Nigeria is trapped by its own invention. Political parties introduced zoning as a remedy for our fractured polity, promising that rotating power between North and South would deliver justice, equity, and fair play. What we got instead is a system struggling under the weight of ethnic suspicion, religious tension, and personal ambition, all while the constitutional principle of federal character is treated as optional.
The truth is uncomfortable. Zoning is embraced when it favors certain interests and discarded when it does not. It has offered the country a fragile stability, yet it quietly erodes the right of every citizen to aspire freely. Tell a qualified Nigerian that he must wait because it is not his region’s turn, and you have placed a limit on his citizenship. That is not the justice we claim to seek.
If public office were driven by patriotism rather than patronage, we would not need to legislate turn-by-turn power. Nations that value merit do not rotate leadership like a duty roster. But in our reality, political calculations often crowd out competence, and entire sections of the country risk exclusion when fairness is left to chance.
Fairness, justice, and equity cannot remain campaign slogans. They are the minimum requirements for a nation battling ethnic rivalry, religious extremism, regional competition, and disputes over resource distribution. Regions that contribute significantly to the national purse through natural resources or taxation deserve fair recognition. Areas with deep pools of skilled professionals should be trusted with responsibilities that match their capacity. Revenue allocation must be guided by clear, enforceable standards: ownership, derivation, competence, and contribution.
The logic of zoning is not foreign to orderly societies. City planners do not site factories in residential neighborhoods or separate a seaport from its operations. Land is zoned as Residential, Commercial, Industrial, or Mixed-Use for good reason. Schools, hospitals, and places of worship are protected to ensure they function properly. If we accept that principle for our cities, we should be able to apply similar clarity and discipline to our politics.
Nigeria will not find peace until it commits to honest and equitable systems. If we can achieve even half of what justice demands, the nation will begin to resemble the land of opportunity our anthem promises. The crowd of opportunistic politicians that floods every election season will thin out, and the roots of public discontent will weaken. Our elders are right: injustice draws tears to the eyes, and this country has wept enough.
If those who take the oath of office truly uphold equity, justice, and fair play, the endless agitation for new states, local governments, and villages will fade. Treat every community in line with the constitution. Share industrial, commercial, and political opportunities on merit. When that happens, the demand for political zoning will lose its urgency. Affirmative action for women and youths can coexist with merit, because inclusion and fairness are not enemies.
Until then, we remain a nation of immense potential, but weighed down by contradictions we have the power to resolve.
