Why Regional Restructuring Must Begin With Property Rights and Equal Citizenship

Nigeria should be cautious about calls for regional restructuring that do not first address private property rights and a shared national ideology. The country has been restructured several times, yet poverty, insecurity and ethnic competition have persisted. Creating larger regions without empowering individuals, families and communities could simply transfer excessive power from Abuja to regional elites. The regional arrangements under the Richards and Macpherson constitutions gave substantial influence to regional authorities, but they also deepened ethnic rivalry and left minorities vulnerable within dominant blocs. A new system of 12 to 15 mega-regions could repeat that pattern if land, resources and political belonging remain controlled by governments rather than protected by clear legal rights. Nigeria's indigene-settler tensions, disputes over land and fears of domination could become even more severe under powerful regional governments. If citizens remain tenants of the state or region, restructuring may become centralisation within smaller borders rather than genuine devolution. The starting point should be a national charter that protects private property, individual liberty and equal citizenship across cultures. Once these principles are settled, administrative restructuring can serve the people instead of creating new centres of political control and potential conflict.

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