ISSUES AND POLITICS OF RESTRUCTURING WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF NATIONAL QUESTION IN NIGERIA

Abstract

In an attempt to study issues and politics of restructuring in Nigeria, this paper explores political issues in the agitations and calls for restructuring in Nigeria. Issues related to the politics of restructuring in Nigeria are identified as they are influenced by many factors and interests, with special reflections on the national question and its relation to the agitations of restructuring, background history of the agitation history in colonial politics as well, politics after independence, geography, heterogeneity and politics of the Nigerian state. Conceptual analysis is used in the paper, where by the researcher observed and analyzed secondary data collected from variety of sources base on the premise of David Easton’s System Theory. Findings from the paper reveals that there are severally identified issues, which are critical to and must be squarely addressed in order to arrive at a desired and mutually accepted stand on Nigeria’s wellbeing regarding the politics of restructuring in Nigeria. Also, to sustained unity and stability of the Nigerian state some issues that are linked to the name of restructuring must be sought out and are presented in the paper by looking at elites’ interest among other things that are however, shaped and dominated the restructuring agitations. On the other hand, citizens’ laisse-faire attitude towards their general well-being rendered the agitation partially dormant, which the paper recommends should be addressed by incorporating the masses into proper general political participation. As the study is premised within the context of national question in Nigeria that have socio-economic, political and ethno-religious realities. Therefore, the study presented outline recommendations for the Nigerian policy makers, politicians, citizens and other stakeholders at whole.