Academics, politicians and business tycoons gathered in Lagos to brainstorm on the state of the nation. AKEEM ALAWOKI and JUMOKE IDOWU were there.
The gathering was for a few invited guests. They comprised academics, politicians and successful businessmen. It was put together by Chief Tunde Temionu.
The idea was to discuss the state of the nation in a cheerful atmosphere.
Though the symposium was to discuss Nigeria; it was also an avenue for merry making.
The event took place on December 31, last year, at the Private Event Hall of TEM Hotel, Ojota.
Guests were served with choice foods and drinks immediately they got to their seats.
For some, it was a re-union of sort. Old time memories were recalled with laughter. They equally exchanged banters.
The hall glittered with various kinds of ceremonial lights as highlife music was played underground.
Chief Temionu, clad in a red shirt and a fitting black pair of trousers set the ball rolling. He thanked the guests for honouring his invitation.
“By this time last year, he said, we talked about the fuel subsidy removal…we agreed that it should be deregulated. This edition is going to be another interactive get-togethere because we are discussing states’ creation,” he said.
He then introduced the quartet speakers.
Prof. Kolawole Adebayo from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, was the first to make presentations.
He gave a concise history on the birth of Nigeria and state creation within her territory. Afterward, he said, “No civilian administration has sat down to create a state.”
Adebayo brought to the fore opinions of some Nigerians who are against the creation of more states and those who support the move.
“Some of those who are against the creation of more states argue that the existing states are faced with many challenges which include: environmental, industrial and erosion cum agricultural challenges and augmenting the existing states to becoming bigger entities is the solution rather than splitting them further,” he said.
He said: “Those in favour of state creation opined that it will mean bringing the government closer to the people and that some of the existing states are too large and need to be split into smaller entities”.
Adebayo, however, advised that whichever path the government chooses to follow, they should ensure that the country returns to agriculture.
He said:”Agriculture offers the highest level of commerce any country can get. You will recall that when Nigeria used to be an agrarian country, Kano’s groundnut pyramid was feeding not just Nigeria but other countries. Cocoa industry in the South-west did well to build a strong economy for the Western region. Oil palm dis same in the South-East,” he said.
Prof Adebayo advised the government to put in place a uniform agricultural policy for the development of the country.
Other discussants were Kwara State University senior don Prof. Innocent Okoye; University of Lagos Head of English Department, Dr. Adeyemi Daramola; and former Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Olushoga Shofola.
Prof Okoye thanked the organiser for giving them the opportunity of expressing their views on a national issue.
“I want to thank Chief Temionu for the opportunity to rub minds even as we enjoy ourselves.”
He said Nigerians believe in togetherness but some things must be corrected.
“Most Nigerians are still interested in living together, but they want some changes in the following areas: creation of more states, true federalism, resource control, good leadership; among others,” he said.
He said the ongoing constitutional review will not solve the problem rather a national conference should be convened.
According to him, the constituent state must be given the right to control their resources.
Dr Daramola thanked his fellow speakers for a thorough job and astute delivery.
Prof. Daramola maintained that more states should not be created.
“If we create more states, he said, people will keep clamouring for more states that every family will want to have its own state.”
Prof. Shofola acknowledged other speakers before making reference to the defunct USSR.
The former Deputy Vice-Chancellor was very brief with his presentation. To him, creation of more will not solve the problem if the states are not autonomous.
“I believe there must be an resource control (by the state). We should see how to restructure the state to be independent federating unit where each unit has control over everything,” he said.
Former Lagos State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Prince Rotimi Abisoye said: “I do not want anymore state, what I want is good leadership, because if we have good leadership, we will have regular power supply; good roads. What we need to do is to weaken the centre. If we can’t weaken the centre, we can’t move forward.”
