Give Nigeria federal constitution, Ayo Adebanjo, Adekanola tell Tinubu

Acting National Leader of pan- Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to restructure the country by bringing about a Federal Constitution,  saying that was the only way Nigeria can record progress.

Chief Adebanjo made the call on Tuesday while speaking at Goke Omisore Annual Lecture (GOAL 2023), themed: “Southwest Regional Integration: The DAWN Commission Approach,” which took place at Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos and organized by Voice of Reason (VOR).

The elder statesman, while speaking to the topic, argued that advancing the cause of regional integration among the South-West states cannot bring the desired result unless the 1999 Constitution was changed to a Federal constitution where each state would have its autonomy as was the case when the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, was premier of the region.

The Afenifere leader charged Tinubu to live up to expectations by accomplishing “what he had been advocating for when he was in the trenches fighting for the enthronement of democracy and Federal constitution.”

Adebanjo equally charged the South-West states to be united in promoting their region’s economy, insisting that all that advocates of regional integration in the South West had advanced were realisable, but not possible under the existing constitution Nigeria was operating.

The elder statesman lamented that major advancement recorded in the South- West economically was when the sage, Chief Awolowo, was premier of the region, noting that all the economic policies he postulated then were still relevant in moving the geo-political zone forward.

Chairman, Goke Omisore Annual Lecture (GOAL 2023), Otunba Olusola Adekanola, in his opening remark, stated that the single agenda of the group was the pursuit of restructuring of the country, noting that a replication of the feat accomplished by the sage, Chief Awolowo can only be realized fully with comprehensive devolution of powers from the overburdened Federal Government to the federating units.

According to him, this can be done through a comprehensive constitutional amendment rather than token efforts made by successive National Assembly in recent years.

Adekanola, however, applauded the vision of the South-West governors in bringing the DAWN Commission into existence, disclosing that VOR had continued to monitor the activities of the Commission to see how “we can collaborate to assist it to pursue the realization of its mandate at a faster pace.”

Besides, he said the group led by him also planned to engage more vigorously with South-West governors to ensure “they avail DAWN with adequate funding by making substantial provisions in their budgets annually towards financing all activities of DAWN.”

“The secretariat of DAWN would need to avail the governors it’s budget proposals early enough to be reviewed and interrogated by them before inclusion in state budget,” he said.

“At VOR, we believe our governors in the South-West can do better and accomplish much more in agriculture, industrialization, urban renewal and infrastructural developments even with the existing constitution empowerment of the current Federal constitution,” he declared.

In his submission, the keynote speaker, Mr. Seye Oyeleye, affirmed that regional integration can advance the South-West zone economically, education and promote unity, but frown at the disintegration in the geo-political zone.

Oyeleye described as appalling a situation where South-West, that was leading academically in recent past, was now coming last in general examinations in the country, saying that the issue required urgent attention and solution.

“The question I would like us to examine in our hearts is whether we, as a people, are not back to that state of disunity that Awolowo described in his book. It appears we are back to Hubert Ogunde’s metaphorical football field, where we have made ourselves the football for others to kick around.

“Highly progressive. Badly disunited. Awolowo and his colleagues worked for the unity of Yoruba people and not only created the binding force of nationalism but also forged institutions that gave biting force to Yoruba nationalism.

“For us to be back, full circle, to the pre-Awolowo era of disunity means that everything these heroes of Yoruba nationalism worked for has either disintegrated completely or is in the process of disintegrating, depending on your age and perspective.

“Let us not be deluded that our common history, mythical ancestry, language, and geographical location will continue to sustain us as a people if we do not work to be united,” he charged.

A panel of discussants, comprising Dr Segun Aina, Mr.Tope Fasua, and Mr Olusoji Awogbade, said that investors would be attracted to the region and its economy would be boosted if security was guaranteed and the society better organized.

According to them, a safe society will always create avenues for investors, stressing that youths were fleeing the country in droves because the society was not better organized.

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