It was lamentation galore for the country as eminent Nigerians, including Imo State governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma and his Bayelsa State counterpart, Senator Douye Diri, gathered in Lagos, on Tuesday, to talk about the State of the Nation.
A former Deputy National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George and a former Managing Director of Daily Times, High Chief Tola Adeniyi, also joined their voices to the renewed call for a people-oriented constitution that would accommodate state police.
Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, also joined in the clamour for a new Nigeria that would take care of the welfare and interest of the people.
They, and several others, spoke at a public lecture by Freedom Online newspaper themed: 2023- 2027: Nigerians, Elected Leaders and Expectations.
They stressed that continued reliance on the 1999 Constitution as solution to the myriads of problems facing the country is a waste of time that would only spell doom.
The prominent Nigerians demanded for the establishment of state police, saying it was key and crucial if the country was determined to end the problem of insecurity.
Imo State governor, Uzodinma, the Guest Speaker, said the only expectation of every Nigerian was good governance, adding that they were increasingly demanding for it.
The governor, represented by his Commissioner for Information, Declan Emelumba, said lapses in the 1999 Constitution (as amended) prevented state governments from performing up to expectations.
He said the large size of the country made governance difficult as the centre has been the decider of the affairs in areas of policing and other issues that should be the exclusive responsibility of states.
Uzodinma declared that the common language Nigerians understood perfectly, irrespective of tribe, or tongue or religion, was good governance.
The Imo State governor asserted that when governance is birthed “in town, poverty, unemployment, and insecurity will take flight.”
He said good governance would bring about economic boom, abundant empowerment opportunities, good healthcare delivery, quality and affordable education, good infrastructure and security of lives and property.
He was optimistic that, with all these in place, Nigerians would boast of an improved quality of life and a higher average life expectancy.
“This is a common language that does not need to be spoken but yet can be heard clearly. Once Nigerians see this, they will know the country is working and that their expectations are being met.
“So what Nigerians expect is for the country to work. That is what they need and that is what they desire. This makes our [state governors’] task very easy.
“All we need to do is to list those things that make up good governance, those things that will make the country work, and we would have met the expectations of Nigerians from elected leaders for the period 2023 to 2027.
“As I said earlier, these expectations are not far-fetched. They are the same things Nigerians have been clamouring since independence, 63 years ago,” he added.
Governor Uzodinma listed indicators of good governance to include participation, rule of law, consensus driven, equity and inclusiveness, effectiveness and efficiency, transparency and accountability, among others.
He expressed hope that the 10th National Assembly would come up with Bills and motions that would complement the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“So, yes, I can hazard the guess that the expectations of good governance between 2023 and 2027 will be reasonably met.
“I expect that Nigerians will have less poverty, insecurity and unemployment to deal with in the next four years,” Uzodinma assured.
Governor Diri of Bayelsa State, the Keynote Speaker at the public lecture, said the inability of state government to control their resources created set back for many states.
He stressed that if the state were empowered to control their resources, like the regions in the First Republic, a lot of advancement would have been recorded in the states.
Diri, represented by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, said, for Nigeria to rise to the height envisaged by its founding fathers, it needed to come up with a constitution that would empower the state to control their resources.
Governor Diri said the theme of the 5th public lecture by Freedom Online “offers a suitable prism to interrogate the intentions and capacity of politicians in the Nigeria democratic project in the next critical four years.
“It has long been acknowledged that the modern-day media, either as watchdogs that react to accountability deficits or shapers of public opinion, has become indispensable to the growth and prosperity of [the] society.
“The media is thus not just a reflection of society; it is indeed one of its driving forces. It empowers, informs, and connects individuals, shaping public opinion, promoting accountability, and inspiring positive change.
“Indeed, it is no exaggeration to say, particularly in a democratic dispensation, that a society cannot progress higher than the level of the involvement of the Press in its affairs and willingness to responsibly play its as its conscience.”
Chief Olabode George identified poor leadership as the bane of national growth and development. He declared that a stop must be put to the deceit and rottenness in national financial management.
“Let us put an end to the economic inequalities, injustice, unfairness in the distribution of our God-given resources and our financial wealth,” he said.
George, the Atona Oodua of Yorubaland, likened Nigeria’s current situation to that of the Biblical Judah, as told by Prophet Micah, a contemporary of Prophet Isaiah, in his prophecy.
He condemned the situation whereby a sitting senator and a retired federal permanent secretary collect N23million N1million per month, respectively, while a retired General collects N250,000 as pension per month.
The PDP chieftain said he was “not talking as a member of any political party but as an elder statesman who seeks the peace and progress of Nigeria.”
George, a former military governor of the old Ondo State, also condemned the now suspended palliatives, planned by the President Tinubu administration.
He demanded for an in-depth investigation of the N500 billion previously collected monthly and supposedly distributed without data and accountability by the former President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
“Enough of this deceit. Enough of this rottenness in the financial management of our nation. Let us put an end to the economic inequalities, injustice, unfairness in the distribution of our God-given resources and our financial wealth.
