By Dr. Chiogo Constance Ikokwu (Ugonecheora)
For decades, Nigerians have been told by their leaders that the country’s unity is non-negotiable.
It has become one of the most repeated phrases in our political vocabulary. Every time the country faces a difficult conversation about security, restructuring, referendum, federalism, devolution of powers, or constitutional reform, someone reaches for it: “Nigeria’s unity is non-negotiable.”
But the real question is not whether unity is desirable. The real question is: what kind of unity are we defending?
Unity cannot simply be declared. It must be built. It cannot survive on speeches while citizens experience exclusion, unequal opportunities, injustice, or a sense that the rules are applied differently depending on where they come from or who they are. A nation held together by slogans is not necessarily a nation held together by trust.
True unity rests on fairness. It requires equal citizenship, equal opportunity, justice, inclusion, and institutions that inspire confidence across every region. It demands leaders who act in ways that convince people they have a genuine stake in the country. Without those foundations, “unity” risks becoming little more than a political refrain. Nor should the call for unity become an excuse to avoid rethinking our warped political system.
Nations evolve. Constitutions evolve. Institutions evolve. The fact that a political arrangement no longer serves the people does not make it sacred. Asking whether Nigeria’s current structure is fit for purpose is not an argument against Nigeria. It is an argument for making Nigeria work better.
Across Europe, there are sovereign nations with populations far smaller than many Nigerian states. Their existence does not prove that Nigeria should break apart. It proves something else: there is no single political model that guarantees national success. Countries choose systems that reflect their history, diversity, and aspirations, and they continue to reform them as circumstances change. Nigeria should be no different.
If our current arrangements are limiting economic growth, weakening accountability, fuelling distrust, or concentrating too much power at the centre, then we should have the courage to ask difficult questions. Reform is not a threat to unity. Sometimes, reform is what preserves it.
The Nigeria we seek will not be built by leaders with narrow, provincial, or sectional outlooks. It will require leaders with the confidence to think beyond ethnicity, region, religion, and political convenience. Leaders who see every Nigerian as equally deserving of dignity, opportunity, and justice.
Unity is not passive. It is not a sentence repeated on national holidays. It is not a line in a political speech. It is not something that exists because we insist that it does. Unity is an active commitment. It is built every day through fair laws, equitable institutions, inclusive governance, economic opportunity, and the confidence that every Nigerian belongs.
If we truly believe Nigeria’s unity is worth preserving, then we must also be willing to build the conditions that make people want to remain united. This is because unity is not maintained by declaration.
It is earned by action.
Dr. Ikokwu aspires to serve Idemili North and South Federal Constituency of Anambra State in the House of Representatives.
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