The Nation Newspaper

Tag: True

  • True Federalism: Southern govs must work together

    The maiden gathering of Southern Governors Forum (SGF) was held in 2001 at the Akodo Beach Resort, Ibeju Lekki, here in Lagos.

    The initiative to set up the SGF was received with mixed feelings at the time. There were those who read partisan political moves into the idea. Others saw it as essentially sectional and potentially divisive while some dismissed the SGF as another superfluous talk shop of doubtful utility.

    However, the convener of the inaugural edition of the forum and my illustrious predecessor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, gave a robust articulation of the necessity for the forum in his address to participants, which remains relevant and pertinent even today. On that occasion he said, “We are of course aware that our northern brothers have met regularly and publicly articulated common positions of interest in the polity. While some have condemned such meetings, I believe very strongly that such fora should indeed be actively encouraged and supported. Our democracy and federal system can only be strengthened when various groups and component parts of the country are free to discuss and pursue their perceived common aspirations within the framework of the law.

    There are unquestionably issues of common interest to us as governors of states in the southern region of Nigeria. This does not mean that there are no matters which the South-West, the South-East, or the South-South, respectively, may feel constrained to pursue separately at other fora”.

    From its modest beginning in 2001, the SGF held at least nine meetings over the following four years with the last one taking place again in Lagos on Friday, 25th February, 2005. During this period, the forum became a significant voice on matters of critical import both to the south and to Nigeria as a whole.

    Perhaps, we need to quickly remind ourselves some of the landmark achievements obtained through the pressure exerted by this forum in the past. The first was its collective advocacy for the special allocation to oil producing states in the federation account which resulted in the current formula of 13% accruing for Derivation in allocating revenues from the Federation Account.

    Another major victory won towards strengthening the country’s practice of true federalism was the declaration by the Supreme Court in 2002 that the then prevalent practice of the federal government deducting monies from the Federation Account as a first line charge for the funding of Joint Venture Contracts, NNPC priority projects, servicing of Federal Government’s external debt, the judiciary and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and other federal obligations were illegal and unconstitutional.

    The Supreme Court in that case abolished the special funds created by the Federal Government to enable it draw funds from the Federation Account to pay for matters that fell within its exclusive responsibility before sharing whatever was left with the states and local governments.

    Despite these successes, there is still a lot to be done. There is certainly a lot to be done about true federalism; an issue that requires urgent, meticulous and proactive attention by this forum.

    No less disturbing is the failure to undertake the periodic review of the revenue allocation formula as provided for by the constitution to reflect evolving realities. This is another critical matter that ought to engage this forum in order to enhance the viability of the states and local governments as well as their capacity to fulfill their developmental roles in the polity. All too often, states are disparaged for always carrying begging bowls to Abuja in quest of hand-outs from the federal government.

    This is a function of our present national constitution that burdens the federal government with activities and responsibilities that rightly fall within the province of the states. The productivity and revenue-generating capacities of most of the states are thus stifled thus turning them into no better than street beggar states incapable of even meeting routine obligations of paying workers’ salaries and pensions without federal support.

    Lagos State has fought and won several legal battles since 1999 that has systematically strengthened her autonomy and enhanced her fiscal viability. Over the years, the state has won legal control over the management of its environment, control of urban and physical planning, regulation of overhead masts, registration and regulation of hotels and restaurants and control of her inland waterways. And these victories do not belong to Lagos alone, but to all other states in the federation and which they must explore significantly.

    I believe that If Lagos has been able to achieve so much fighting singly, the SGF can accomplish much more by thinking, planning, strategizing and acting together.

    This resuscitation of the SGF is coming at a most appropriate time. As we are aware, the Senate and House of Representatives are currently harmonizing their differences on the proposed amendments to the 1999 constitution before they are transmitted to the state Houses of Assembly for approval. It is important for this forum to comprehensively look at the proposed amendments with a view to working with our respective Houses of Assembly to ensure a coordinated response on our part that will strengthen the practice of democracy, federalism, constitutionalism and the rule of law.

    In our deliberations, particularly on the pressing need for greater devolution of powers, responsibilities and resources from the centre to the states, our preoccupation must not be with having a weak centre and strong states or vice versa. Rather, in the words of the Indian politician and statesman, Bhupesh Gupta, on the floor of the Indian parliament on May 9th, 1969, “Therefore, we want a centre which will function on the basis of democratic principles and safeguard the unity and integrity of the nation as a whole; whereas at the same time we must have the states enjoying a wide range of powers, economic, political and otherwise, in order that out of this arrangement there develops a symphony of centre-state relations to the common good of the people of the country. There is no contradiction between having a democratic and viable centre and having at the same time, strong, democratic states”.