“A situation where a sitting senator collects N23million every month, a retired federal permanent secretary collects N1million per month and a retired General collects N250,000 as pension per month is despicable, shambolic nonsensical and outright systemic failure.
“How will the palliatives be distributed? A quick reminder of the N500 billion previously collected monthly and supposedly distributed without data and accountability calls for in-depth investigation and punishment,” he said.
George said: “May God forgive our transgressions and direct the minds of our political leaders in ensuring a good life to all our people in Nigeria.
“I weep for my country Nigeria but, like Prophet Micah said, our nation will rise again if we put the fear of God before all human endeavours. Nigeria will rise again. We will rise again. In Jesus Name, Amen,” he prayed.
The PDP chieftain also restated his call for the establishment of state police, saying it was the best way to secure the country.
High Chief Tola Adeniyi, former Managing Director of Daily Times, pointedly declared that Nigerian politicians lacked integrity to make any positive impact on the country.
“I will not want to shock you. Talk of honesty, integrity and discipline, Nigerian politicians don’t have them. In such a situation, you cannot expect any prosperity in Nigeria.
“I am not a Christian or a Muslim, though I have been to both Mecca and Jerusalem. My prayer is that the Creator of the Universe should capture Nigerian politicians and get rid of them.
“To expect anything from the Nigerian politicians is to be postponing the doomsday.”
On state police, Chief Adeniyi said it was a dream that would not come to pass, declaring: “I don’t see how an Okiro will police Akure.
“State police cannot be a reality now. Nigeria Police is the greatest cash cow of those who held Nigeria down. I don’t expect anything from those who have nothing to give,” he said.
Also speaking, Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, said it was high time the government was told the home truth that Nigerians were suffering without exception, occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy.
The Yoruba generalissimo, represented by Barrister Yinka Oguntimehin, said price of litres of petrol or diesel to fuel one’s vehicle on weekly basis is now very exorbitant. He said the country’s currency was now becoming as worthless as tissue paper.
“Nigerians are suffering. Fuel subsidy removal is killing. The naira has been so devalued that it may become tissue paper in value. President Tinubu administration is in its honeymoon. But if care is not taken, Nigerians may once again be back in the streets,” he said.
Iba Gani Adams equally restated his call for a revisit of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), just as he charged the Federal Government to tackle insecurity ravaging the country.
Also speaking, a former military governor of Bayelsa State, Navy Captain Omoniyi Olubolade (rtd), said for the country to move forward, it should not be an island to itself.
He lent his voice to the need for a constitution that would address the challenges facing Nigerian citizens and, as well, tackle the issue of insecurity.
Also speaking, Richard Akinnola, a seasoned journalist, author and public affairs analyst, declared that members of the political class across the country were one and the same.
He condemned the Federal Government for allocating N70billion to the National Assembly under whatever guise, to detriment of the suffering majority of Nigerians.
“The poverty level across the country is alarming and killing. It is criminal for the National Assembly to appropriated such a huge sum of money to itself. The action of the National Assembly is condemnable,” Akinnola declared.
Mr Benson Enikuomehin, an Abuja-based lawyer, pleaded with the Ondo State government and President Bola Tinubu to come to the aid of his Ilaje people in Ondo South Senatorial District, to avert a looming disater that perennial flood may wreck on them.
Enikuomehin contended that “Ilaje area gives Ondo State its oil-producing status.” He maintained that something must be done urgently “before we are wiped off.”
Earlier in his welcome address, the publisher of Freedom online, Gabriel Akinadewo, said unless Nigeria had a constitution reflecting the wishes and aspiration of the citizens, the country can never have a breakthrough.
He posited that the government cannot continue to use federal measures to tackle local challenges. He recalled that such was not the situation in the First Republic.
“In the First Republic, because of the constitution operated, the centre was less attractive. We should make the centre less attractive like we have it in America.
“This democratic journey stated in 1999 and, 24 years later, can we rightly say Nigerians are satisfied with the state of affairs today?
“In essence, what should elected leaders do to earn the trust of Nigerians? When do we draw a line between politics and governance?
“Expectations of Nigerians between now and 2027 are very clear and simple. We cannot be doing the same thing over and over again and expect a different result.
“In any country, development starts from the grassroots. But we have a situation in this country in which states and local governments- entities that should drive this development- are denied their basic needs by the Federal Government.
“If centralisation of governance is a product of the military because of its chain of command, the military has been out of governance since 1999. So, what is stopping the civilian authority from decentralising governance?
“Nigeria’s problems are localised. So the Federal Government cannot continue to use a central method to tackle local challenges. Nigerians want state police between now and 2027. The world is moving forward, we can’t afford to be stagnant,” Akinadewo said.
Others present at the lecture included the President, Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE), Eze Anaba; a former Editor of the Punch, Mr. Bola Bolawole; a former President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr Lanre Arogundade and Dr. Omoniyi Fagbemi.
Also in attendance were Mr. Gbenga Omotoso; Ogbeni Lanre Banjo; Ibitoye Abosede, Ph.D, Director, Corporate Affairs, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), representing the Managing Director of the Commission, and a host of eminent journalists, among others.
