Ever since the British created Nigeria in 1914 without regard to the cultural differences and incompatibility of the people in the northern and southern protectorates, the nation has been wracked by problems.

The Nigerian civil war fought from 1967 to 1970 and the agitation for restructuring of the political system are just a few examples of the violence that has crippled the nation. With the Nigerian people issuing a sustained call for change, it's clear that they are not satisfied with the current system of government.

So far, leaders have not responded to the discontent, but they'd be well served by holding a referendum to decide what kind of political system to adopt.

The referendum must be conducted if Nigeria has any chance of stepping away from the precipice. With a plebiscite, the government would not only make headway on overcoming the problems but regain the trust of its people under an acceptable system of government and reposition the country with clear direction.

If Nigerians don't continue to demand change - and if leaders don't pay attention to them - the country will continue to be plagued by discontent, ethnicism, disunity, unpatriotism and nepotism, leading to balkanization of Nigeria.

This book - an updated version of Nigeria on the Precipice - highlights topics such as:

. how minerals and other natural resources across Nigeria can support federalism;
. why leaders continue to seek ethnic gains at the expense of national interest;
. why militancy, self-determination have emerged as a sign of discontent.