By Dayo Adu
Participants at a one-day symposium have called for renegotiation of the nation’s government structure to make it more functional and closer to the people.
They made the call while speaking at the symposium organised by The Rebirth Group, TRG, a socio-cultural organisation.
The Symposium with the theme: Nigeria – from Founding Fathers to the Prodigal Sons and Daughters; the Challenges of Nation Building and Development had as participants representatives of organised ethnic groups, civil society organisations, professional bodies, academia, religious and traditional rulers to deliberate on factors hindering the actualisation of the dreams and visions of Nigeria’s founding fathers.
Participants took turns to enumerate the landmark achievements of past political heroes and the prevailing challenges that had caused the present-day dwindling fortune intending to form workable and lasting solutions to them.
In an address, Nigeria’s Former Ambassador to the Philippines, Ambassador Yemi Farounbi, who relayed his experience as Nigeria’s representative outside the country, said he was treated specially because of the population and economic strength of the country on the continent and the world
He advocated restructuring of the federal system of government where state governments would have more authority to handle issues of security, management of mineral resources and infrastructural development in their domains
In a keynote address, Emeritus Professor of Political Science, John Ayoade, who said the problem of Nigeria was foundational, explained that the country as a federal republic was yet to assume its full status due to the overbearing power of the presidency which had given rise to fighting, scheming, resources deprivation and misinterpretation of rotational presidency.
Contributing, Deputy Director-General, Operations, Northern Elders Forum, Professor Sadiq Gombe, ascribed the problem of Nigeria to a lack of consensus by the elites, saying this had caused division among the polity and the agitation for secession
Other participants including the Alayemore of Ido-Osun Kingdom, Oba Aderemi Adedapo, a Cleric, Primate Sola Shittu, and representative of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Ndidi Nzeako advocated collegiate central government to make the government a sizable and smart one.
Earlier in an address of welcome, the convener of The Rebirth Group, Deacon Owolabi Oladejo proposed to revert to a Regional system of government where citizens would be treated with fairness and equality.
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