This book is a rare text, exploring the Federal Character Principle which is entrenched in the Nigerian Constitution; with the perceived aim of fostering national unity, loyalty, and avoidance of predominance of one part of the country on the other. In view of Nigeria's configuration, as a hyper-plural society--in terms of ethnic, religious, educational, and other divides--, this book is considered very timely; particularly at this time that the Nigerian State is confronted by myriads of challenges. As a result, this book contains exhaustive historical account of the Nigerian concept of quota system, which preceded and eventually metamorphosed, in 1979, into the now constitutionally entrenched federal character principle. It also gives a vivid appraisal of, inter alia, the concept of equity in relation to the mind-set that give rise to federal character principle; empirical appraisal of the modus operandi of the Federal Character Commission; successes and failures of the Commission vis-a-vis the Principle; as well as raising other issues pertinent to the survival of the Nigerian State, attainment of the envisaged national unity and loyalty, despite the present precarious outlook.

​This book engages literature and opinions of politicians, opinion leaders, religious leaders, lawyers and researchers on national integration in Nigeria. In addition to rotational presidency, participants interviewed by the author also express views on other national integration measures in Nigeria. The monograph represents a critical work in the field, making a significant contribution to the so-far-lacking literature of fieldwork and scholarship on rotational presidency in Nigeria. The monograph will benefit scholars, researchers, peace and conflict experts, politicians, students and other stakeholders on how national integration can be cultivated and consolidated. Its focus on the Fourth Republic ensures its relevance to the management of political tussles inherent to rotating power in a developing and federal country such as Nigeria.

Minorities of the oil-producing states are seriously disturbed by the inequity that is apparent from the existing principles of revenue allocation in Nigeria. In taking issues with them and other southern advocates of new revenue allocation criteria, the dominant north's organic intellectuals have always relied on the obvious concentration of economic and commercial activities in southern Nigeria to refute the argument that the north is the greater beneficiary of Nigeria's wealth. Scholarly contribution to the ethno-regional debate on the equity of resource allocation has been anchored to the same popular platform, namely, the criteria for inter-governmental revenue allocation. It is as if they absolutely embody the revelation about equity or inequity of resource allocation in Nigeria where the federal government has retained between 48.5 per cent and 56 per cent of the federation account, let alone revenues unpaid into this account. This study marks a departure from the orthodox focus on Nigeria's ethnic problems, including the contentious demand of the southern minorities for an increase in the weight assigned the principle of derivation, by examining federal expenditures to determine the distribution of federal presence, and thus winners and losers, bearing in mind that the entire country is federal government's coverage.

These essays attempt to focus the light of history,on Nigeria, Nigerians and their contemporary,condition. The root idea here is that fundamental,to all historical works - that when the mind,interacts with the past, the result is something,like a torchlight whose beam is focused on the,present, thus enabling us to achieve a better,understanding of the problems which face us.,Afigbo has probed deep into Nigeria's pastbringing out all the facets, all the elements and,all the issues that are necessary to improve the,present.