Written by Paul I. Adujie

New York, United States

It is quite interesting that time have recruited some Nigerians to become advocates and supporters of federal character in appointments to federal positions. Disparate groups have joined this worthy discourse!

All Nigerians should in good faith advocate that appointments and how we do business reflect our essential composite make-up as Nigerians, from local government to state and federal levels. All hands should be on deck. All engines for Nigeria’s development should be firing at full-throttle, from our diversities!

I was abused for advocating federal character and quota system in June 2003 when I wrote: “Quota System or Federal Character In Nigeria And Affirmative Action Policy In America Compared” It is was and still is a good policy; good public policies should be advocated and advanced, even when it does not benefit us personally, regionally and parochially! Nigerians must practice intellectual honesty, not selectively and not as fair-weather friends.

There is a need to revisit and reissue, for publication, this opinion on federal character, quota system, our affirmative action program; this topic, upon which a substantial portion of this article was first published in June 2003, it is slightly modified for this republication, which is as a consequence of the reignited debate about the importance of true and effective implementation of federal character in public appointments to reflect the multi-variables of a multi-cultural, multilingual, multi-religious Nigeria’s national development.

It is important, particularly, in a plural society such as Nigeria, that all citizens feel a sense of equal voice, equal representation and equal participation. No citizen or group of citizens should feel marginalized.

The Constitutions of Nigeria, ( since 1979 to the present 1999 version) for decades now, have made provisions for a Quota System and the reflection of a Federal Character in appointments of public office holders, this, in my view makes perfect sense, in a diverse country and society as Nigeria. Diversity needs to be actively and purposefully encouraged and even, legally enforced, this should be provided by our laws, at local, state and federal levels and as well made justifiable by Nigeria's Supreme law, the Constitution of Nigeria.

All states, but especially the educationally disadvantaged states, need special provisions and protections in the admission process in Nigeria's educational system, especially in higher education and the professions! All Nigerians and Nigeria will be the beneficiaries of such good policy, that encourages the grooming and nurturing of opportunities for every Nigerian from every communities in Nigeria, and particular effort should be made, in order that Nigeria does not live anyone behind, economically, socially, educationally and developmentally, this is in our national interests, its nothing to jeer or sneer at!

In my view, there is the added urgency in the area of education and specifically in the professions, the educationally disadvantaged states received special grants during the President Shagari’s administration in 1981 or 1982? About 50 million Naira was set aside for this purpose. My rationale is that, producing doctors from every nook and crannies and from every Nigerian communities make prudent investment in education and social mobility, even if Nigerians and Nigeria have to collectively pay more or make some sacrifice, in order to ensure that a doctor is produced from your hometown and from mine! I am fully aware of the so-called merit argument, but it is neither here nor there, and it completely ignores the Big Picture!

“Merit” is not the exclusive preserve or monopoly of any particular region of Nigeria, culture and environment and available opportunities and exposures has a great deal to do with what any human being attains, achieve or accomplish in Nigeria and outside it! It is the superiority of nurture over nature.

In Northern Nigeria for example, there is clearly high literacy rate, even noticeably higher than the literacy rate in the Southern parts of Nigeria, the fact that the North did not embrace Western World education or Western European definition of education, simply does not change the fact that most persons in the Northern parts of Nigeria can Read and Write in Arabic, and being able to Read and Write is sufficiently accepted definition of being a literate person, unless we are to say the Germans, the Chinese, the French and the Japanese etc. are all illiterates as they conduct their lives not in English?

The majority of the Nigerian citizens of the Northern extraction can Read and Write Arabic, so that, if we were to teach medicine and law in Arabic, these Nigerian citizens will be quite at home (even at age 100) whereas, correspondingly, there is no such high literacy level in the Southern part of Nigeria, and this fact is more pronounced in the older generation citizens of Nigeria of the Southern extraction.

The later day acceptance of Western World education has severely and severally hindered the numbers of the “educated” among peoples of Northern Nigeria, but since we are in the same boat, all Nigerians are in the same boat! Our destiny is and will forever be intertwined, it is therefore wise and good investment to actively and purposefully invest in increasing the numbers of our brothers and sisters the Northern part of Nigeria in higher education and in the professions, we will be doing ourselves a favor, favor not to the recipient, but those who are willing to make the collective investment and sacrifice, to bring about a balanced, equal and fair society which Nigeria deserves, this is our path to greatness.

Historically, some Southerners have also been huge beneficiaries of programs and policies similar to what I now advocate, for example, many years ago, I met Southerners who were students in Maiduguri’s BOCOBS aka Borno State School of Basic Studies where they prepared for the General Certificate of Education GCE Ordinary or Advanced Levels and then proceeded to different Nigerian Universities, particularly the University of Maiduguri and I can only imagine the short term and the long term benefits of all these individual Nigerians from the North and the South who benefited, and the short and long term benefit for our entire country!

