Speaking at a well- attended press conference, which took place in Ikeja, Lagos, Chairman of the Planning Committee for the Summit, Dr Kunle Olajide, disclosed that the gathering, which will hold at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamashigba, with over one hundred different groups in Yoruba land expected to attend, would be chair manned by Are Afe Babalola (SAN).
This was just as he contended that the gathering would be a one- Agenda parly that has to do with restructuring Nigeria, saying the Yoruba as a nation was now united and preferred to exist within a country where safety and progress could be guaranteed, adding: “We believe it is in the interest of all for this country to be reorganized in such a way that power is devolved to the Federating units.”
Olajide, who listed those to attend the one-day rally/summit include leaders of Yoruba nation, home and abroad, organized groups, students, artisans, past and current officials across the political spectrum, among others, lamented that it was a known fact that Nigeria was currently going through a very difficult phase and such patriots across the country had to rise up together, and find a lasting solution to the problem.
“As you are all aware, we are going through a very difficult phase in the life of this country, and as such, patriots across the country have to rise up and together, and find a lasting solution to the problems,” he said, even as he reminded that the country at its inception having agreed to operate with the 1963 Constitution got then four regions, namely east, North, West and Midwest thriving under a federal structure that allowed them to be autonomous and having exclusive control of the resources within their regions while paying appropriate and agreed taxes to the Federal Government.
“With the coming of the military in the 1966 and the Civil War that followed, the constitution agreed to by leaders from different parts of the country was jettisoned. In its place a unitary constitution which was wrongly labelled as federal was adopted. We all know, it is federal only in name. The constitution thus given, formed the basis of what is now in operation as “The 1999 Constitution, as amended.” It was the handiwork of some of the military men representing no one but themselves.
“Unfortunately, what was foisted on all of us as a constitution is not working, judging by the cries of marginalisation from every part of the country without exception. The political space is such that the bureaucracy is unwieldy, making growth impossible and corruption inevitable.
“Successive politicians have promised to correct the present lopsided structure which is in favour of government at the centre in order to win elections, and once elections are over, nothing is done in this direction.
“It is on record that Chief Obafemi Awolowo was emphatic that in a multi- ethnic, multi- cultural country like Nigeria, it is only a true federal constitution that can work. Contemporary events have proved him right,” Dr Olajide recalled.
“The federating regions at the inception were bigger than many prosperous nations in existence across the world today. Each had the resources to run its bureaucracies and pay taxes to the Federal Government to run the Armed Forces, External Affairs, Currency, etc. On the contrary, we now have states owing salaries and running t Abuja every month to collect allocations while many resources are lying idle and untapped right under their noses,” he further said.
Olajide, while pointing out that the impending failure of the Nigeria as a nation was now evident in highest global percentage of children out of school put at 40 per cent by UNICEF translating to over 15million children, largest Internally displaced Persons (IDP) in a country not at war, poverty level put at 72per cent in 2016 and stir increasing, among others, noted that the South West, prior to the abrogation of the 1966 Constitution, had attained a firm foundation for development.
“Poverty levels were below 40%, Education access and quality was more than average, the first television station in Africa, Industrial Layoutt in Ikeja, Farm Settlements, Produce Boards to guarantee prices for farmers were some of the positive indices.
“However, since the incursion of the military, the South West has struggles to maisad fallout of this trajectory as a result of an over centralized unitary pull which continue to bring the best down to the level of the rest, instead of taking the rest to the level of the best; the South West being the main victim of this tendency,” Dr Olajide lamented.
While contending that the Yoruba had been at the forefront of maintaining unity in the country, and being accommodating and were not used to threatening anyone, Olajide said it was on the basis of all these that the Yoruba nation had called the summit “to appraise the issues and fashion out a workable way out of the ongoing quagmire the nation faces.
“The even slated for 7th September, 2017 at the lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, will be directed, as chairman, by an illustrious Yoruba son, in person of the legal luminary, are Afe Babalola. It will also attract guests from outside Yoruba land, including members of the diplomatic corps,” Dr Olajide said.
Other leaders that were present at the press conference include Chief Supo Shonibare, Hon Duyile, Dr Femi Adegoke, and the spokesperson of pan- Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Mr Yinka Odumakin, among others.
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