Minister of Art, Culture, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, has voiced strong support for keeping presidential power in Southern Nigeria for the next four to six years—emphasizing the need for fairness, unity, and political balance in the country’s evolving democratic journey.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Friday, Musawa acknowledged that while the ideal is to vote leaders based solely on merit and capacity, Nigeria is not yet free from the shadows of ethnic and regional divisions. Until then, she argued, zoning remains a necessary tool for inclusion.
“I think zoning is important only because we have not been able to get over the doldrums of ethnicity and we’re not looking at ourselves as Nigerians,” Musawa explained, capturing a sentiment that resonates deeply across political lines.
Looking back at the post-Buhari era, the minister said the South deserves time to lead after the North held the presidency for eight consecutive years. “So it is understandable that after eight years of President Buhari, who was from the North, power needed to shift down to the South,” she noted.
Musawa stressed that her hope is for a future where political offices are earned purely on competence, but until that dream is realized, maintaining rotational power is key to preserving national harmony. “For the benefit of this politics now, power should certainly for the next four, six years remain in the Southern part of the country.”
Tapping into her creative roots, the minister also spoke about a poem she authored titled I Am a Nigerian, which she says is an artistic contribution to nation-building. The poem, which aims to foster patriotism and collective identity, will soon be re-broadcast across national platforms.
Her message reinforces the growing calls for equity and mutual respect in Nigeria’s power-sharing framework—while reminding citizens that unity, not division, must remain the ultimate goal.
