Nobel laureate , Prof. Wole Soyinka, on Saturday , re- echoed the call for restructuring the country as a means of tackling some of the major problems confronting it.
Soyinka stated that there was a consensus among Nigerians that the country must be restructured urgently , saying anybody still asking what restructuring means despite the numerous explanations already provided should be ignored because such persons had chosen to be ignorant deliberately.
The elder statesman spoke at the 2021 Obafemi Awolowo Lecture titled , ‘ Whither Nigeria ?’ organised by the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation.
The event, which was held virtually , had in attendance dignitaries, including a former Secretary - General of Commonwealth , Chief Emeka Anyaoku ; the Emir of Sokoto , Saad Abubakar; Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; former Emir of Kano , Muhammadu Sanusi II ; and former Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria , Obadiah Mailafia , among others .
Awolowo, who died in 1987, would have been 112 years old on Saturday.
Soyinka stated , “There is a consensus that this country whether in terms of governance , economic members of the family , security , educational policy , cultural coverage , and many others, requires restructuring . Even the phrase ‘restructuring ’ has been restructured in lots of directions , in cogent expression if you want to suggest the equal element for every body .
“For me , as an instance , I emphasised decentralisation , reconfiguration… We all recognize what we've now isn't operating , it ’s apparent and we can’ t preserve alongside the identical line and say that it will work, it is sign of madness .
“I want to make a plea to all governors , stop being so timid . Push this federal envelope as a ways as it may pass , even whilst we adopt the technical aspect of restructuring whether in terms of dialogue, evolving the charter or something, some thing has to go on , in spite of everything, we’ ve had so many of those confabs .
“My plea is to governors to begin with : You are charged with the instant responsibility of the welfare of your own human beings in some thing time period and if you observe the charter carefully , I actually have finished this with lawyers , and it seems that plenty may be performed at this moment .
“You want a season of greater autonomy in your personal states and that is what I suggest through pushing the federal envelope as some distance as it may cross inspite of this impossible file that we must cease what power , what authority you can derive from the constitution .
“ Consult together with your attorneys , I actually have consulted with mine and in addition they expressed the view that the governors are too timid, there's too much centralised mentality embedded in their minds and they may be afraid to pop out in their cocoons.
“Please bear in mind that your number one obligation is not the centre but the human beings , the country . So , take in your arms any form of authority that you may even from this charter because it stands at the same time as we are running on a greater sincere, a greater people -orientated charter. ”
Anyaoku also said Nigeria wanted a brand new charter which could be produced through the people
He said , “There isn't any phase or ethnic institution that does not stand to gain from belonging to one usa this is the scale and assets of Nigeria . Therefore, it's far and should be within the common hobby of ethnic organizations and issue components to maintain and nourish one u . S . .
“The growing stage of mistrust and divisiveness amongst ethnic and spiritual agencies are undermining the brotherly love and perilous the ongoing existence of one Nigeria . For how can the leadership of Nigeria preserve to ignore this fact?”
The visitor lecturer , Odia Ofeimun, and Sanusi , however , clashed over why the North had been educationally backward.
Ofeimun, a poet who turned into the non-public secretary to Awolowo, said , “ Every child inside the North ought to cross to highschool . There is an ethnic argument towards schooling . They are using that argument to prevent the rest folks from transferring forward . ”
Ofeimun had infrequently finished speaking when the former Emir of Kano tackled him , saying the problem changed into no longer ethnicity however the failure of the government to provide colleges, teach the teachers and offer the whole thing had to inspire the children inside the North to head to school .
Sanusi stated he also believed that the hassle turned into ethnicity until he have become the emir and saw the scenario otherwise .
He also argued that the British colonial masters did now not want the North to be knowledgeable like the South.
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