There were also, many Students, of Southern Nigeria origins, who benefited immensely from the Remedial Education Programs at the University of Maiduguri, even though, the Remedial Programs were specifically targeted at Students of Northern origins from the immediate areas or neighboring states (catchments areas) the direct and indirect benefits are clear to me, or anyone who cares to examine it! The students for whom the programs were intended benefited, students who were outside the targeted group also benefited, the entire Nigerian nation benefits! What could possibly be wrong with that?

Affirmative Action Programs Policies and the Quota System and Federal Character Policies reflect visionary thinking, a wonderful foresight, that should have the force of law, that we should all support and encourage and see that these policies continues to be enforced in Nigeria and America, the Big Picture is that we will all benefit!

The more equipped Nigerians from every community in the nation are, the better we all are! When all Nigerians become equipped with skills, training and professional education in every level or strata, Nigeria will be on the way to our destined greatness!

It is quite interesting that time have recruited some Nigerians to become advocates and supporters of federal character in appointments to federal appointments. I was abused for advocating federal character and quota system in June 2003 when I wrote: “Quota System or Federal Character In Nigeria And Affirmative Action Policy In America Compared” It is was and still is a good policy; good public policies should be advocated and advanced, even when it does not benefit us personally, regionally and parochially! Nigerians must practice intellectual honesty, not selectively and not as fair-weather friends.

Good public policies will lead to progress, development and advancement of Nigeria, for collective our benefit.

Robot  # 1 | 15.06.2009 07:03

Federal Character And Quota System in Nigeria - A Good Public Policy Written by Paul I. Adujie New York, United States It is quite interesting that time have recruited some Nigerians to become advocates and supporters of federal character in appointments to federal appointments. Disparate groups have joined this worthy discourse! All Nigerians should in good faith advocate that appointments and how we do business reflect our essential composite make-up as Nigerians, from local government to state and federal levels. All hands should be on deck. All engines for Nigeria’s development should be firing at full-throttle, from our diversities! I was abused for advocating federal character and quota system in June 2003 when I wrote: “Quota System or Federal Character In Nigeria And Affirmative Action Policy In America Compared” It is was and still is a good policy; good public policies should b...Read the full article.

kalu31  # 2 | 16.06.2009 17:28

Oga Paul, we cannot make the weak stong by weakening the strong Quota system and Federal Character is the reason why Nigeria is corrupt and not working. an Igbo has to score 300 to get into University of Abuja, while a Hausa Fulani walks in with 180! we have to have 36 ministers, so every state is represented, a birth certificte is made superior to a degree certificate, how can that be helpful? in America Affirmative Action is designed to raise a minority, that hasaclearly being wronged to get back on their feet, in Nigeria's case quota syatem seeks to ensure a majority remains lazy. if not for federal character would Sanusi Lamido be nominated for the Governor of the CBN, what works on monetory policy or fiscal and economic development has he written? how long did he spend in the banking sector? then man was employed as a Principal Manager and got a double promotion. let me show you Nigeria without the quota system or federal charcter, look at the Dream Team that won the Olympic gold in the US, Kanu, Okocha, Ikpeba, Disu, Amunike, Amokachi, Garba those guys were there on Merit, they were our best, thats why they won. if that team was put on quota system would a Kanu have played? no Amunike is from Imo state, would an Okocha have played no, we already had Ikpeba. pls do not promote laziness, where is the quota system when it comes to appointing southners in sensitive posts? where is federal character when an Igbo cannot become president of Nigeria or Inspector General of Police. Nigeria is bigger than this quota thing.

Simbili  # 3 | 16.06.2009 17:33

In Northern Nigeria for example, there is clearly high literacy rate, even noticeably higher than the literacy rate in the Southern parts of Nigeria, the fact that the North did not embrace Western World education or Western European definition of education, simply does not change the fact that most persons in the Northern parts of Nigeria can Read and Write in Arabic, and being able to Read and Write is sufficiently accepted definition of being a literate person, unless we are to say the Germans, the Chinese, the French and the Japanese etc. are all illiterates as they conduct their lives not in English? Affirmative Action Programs Policies and the Quota System and Federal Character Policies reflect visionary thinking, a wonderful foresight, that should have the force of law, that we should all support and encourage and see that these policies continues to be enforced in Nigeria and America, the Big Picture is that we will all benefit! *shakes head* :cry:

Igboamaeze  # 4 | 16.06.2009 17:41

Mr. Paul, You have shown sufficient "patriotism" that Abuja must take note. I suggest that you compile all your "patriotic" works on the internet and forward them to Abuja for appropriate rewards. You deserve to take up Edo State quota in one lucrative Federal Agency...

