies that impact a aspects of our dai y ives$ 6s Nigerians" #e have never shied a#ay from competition$ &t is this need to !e the !est that #e can !e that is manifested !y the professiona " academic and entrepreneuria e2ce ence of our citi*ens in more organi*ed societies$ &t is a so this pursuit of one)upmanship that a so fue s the chaos that is our dai y ives$ 6 as" this chaos cannot !e constructive y channe ed" !ecause #e are depriving the !ri iant performers of the opportunity to contri!ute to our nation4s socio)economic gro#th" than's to Federa (haracter re+uirements$ (ontemporary times ref ect a nation that has not earned from the horrors of its 1977 civi #ar and is ever more divided a ong tri!a " ethnic" regiona and re igious$ 6s a nation" #e are seeing more events of oss of ife caused !y tri!a or ethnic affi iation$ 1e are su!,ected to dai y !om!ardment !y the ne#s media of po itica events" activities and shenanigans #ith underpinnings of tri!a " *ona and regiona affi iations$ The run)up to the presidentia e ection of -.1. #as fu of the strife associated #ith #hether or not the presidentia s ot #as *oned to the North and the rever!erations of that period continues unti no#" #ith ramifications for the upcoming -.18 e ections$ Simi ar y" the various state eve po itica party structures are caught up #ith fights as to #here succession has !een *oned to or the num!er of times a particu ar tri!e has assumed an office$ Nor has the" re ative y" recent instance of the deportation of economica y disadvantaged 6nam!ra citi*ens from 9agos or the eviction of non)indigene civi service #or'ers from some South :astern states (supposed y" !ased on the cha enge of meeting the minimum #age increase) indicated that #e are any#here c ose to the promotion of nationa unity that is specified in Section 14(3) of the constitution$ & am a firm !e iever that the tapestry of the Nigerian nation is stronger and prettier !ecause of the diversity of our peop e$ Together" #e are !etter than #e are apart$ /o#ever" #e may never achieve the togetherness if #e continue to institutiona i*e measures that divide us$ The use of the Federa (haracter" *oning and +uota mechanisms are artificia constructs that remove the fairness princip e from ho# #e ive and #or'$ These are heinous mechanisms that put deserving peop e at a disadvantage" #hi e resu ting in a dum!ing do#n of our governance structure$ &n our constant cry for visionary eaders" #e must ac'no# edge that #e #i never find those -

ste ar eaders if #e continue to uti i*e a +uota system that gives precedence to tri!a " state or *one affi iation" instead of persona attri!utes of e2ce ence$ &t is my hope that in the forthcoming nationa discussions" that there is a ro!ust and conse+uent revie# of the Federa (haracter or any such re+uirements that do not tru y foster unity" fairness" meritocracy and nationa ism$ The iconic 6merican civi rights eader" 5r$ ;artin 9uther <ing said" in his & have a 5ream% speech (;arch on 1ashington" 5$($" 6ugust -=" 1973)" that he dreamt of a nation #here his chi dren #i not !e ,udged !y the co or of their s'in !ut !y the content of their character$% >ur aspiration as a nation shou d !e simi ar y so" #ith ,udgment not on the !asis of tri!e" ethnicity" *one" !ut on character and the a!i ity to contri!ute to our nation !ui ding$ 6*u >!iaya 6!u,a on#ea*u'a?gmai $com