     

    • Excerpts from speech delivered by Ambode, Governor of Lagos State at the meeting of the Southern Governors’ Forum held on Monday at the State House, Ikeja, Lagos

  • ‘Let’s practise true federalism’

    United States-based Nigerian university teacher, Prof Toyin Falola, has said true federalism is the panacea for the various agitations across the country.

    He said it would douse the tension threatening the nation’s stability.

    Falola, a lecturer in History at the University of Texas in Austin, recalled that in 1950s the constitution allowed each region to grow at its pace, control the resources within its jurisdiction and pay royalty to the Federal Government and established institutions, such as state police.

    He likened the federal system of government before the advent of military rule to the United States of America (U. S. A) model where states have police and agencies.

    The expert said the Federal Government in the U. S. A legislates on defence, immigration, currency and foreign policy, as spelt out in the constitution.

    Falola, who spoke yesterday in Lagos, noted that Nigeria as a plural society should share power in a way that the nation would not fragment.

    According to him, no responsible government would allow the disintegration of the country under its watch.

    He said: “Restructuring is not a new phenomenon in this country. When the Independence Constitution was being drafted, a question came up: should we allow people to secede? The former Western Region Premier, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, said yes. But Nigeria’s first President, the late Dr Nnamdi Azikwe and the North said no. The minorities in the Southeast and the North were worried because they knew if secession was allowed the Igbo and Hausa/Fulani would dominate them.

    Falola said: “Restructuring started immediately after independence. The late Isaac Adaka Boro set up a small army and wanted to declare Niger Delta Republic. When General Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi took over power, he embarked on restructuring by introducing unitary system of government through the promulgation of decrees.

    “In 1967, Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, a Colonel, declared secession through the proclamation of the State of Biafra. That led to the civil war that ended in 1970. The argument of the military in the 1970s was that centralisation of power would prevent a civil war.”

    He noted that the military’s concentration of power at the centre eroded the principle of federalism, which allows for fiscal federalism.

    The resources meant for developmental projects, the expert said, were diverted to private pockets, thus making many components to start complaining of being marginalised.

    Falola noted that Nigeria runs the system in a way that causes crises.

    He wondered why some people still clamour for new states when most of the states, exempt Lagos and Rivers, are not viable.

  • Tiv back true federalism

    The Tiv in Northcentral have supported restructuring of the country.

    They called for true federalism as a panacea for bringing out the true identity of the Tiv as great citizens to realise their potential.

    Rising from a two-day All Tiv Summit, organised by OnTiv Professional Association (OPA) in Abuja, in collaboration with Tiv Traditional Council, held in Gboko, the ancestral headquarters of the Tiv nation, the people were unanimous that “Nigeria should be

    restructured along the lines of true federalism where more powers are devolved to states.

    Coming against the backdrop of lamentation by the Tiv for adequate representation in the country because of their numerical strength, the summit provided an avenue for the people to discuss how to re-situate themselves.

    In a communique after the summit signed by Benjamin Nyior, chairman of OPA and Itiza Ukpi, chairman of Central Planning Committee, it frowned at lack of federal presence in Benue State, as well as few appointments of Tiv sons and daughters at the federal level, despite massively voting for All Progressives Congress (APC) at the general election.

    The Tiv urged the Federal Government to fulfil its promise to dredge River Benue, to forestall flood.

    They advised the government to include Benue among the states that are flood prone and deserving special intervention through ecological funds, to build water channels in Makurdi and its environs.

    The people decried build-up of political tension in Tiv land ahead of 2019 elections, saying “this portends danger. Our leaders must desist from activities capable of causing crises.”

    They enjoined the Tor Tiv to mete out sanctions to defaulters.

    The summit appealed to politicians in Tivland to desist from using youths as thugs to fight battles.

    It advocated the need to correct the leadership question.

    “There is need to constitute an elders’ committee that will choose its chairman, advise the Tor Tiv and ensure leaders in Tivland evolve naturally. Similarly, there is need for a compendium of professionals, who should be consulted on issues affecting Tivland.”