I Love Nigeria  # 5 | 16.06.2009 19:09

Kalu, Thanks for your comments. I understand how you feel. However, there are other ways to examine and confront these issues and I will tell you a story. It is of a father who played football and also wrestled with his, his son always won, this gave the son so much confidence, and the son prospered in everything he did and his father was proud, very proud of him. One day, the father was sick, son was visiting his hospital bedside, and said to dad, I cant wait until you are strong enough to wrestle and play football with me, I know I will beat you in both. Father calmly narrated to son how and why he always allowed son’s triumph and how this was to instill confidence and can-do attitude in the son, confidence and can-do which son imbibed with which he has conquered all. This is a lesson in good parent techniques. I have also seen men who run with their wives or daughters, and men who chose to run at the pace of a weaker runner and both, sharing the good company of one another, and the benefits of jogging simultaneously. I am a runner, and just like my mother use to tell us her kids, life is a middle, there is Always someone above and someone below you, and someone to who you are above etc. Even despite my physical dexterity, there are lot of men and women, who are even still physically tougher than me, so, anytime I run or exercise with anyone, (male or female) who is less dexterous, I learn to take it easy, so that it is fun for them too! Imagine how I will look, if I were to sprint ahead, because I am stronger! See how Mr. Obama hired Mrs. Clinton? No winner takes all. Too many among Nigerian “leaders” practice winner takes all, Kalu and me, should learn to do different, be magnanimous, like Mr. Obama! After all the excoriating campaign, in which Mrs. Clinton threw everything and the kitchen sink at him, who do you want to call at 3:00AM? The rest of it is now history. Merit is not an exclusive preserve of Nigerians from the south. It should be borne in mind that Nigerians from the north did not embrace western education when the south did, mostly because Christian Missionaries Society/School were evangelizing through their mission schools. In the near future, a time will come, when there will be an equalization of numbers of college graduates and professionals across Nigeria. You must remember that girl-child used to be considered a waste by some in the south, and now, there are more females in the south, who are college educated, middleclass professionals, than the men, who had the gender advantage at some point in Nigeria’s education history. In the United States, there used to be more men in the workforce, who are college educated, these days, in the USA, there more women in the workplace than men, and there are of course more college educated women, than men. The same used to be for sports, sporting events in which men participated were funded and the females were neglected, that has also changed in the USA, to the extent that American female soccer team is internationally known/popular, more than the American men in soccer. Well meaning Nigerians should not see any happiness in leaving any segment of Nigeria behind developmentally. We should pull along. We should actively support those who are perceived to be weaker than us. It is often said that, a society’s human refinement is judged by how such society treats its weakest member. We are Nigerians, north, south, east and west. We should support each and everyone of ourselves. We should not appear to engage in condescension when we refer to other Nigerians. We have to be cognizant and conscious of the reaction which our condescension might generate among those other Nigerians. What possibly could be my loss, if there are hospitals with competent doctors, adequately equipped, in every part of Nigeria. And, how can we do that, when and if, everyone does not meet your parameter for admission to medical school through JAMB etc

Zuma  # 6 | 16.06.2009 19:26

=I Love Nigeria;364137> Merit is not an exclusive preserve of Nigerians from the south. It should be borne in mind that Nigerians from the north did not embrace western education when the south did, mostly because Christian Missionaries Society/School were evangelizing through their mission schools. You are being quite flippant since you made it clear to us that the illiteracy rate in the north is quite higher than that of the south. You also made us aware of the fluent Arabic language used as a medium of learning. So what has christian missionary society/schooling got to do with all these? If certain groups decide to use the Arabic language in Nigeria, must it stop with learning "Shariah" Law? Why not use that also to learn medicine, dentistry, biology, accounting and so on and so forth? Why must that stop with Islamic Religious Studies? Your advocacy of this quota system does not appeal to me because, it has been implemented for years in Nigeria with dismal outcomes. The over all result is the degeneration of the quality of education not just in the southern parts of Nigeria, but all over Nigeria for the past 2 decades or more, only because some areas of Nigeria are 'slow' to embrace education. Ahmadu Bello was from Northern Nigeria and was most definitely educated. This is the 21st century. Other countries do not use the English language, but have embraced education with open arms in whatever language they see fit. The Chinese, Indians and Hispanics come to mind. If some parts of Nigeria have opted not to accept western education, why don't they adopt the kind of education you would find in places of the Middle East like Saudi Arabia or the UAE if Arabic is the language of choice? They embraced education didn't they?