South-west Leaders Demand Regionalism…
As the quest for restructuring continues to gain greater momentum in Nigeria, the Yoruba people of the South-west extraction yesterday resolved in a consensus agreement that the country must return to regional government in the interest of peace and national development.
Rising from a summit tagged: ‘Restructuring: The Yoruba Agenda 2017’ held at Adamasingba Stadium, Ibadan, Oyo State, and chaired by renowned legal luminary, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), which attracted notable Yoruba leaders drawn from across party divide and various walks of life, the people insisted that unless the country returns to a federal system of government as obtained in the 1960 and 1963 constitution, the crisis associated with over-centralisation of power will persist.
The meeting of eminent Yoruba leaders attributed mass misery in the country with poverty level at 72 per cent, unemployment rate put at 65 per cent, internal immigration and internal displacement, security threat in form of Boko Haram insurgency, herdsmen – farmer clashes, organised crimes and other anti-social vices to the haphazard structure created by the unitary system of government.
Noting that Nigeria is moving dangerously on the edge of the slope and that it requires urgent steps to restructure to a federal constitution, the summit, in a communique signed by the duo of Babalola and the Chairman, Planning Committee of the summit, Dr. Kunleolajide, which was read by the National Publicity Secretary, Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, reiterated that the Yoruba nation remained convinced that only a federal system can sustain the country.
The communique reads: “Yoruba insists that Nigeria must return to a proper federation as obtained in the 1960 and 1963 constitutions. This has been our position since 1960 Ibadan conference and development in Nigeria over the last 50 years reinforce our conviction.
“Yoruba are clear that restructuring does not mean different things to different people other than that a multi-ethnic country like Nigeria can only know real peace and development if it is run only along federal lines. The greatest imperative for restructuring Nigeria is to move from a rent-seeking and money sharing anti-development economy to productivity by ensuring that the federating units are free to own and develop their resources. They should pay agreed sums to the federation’s purse to implement central services.”
The Yoruba people therefore suggested among other things that the federating units be it states, zones or regions must be governed by written constitution to curb impunity at all levels, Nigeria should be a federation comprised of six regions and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), that the federal government should make laws and only have powers in relation to items specified on the legislative list contained in the constitution of the federation while each region should have in its constitution enumerated exclusive and concurrent legislative lists and that nationalities or settlements should be at liberty to elect to be part of any region other than the region in which the current geopolitical zone places them.
Other issues raised as panacea for unity, justice, peace and fair play were that states should determine items to be included on the legislative lists in the regional constitution, powers to create state should be within the exclusive powers of the region while powers to create local governments and assign functions to them should be vested in the states, that the sharing ratio of all revenues raised by means of taxation shall be 50 per cent to the states, 35 per cent to the regional government and 15 percent to the federal government and that for a period of 10 years from the commencement of the operation of the new constitution there shall be a special fund for the development of minerals in the country.
Earlier, Babalola who was the chairman of the summit had advocated peaceful resolution of the topical issue, stressing that “the agitation for secession is an ill-wind that does no good. No matter the motive of the conveners of Berlin Conference, we have lived together for over 100 years having been married by fiat of the Europeans. It is better to dialogue and restructure the country. No woman wants a dissolution of a marriage if the parties live in comfort and are prosperous. It is incumbent on the leaders to make the country so prosperous that nobody would agitate for recession.
So, according to him, it is best that the government implement the outcome of the Sovereign National Conference saying “what we need today is the implementation of outcome of the conference which shall be the people’s constitution and shall not be subject to any amendment by any of the organs of the existing Senate or House of Representatives. If necessary, it may be referred to a referendum. It is my view that the people’s constitution should be in place before we attain 60 years after independence.”
He added: “It is restructuring that would curb overconcentration of power in the centre and reduce corruption, promote harmony and unity and make the country metamorphose into a nation.”
Representing the South-south region at the event, a former Nigerian security chief, Chief Albert Horsfall, said the people of his geo-political zone who have been on the vanguard of resource control are on the same page with the South-west in their quest for a restructured Nigeria.
Horsfall said: “We of the South South have for several years run the economy of this country; we provided the engine room that runs Nigeria yet we are still expecting to have a privilege to run our own affairs. We do not want federation based on unitary system. We are not mad; we are agitating for our rights.”
According to him, “What we are talking about here started it long ago by we Niger Deltans You recall the agitation for resource control. You can call me Mr. Resource Control. We of the South-south have for several years run the economy of Nigeria, yet we still want to be able to run our affairs. Part of our agitation is that what you produce, you should contribute to the country.
“We believe in Nigeria but we do not want a federation in unitary system; somebody produces something, somebody, because of a population that is claimed and not proven, tells you what to do with your resources. During the civil war, we produced the manpower, the leg work, the fighting force that kept the country together, therefore, I plead with you, restructuring should start with the South-south. Civilisation came to this country from the shores of South-south. Restructuring must start from the South-south. What we understand by restructuring is that you provide your resources and control it.”
His counterpart from the Southeast who was also at the event, the President-General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo also contended that restructuring is the best way to go for Nigeria arguing that “In a restructured Nigeria, only those who can till their land will be rich,” adding that “I want to tell you that we (South-east people) support your motion for a restructured Nigeria.” He cited the examples of Netherland and California, a county and state in America that are maximising their potential.
On his part, the Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, took a swipe at the Yoruba leaders for not taking up the restructuring struggle frontally. He expressed displeasure over the antics of some unnamed leaders of the region who he said stand against the people in the demand for a better structured Nigeria.
In attendance at event were notable leaders which include among others, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Eniitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi; Afenifere leaders, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, Chief Olu Falae, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, former Minister of Education, Mr. Tunde Adeniran; fomer Minister of Information, Mr. Walter Ofonagoro; former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Senator Ike Nwachukwu, former Media aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Doyin Okupe, former Leader of the Alliance for Democracy, Chief Mojisoluwa Akinfenwa; daughter of the Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr Olatokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu; former Governors of Ogun and Ondo States, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and Dr. Olusegun Mimiko.
Also in attendance were Senator Gbenga Kaka, President, Yoruba Council of Elders, Prof Idowu Sofola, Mr. Wale Oshun, Orangun of Ila, Oba Wahab Oyedokun, Oba Lekan Balogun, Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Latifu Adebimpe, Ashipa Balogun of Ibadanland, Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu, retired archbishop of Methodist Church Nigeria, Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi who was represented by Bashorun of Oyo, high Chief Yusuf Ayoola, Mr Babatunde Oduyoye, AD chieftain, Dr Yemi Farunmbi, foremost Yoruba leader, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, Chief Adeniyi Akintola, Gani Adams, Chief Labake Lawal, embattled Iyaloja of Ibadanland, OAdebola Olaife represented Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, and several other respected leaders of the Southern part of the country.