It is in realization of the importance that the electioneering process plays in the fortunes of any country that much attention is always given to the electoral process itself. In the quest for the perfect election, Nigeria has experimented with different balloting system including the secret ballot system with some modifications.

All persons elected to the legislature would thus be expected to have regular jobs and would only sit in the hallowed chambers of the national assembly on occasions that require legislative business. To describe this as a recommendation of seismic proportions would be an understatement.

I concluded my discussion last week with a promise to examine the constitution making process of some countries that share similar features with Nigeria. Two of those countries are Kenya and Tanzania respectively with the former regarded as being more ethnically diverse than Nigeria.

“We must strive to produce a true Peoples Constitution so that one day we will have a Constitution which will truly promote national unity by firstly identifying our diversity and making it a source of strength rather than weakness”.

AS I stated last week, events in Nigeria following the coup of 1966 continue to show that the decision to adopt the Presidential system was not well thought out. Firstly the American form of Presidential System of government currently being experimented by Nigeria is too expensive for our resources to conveniently accommodate.

LAST week I discussed how issues of ethnicity and diversity have continued to plague Nigeria since independence. Prior to that I had detailed how the independence Constitution, following meticulous planning by the nation’s founding fathers, had addressed that same diversity and put in place a system of government that ensured that the regions making up the country thrived

LAST week I referred to the book titled “State of Africa” written by Martin Meredith to highlight the fact that Nigeria is not alone in Africa as far as diversity of its citizens is concerned and that other African Countries with whom Nigeria shares a common colonial history have the same features.

“It is clear that the fate which has befallen Nigeria is not too different from that which has befallen other African countries. Since 1885 when the area Nigeria was shared to Britain, Nigerians have not been able to imbibe the spirit of nationhood. The fact is that every Nigerian is firstly a member of his ethnic group before he is a Nigerian.”
IN the past weeks I discussed extensively how Nigeria can revive agriculture as a means of recovery from its current economic challenges. As a marker of how deep the problem is, the government some days ago established a task force on food security.

“Soft loans must be made available to young graduates and I advocate interests rate which is as low as 2 or 3 percent. There should be a moratorium of 2 to 3 years before commencement of repayment.”

“In the absence of improved food processing methods and storage facilities, the fear of losing these products due to the effects of nature is one factor that may prevent farmers from engaging in their cultivation on a much larger scale than that which exists at the moment. Therefore it may be counter-productive for any farmer to heed the call of government by participating in whatever measures are introduced to boost crop production without assurances that facilities will be put in place for the storage of the products.”