Bad leadership fuels calls for restructuring – Aduku
Architect Gabriel Aduku is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), in Kogi State and also a former Minister of State for Health. In this interview, he speaks on the call for restructuring of Nigeria, devolution of power and the need for moral
What is your comment on recent calls for
restructuring of Nigeria?
There have been strident calls for the restructuring of the country from a lot of people from different parts of the country. While some of the calls have primordial and political undertones, others are anchored on well-established premise of ensuring the survival of the country. But, why are the calls so loud and reverberating across the country? I think it is because of the failure of the leadership to keenly address the nagging needs of the citizenry and all segments of the federating units.
This failure has led to disequilibrium in the distribution of the commonwealth. Some parts of the country feel alienated in the scheme of things, with the attendant calls for selfdetermination. Some Nigerians do not feel safe in their part of the country. There is so much violence and insecurity in the land and economic marginalisation of the majority. While I subscribe to the call for the restructuring of the country, I do not seem to agree with the voices of those who see restructuring wholly from the perspective of restructuring along ethnic or regional lines. Restructuring along regional divides alone will not achieve the much desired results. I also do not think that restructuring the country so that the regions will have control of their resources is the best way to go. My point is that having control of the resources in one’s region is not the panacea to the problem. In fact, it may end up creating more problems. I agree with those who have posited that mineral resources should not be the only and real resources we should be trying to control. I also buy the idea that the real owners of the resources are not usually the real beneficiaries of the resources, but the political elite in the host communities or regions. There has to be a more fundamental peg to restructuring the country if we must achieve results and benefits. For me, the focus remains using the revenue accruable from the resources within our environments for the development of the ultimate human resources.
Would you subscribe to devolution of power from the centre?
The present political arrangement whereby so much power is concentrated in the states and federal level is unnecessary. It breeds economic waste and it is unsustainable. There is so much concentration of power at the centre and unwieldy law making organs, which in reality, especially in the last 17 years, seem to be detached from the people. A natural realignment of political authorities is the answer to realising peaceful co-existence. There has to be a conscious transfer of power from the centre or state to local authorities for effective administration of all units. I also think that traditional authorities should be given constitutional roles to maintain security. The issue of community policing cannot be put on the back-burner any longer. We need to look at it critically with a view to adopting a workable model for the overall interest of the people.
How can ethnic and religious diversities of the country be better managed?
Most of the fears which tend to drive agitations for selfdetermination stem from ethnic and tribal domination. The minority tribes are afraid of the dominance of the majority, while the majority tribes are afraid of the onslaught of the agitators from the minority tribes. The fears in most cases are real. I believe that while education and moral rearmament are vital for survival and sustenance, managing the ethnic and tribal complexities of our national life should be tackled through a bottom-up approach in the twin issues of responsibility and authority. Each federating unit should be reassured of a sense of belonging through a well-articulated charter of equity. Authority and responsibility should be driven from the local authorities to the state and the centre. I do recall that in the First Republic, communities and native authorities played essential roles in ensuring compliance to and the enforcement of law, order and values. We can look at such structure, the things that worked effectively, modify them based on current realities and incorporate them into our national code. When communities and native authorities have a stake in the collective survival of the country, they will play their roles keenly, thus, reducing crises in the country. I share the opinion of others who argue that Nigeria should remain a secular state. The government, for instance has no business in funding pilgrimages of any religious faith. A restructuring of the country without taking into account our religious diversity and with a concerted effort by government to ensure neutrality in religious matters will not bring about the desired growth and development.
What is the way out of corruption and moral decadence in Nigeria?
We need to have the right social values in place if we have to reap the benefits of a restructured Nigeria. A moral rearmament anchored on waging wars against indiscipline and insincerity can be driven through education, moral education and leadership by example. Moral rearmament as a tool for social orientation can significantly reduce the level of insecurity in the land and usher in a system where positive values are appreciated. Moral rearmament will also aid the enthronement of a just and equitable society where the resources will be used for the good of all. A society that is dependent on mineral resources alone without a positive value system and strong moral fibre cannot thrive in the comity of nations. Moral rearmament can be an initiative driven by the government but entrenched in the families, communities, local governments and state and federal levels. It will require a strategic campaign and a reinvigorated national orientation movement. It should be a mass movement requiring passionate and charismatic Nigerians to drive the initiative, which will ultimately change the way we view and do things.
How can militancy and youth restiveness be addressed?
Education is critical and absolutely fundamental for development and enduring positive progress. Restructuring the country should start from a fundamental restructuring of our education system and a massive investment into the education sector. We need to restructure the educational system by rebuilding schools, training and retraining the teachers, re-examining and enhancing the curricula to include, among others, civic education, moral instruction and access to quality education for the Nigerian child. It is through quality education that we can lay the foundation for a country where everyone will have equal opportunity to excel. It is the well-developed human resource that can engender a keen sense of responsibility among the citizens, unalloyed commitment to common goals and positive action in governance across all tiers.