By S. O. K. Shillings Esq
Nigeria has 36 States and a Federal Capital Territory. At independence in 1960, it was 3 regions of Northern, Western and Eastern regions with Lagos as Federal Capital.
In 1963, the Midwest Region was carved out of the Western Region to make it 4. In 1967, the 4 Regions were dissolved to create 12 States including Lagos State. In February 1976, 7 new States were created from the 12 to make it 19 along with Abuja as FCT-designate. In 1987, Government carved out Akwa Ibom from Cross River and Katsina from Kaduna to bring the number to 21.
In 1991, new States were created to bring the number to 30. The last exercise was carried out in 1996 that brought the figure to 36 States and the FCT.
It is observable that save for the 1963 exercise, the creation of regions and states have been at the behest of colonialists and military juntas. So, the colonial epoch and the post independence civil rule were the only reflection of the true desires of civilian Nigerians with regards to the unit of the Federal Government we run.
In the exercises conducted during the military era, there were different considerations for the creation of States. It included the need to assuage those who were opposed to the Government. Personal gift to members of the juntas like Col. Dimka partook in the 1976 coup d’etat because the Head of State, General Murtala Muhammed refused to create the ‘Mainland State’ he was promised and of which he would be Governor. He killed the Head of State 10 days after the announcement of those States. Part of it is the politics of the north and south as the original tripod distribution had to be dismantled. You can then understand why Lagos remains 20 local governments while Kano, which also had 20 states, and its ‘Eve’, Jigawa have increased to 77. A major consideration for the creation of Osun State was to settle the rift between the Ooni and Alaafin.
In all, it was the manna ditched out by the military to keep itself in governance and General Babangida used it to maximum advantage as he and his brother-in-arm, General Abacha, created 17 states in 9 years in 3 reviews.
Today, many of those states live on Federal subventions and bailouts. They are ‘civil-service’ States with low economic viability. Some local governments are mere conduit for giving dole to underserving persons. They belie the excuse of bringing governance nearer to the people.
There is no standard as to when it is right to constitute new States, but comparison could be drawn from the fact that the United States, arguably the largest economy in the world, is more than 9 times the size of Nigeria with a population of about 150% of Nigeria’s. It has 52 states (and districts). The national budget is about a gross of Nigeria’s. Relatively, Nigeria has 7 Governors for the same land area governed by one Governor in the US although it seems that the human-government ratio is at par. There is no gainsaying that we spend so much to administer so little.
The military capitalised on the human tendentiousness that beneficiaries hardly have a sense of justice. It is difficult to redress the proliferation of units by way of States and local governments and the inherent imbalances that go with them. The ‘inchoate’ local governments of Lagos remain unlawful in Nigeria but law in Lagos.
At the APC convention, Kano State had 132 delegates while Lagos had 60. So, in terms of allocation of resources and other values, Kano will receive multiples of Lagos and we want to pretend it is mere evolution.
Going into or continuing in civilian administration without addressing the components is a perpetuation of a sin that we all know.
This is why some people, including my good friend Dele Farotimi, clamour for reversal to the 1963 constitution, albeit not without the necessary tweaks and adjustments. It was the last time we had genuine federation with the requisite agreements.
We owe a duty to sit down and address the units of the federation and allocation of resources so that we do not continue in sins. Not restructuring is like building modern and bigger house on old and weak foundation
God bless Nigeria!
S. O. K. Shillings Esq., writes from Ikorodu.
