The President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Professor George Obiozor, has identified restructuring as the only thing that can prevent the country’s present challenges from degenerating into a political tragedy.
Obiozor who disclosed this on Thursday during the ongoing 1999 constitution review hearing for the South-East in Owerri, noted that the 1999 constitution had caged many Nigerians and prevented them from developing their potentials.
“Countries are born with political tragedies waiting to happen. Our history shows that Nigeria is one of them. All signs of national tragedies foretold are present today in full force in Nigeria. In fact, it would require a restructured Nigeria to contain the present forces and tendencies towards a synchronised national crisis and even a possibility of national disintegration,” Professor Obiozor said.
He advised national leaders to learn the lessons of history, adding that “it is in societies where truth comes last, tragedy comes first.”
The Ohanaeze president said that the perennial problem of continuous dilemma in Nigeria’s politics revolve around the issues of justice, equity and fairness, adding that several times throughout history, those denied justice had had no interest in peace.
Accordingly to him, the 1999 constitution “has left many Nigerians with feeling like a caged lion over their relative capacities to develop their individual potentials, states and zones.”
Obiozor posited that for too many citizens across the country, states and zones, restructuring Nigeria would be equivalent to releasing the lion from the cage to defend itself.
In his speech, the chairman of the constitution review committee in the South-East, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, disclosed that the committee had received 48 submissions so far, and urged the Ohanaeze to remain non-partisan in politics just as he also enjoined them to continue playing fatherly roles.
He said: “This is the time Ohanaeze should move forward as an advisory body, not as politicians or to be partisan. The roles of Ohanaeze is independent and they should continue playing fatherly roles.”
Meanwhile, another women advocacy group led by Mrs Ifendu has submitted a memorandum for gender inequality, asking for 35 percent in political positions in the country to be allocated to women.
Also, a member representing Okigwe North at the Federal House of Representatives, Marian Onuoha, equally made case for the physically challenged ones in the country.
She maintained that as citizens in the country, they needed to enjoy equal rights with others.
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