Some states will collapse without federal allocations, says Osinbajo

VICE President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday said many states in Nigeria would collapse, if they were denied the monthly federal allocations.

Osinbajo disclosed this in Abuja at the Leadership Awards, organised by the Leadership Newspapers Group.

He cautioned that the feeding bottle approach, though regrettable, portrays an economy that is less desirous for growth. While seeking development of local resources, he cited the old Western region of the late Obafemi Awolowo, where the region carved a niche for itself.

The vice president said the year period of the Awolowo government is often cited as one of the most progressive of any government in the developing world.

“Some of the major accomplishments of that government include the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), the 26storey Cocoa House, Ibadan, then, of course, an architectural wonder, and the Western Nigeria Television Authority, the first in Africa. Others were the Ikeja industrial estate, several farm settlements, the Airport Hotel, Ikeja, several other industrial establishments, as Oodua Textile Industries, Ado Ekiti, and Okitipupa Oil Palm Mills.

Also included was the Oluwa Glass in Ifon, the ceramics industry there, Ire Ekiti Brick Industry and a network of roads across the region.

“But by far the most significant of these achievements is the Free Universal Primary Education. In 1952, when the scheme was proposed, 381,000 children, about 3 per cent of children at the time, were enrolled in school.

Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa states were among those honoured at the event.