Over time, societies have evolved into different types of societal organizations or arrangements. This is often a result of changes within the society itself, the inefficiency of the existing structure, or even the need for more accommodation of the interest of a greater part of the society. In the ancient Greek city-state, nationals converge at the "Agora" where they discuss and take decisions on issues of mutual importance and national interests. This is direct democracy, given that the population was yet minimal. However, as civilization evolves and the population of citizens continues to grow, coupled with increasing trade and other forms of inter-people engagement, the need for a more organized form of administration for the people and their interactions arose. In a nutshell, as a society identifies its challenges, it repositions itself to resolve these identified challenges in the interest of the majority of the population. Here lies the crux of the whole concept of restructuring.
Whether in Social or Management Sciences, the concept of restructuring has remained about tinkering with the existing system to bring about greater efficiency. The word comes to bear in the face of dwindling output in business, or the general unsatisfactory performance of the prevailing structure in a governmental setup. It amounts to the significant altering of prevailing governmental arrangement in terms of size, operations, the hierarchy of governance, and/or the system, type, or form of government. It is about the injection into or restoration of efficiency in whatever human setup, be it in the organized private sector or the public sector. Hence, there are such developments as downsizing, branch expansion, and change in organizational mission/vision to meet the present market needs. This is restructuring in the world of business/management. However, in the public sector/ public administration, scholars believe that the definition of the concept is perhaps as numerous as those who clamor for it. This is not unusual given that most social science concepts are nebulous in terms of definition.
In Nigeria, the concept of restructuring may well pass as the most harped on, with different persons defining or better still, explaining it from their political cum ethno religious background. This has made the concept somewhat nuanced, and consequently difficult to bring about in society. Incumbents have their understanding of it, and opposition elements also do. Members of majority ethnic groups have their definition of the concept, usually different from how members of minority ethnic groups will define the same. This is also true of those who produce the product which serves as the mainstay of the country's economy as they nurse a different perspective about the meaning of restructuring from others. It has remained a campaign catch-word, a topic for discussion at several fora, and a genuine source of concern for certain interests.
As the campaigns fully commence and Nigerians prepare to go to the polls in 2023, the issue of Restructuring may still resonate across the country. It is however cogent that the concept is defined from the lens of reshaping the country for efficient and maximum service delivery to the generality of the people.
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