The Chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the pan Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, Chief Supo Shonibare, has said that the intention of those clamouring for the restructuring of the Nigerian Federation is to keep the country together.
According to him, the inaction and continuation of the present ineffective structures had proved to be unable to meet the yearnings of most Nigerians. Shonibare noted that the current situation was driving the country into a precipice that may lead to its total collapse.
He argued that all over the world, whenever there were agitations for self-government and a desire to control resources by any section within a nation, the ruling elite had always conceded self-governance and the right to determine the allocation of resources to areas for it to remain together.
“That is what successful nations have done. Those agitating part always give part of their resources to the centre and not the other way round. Countries that have continued along the unitary system, particularly when, they consist of various ethnic groups, tend to collapse,” he said.
The Afenifere chieftain cited the examples of the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia and Sudan as countries that collapsed as a result of such agitations, adding that those championing the agitation for a proper Federation were those wishing that Nigeria remained one entity.
He explained that the Yoruba summit scheduled to hold on Thursday in Ibadan, Oyo State, would involve all Yoruba and southwest groups in the geo-political zone.
Shonibare added that elders and opinion leaders from the zone would be present.
“The intervention is to have a common Yoruba position to the agitation from several parts of the country on the issue of restructuring and to have a stable and productive nation using the resources of the country in a manner consistent with equity and justice,” he said.
Shonibare, who is the chairman of programme and content committee of the summit, pointed out that the 2014 national conference organised by former president Goodluck Jonathan made many useful recommendations, which the present government should adopt in assigning more functions to the states to enable them to exercise additional legislative functions.
Reacting to President Muhammadu Buhari’s comment that it’s the function of the National Assembly to alter the constitution, the Afenifere chieftain said, “The National Assembly exercises legislative functions of the government in a constitutional democracy; it is critical in being part of the process of changing what many of us consider as a defective constitution.
“The President is, however, the leader of the Nigerian state. The Executive, which is led by the President, needs to present a bill reflecting their own concept of a Federal entity to be able to meet the aspirations of the people. It is the duty of the President to listen to the agitation and not consider it as an indictment of his person.
“In a stable polity, it is his duty to match the aspirations of the larger community and not pander to the whims and caprices of his political party. Indeed, his party will benefit from the success in this regard.”
