If Nigeria is to Remain United, It Requires Ethno-Linguistic Federalism

[The Odum of Ala Igbo]

• Nigeria doesn't work, in part, because the "federal government" is trying to monopolize everything. Education, police work, electricity etc.
• As a result, the country is falling apart because the government isn't able to competently administrate the country.
• Moreover, Nigeria has created too many states (36) given the small revenue of the Nigerian government. States, on average, take more from the national coffers than they contribute.
• This situation may worsen as the global economy shifts away from oil.
• Finally, communal conflicts between ethnic groups are becoming more and more common in Nigeria over land, access to state resources etc.
• A solution is ethno-linguistic federalism, as seen in India and Ethiopia. Create provinces or states based upon ethno-linguistic lines
• Ethnic Map of Nigeria
  
  
  
  
  

Create the following regional governments:
1) Yorubaland (Yoruba speakers)
2) Benin (Edo Speakers)
3) Ijaw/Izonland (Ijaw and others)
4) Igboland (Igbo speakers)
5) Ibibioland
6) Nupeland
7) Tivland
8) Kanuriland
9) Hausaland (which could be divided)
10) Igala-land
11) Idomaland
etc.
Likely less than 15 states

Smaller ethnicities can have various powers entrenched in a Constitution which will protect their Local Government Areas from arbitrary orders and will give them access to minerals/resources found within their LGA

 

[The Odum of Ala Igbo]

INDIA

ETHIOPIA

 

[Bawon Samedi]

Nigeria reminds me of a smaller India if that makes sense.

 

[Kitsch]

Hmm.

 

[Trajan]

Ethiopia's ethnic federalism is being severely tested at the moment

 

[LeetStickMcGee]

I have been thinking about this recently. It does remind me of India, with separate states within one federation... Unfortunately One Nigeria is not working.

I've even tried taking up Igbo myself, unfortunately my parents did not teach me (due to immigrations always telling African immigrants to not speak their native language to their children out of fear that they would not 'learn English correctly')

 

[Secure Da Bag]

Ethiopia's ethnic federalism is being severely tested at the moment

I've heard that the ruling ethnic group has been pitting other two ethnic groups against each other for decades. And those two ethnic groups are now coming together to push back against the ruling group. Am I getting Ethiopia mixed up with another country (in Africa) or am I near correct?

 

[AB Ziggy]

I have been thinking about this recently. It does remind me of India, with separate states within one federation... Unfortunately One Nigeria is not working.

I've even tried taking up Igbo myself, unfortunately my parents did not teach me (due to immigrations always telling African immigrants to not speak their native language to their children out of fear that they would not 'learn English correctly')

Igbo is notoriously hard to learn compared to other spoken languages in Nigeria. A lot of Igbo even in Nigeria can't speak it properly.

You're better off learning pidgin nowadays as it becomes its own language.

 

[BigMan]

subs

 

[Sankofa Alwayz]

Subs.

 

[LeetStickMcGee]

Igbo is notoriously hard to learn compared to other spoken languages in Nigeria. A lot of Igbo even in Nigeria can't speak it properly.

You're better off learning pidgin nowadays as it becomes its own language.

And so? Chinese is ridiculous but the children who didn't learn Chinese from infancy still grow up to learn their language. I know this because I have mixed friends who are part Chinese part non-Asian. It would be a slap in the face to study "pidgin" English and ignore my native language that is dying. A LOT of Nigerians in America are Igbo but almost NONE of their own children know WTF their own parents are saying. I even brought that up to my parents and every time I do, they always express shame. How can Igbos be proud yet don't even teach their children their tribal language? Also Yoruba, Hausa, and even smaller tribes less than 1 million in Nigeria still speak their own language to their children. Difficulty should not be a problem.

 

[Budda]

And so? Chinese is ridiculous but the children who didn't learn Chinese from infancy still grow up to learn their language. I know this because I have mixed friends who are part Chinese part non-Asian. It would be a slap in the face to study "pidgin" English and ignore my native language that is dying. A LOT of Nigerians in America are Igbo but almost NONE of their own children know WTF their own parents are saying. I even brought that up to my parents and every time I do, they always express shame. How can Igbos be proud yet don't even teach their children their tribal language? Also Yoruba, Hausa, and even smaller tribes less than 1 million in Nigeria still speak their own language to their children. Difficulty should not be a problem.

Yep and this is a distinctly an Igbo problem, yourbas don't face the same problems.

 

[Yehuda]

Yep and this is a distinctly an Igbo problem, yourbas don't face the same problems.

 

[LeetStickMcGee]

Yep and this is a distinctly an Igbo problem, yourbas don't face the same problems.

Sigh.. Ok, let's not get into a Igbo vs. Yoruba debate, people are dying from all sides and the country needs to restructure or become separate nation states. January 11th, cannot come soon enough.

 

[Trajan]

I've heard that the ruling ethnic group has been pitting other two ethnic groups against each other for decades. And those two ethnic groups are now coming together to push back against the ruling group. Am I getting Ethiopia mixed up with another country (in Africa) or am I near correct?

I don't know about pitting the other two ethnic groups (presumably Oromo v. Somali) but yh that sounds like Ethiopia.