    The summit brought together Tiv sons and daughters from parts of the country to articulate challenges as a people and proffer solution that could set an agenda for Tor Tiv V, Prof. James Ayatse and the Tiv nation.

    It was declared open by Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom (represented by his Special Adviser on Rural Development, Adzer Abya). Tor Tiv V, accompanied by chiefs and other traditional rulers in Tivland, as well as prominent Tiv sons in the National Assembly, participated in the opening session, chaired by a former Military Governor of East Central State and Benue State, Brig.-Gen. John Atom Kpera (retd).

     

  • ‘True federalism ‘ll keep Nigeria together’

    ‘True federalism ‘ll keep Nigeria together’

    The National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin has said ‘24 years after the annulment of June 12 election,’ the country is enveloped in apprehension and anxiety.

    He said true federalism is the way forward for the country.

    He added that the country was still labouring under strain and palpable uncertainty, noting that Nigeria has not learned from the lessons of history.

    Odumakin said: “On June 12,1993, Nigerians trooped out in their millions to elect a President after seemingly endless twists and turns in Babangida’s transition programme. It was a beautiful day Nigeria was going to achieve nationhood in the course of choosing M.K.O Abiola from Yorubaland.

    “But, the Babangida junta in an unjust diktat annulled the election as it dawned that Abiola had won against all hegemonic permutations. The annulment propelled a five-year resistance during which Abiola and Kudirat his wife were assassinated alongside many prominent pro-democracy activists.

    “An arranged transition was put in place after the liquidation of Abiola, with a military imposed constitution to preserve Nigeria without addressing the damage done to the nationhood by the annulment.

    “We have fumbled and wobbled through eighteen years of pretending that our unity is settled, mouthing hackneyed phrases like “indissoluble union” and “non-negotiable unity”, while the country falls more and more into pieces on a daily basis.

    Odumakin said the threat by some Arewa youths that Igbo living in the north to quit was unfortunate and divisive.

    “We now mark another June 12 amidst an October 1 quit order to Ndigbo by Arewa youths who have also secured endorsement from the Northern Elders Forum, with the Arewa Consultative Forum conceding what they called “the frustrations of the youth” with Ndigbo.

    “While the primary targets of the Arewa youths’ quit order are the Ndigbo residents in the North, we are not deceived that when the rubber hits the road, the Almajaris and the Mujaheedin would pick and choose among all southerners in the North for the baying of blood.

    “This is why the Yoruba nation is warning that this is a déjà vu and that no country has ever survived two civil wars. We recall how events cascaded in the 1960’s from the moment emergency rule were imposed on the Western Region until war broke out in 1967.

    “The same arrogance of power, insensitivity and atrocious impunity that were at play then are still very much at play today. The same section of Nigeria that rejected the outcome of Aburi is still shouting down the strident calls of most peoples of Nigeria for restructuring today, because command and control is more important to them than equity, justice, fairness, peaceful co-existence, harmony and a progressing country.

    “A climate of fear, apprehension and anxiety now pervades the country as no one knows what can happen, with the absence of a leadership that can rise up to the occasion to save the Republic.

    “That not one member of the group of “youth “ organisations who had unfettered access to Arewa house to threaten the unity of Nigeria has been arrested is a clear signal that the butterfly that is dancing on the surface of the Arewa River is dancing to some drummer beneath the water surface.

    ”When we attained independence in 1960, Nigeria’s pot was standing on a tripod. Two legs out of the three are now in a near-war face-off. It would be an illusion of grandeur to think that this pot can continue to stand in this way.”

    He restated the belief that the only way that Nigeria would be able to fulfill its destiny as one country was the practice of true federalism.

    “If, however, our compatriots from the North and East are not averse to the continuation of Nigeria as a country, the only acceptable path toward this end is political restructuring. Fortunately, we have a roadmap in the recommendations of the last Confab, which must now be pursued and implemented.

    “But, in the event that our co-citizens do absolutely insist that we the peoples of Nigeria can no longer live together, we Yoruba nation will not want a violent termination such as happened in Yugoslavia. Even though our Yoruba nation boasts a history of great wars, gallant warrior leaders and warlike people who fear no war, we nevertheless abhor war and bloodshed.

  • Nostalgia for true federalism

    One subject that had been topical in our recent national discourse is the current status of our federalism. The voice on it had been so loud that the need to revisit the kind of federalism we operate can and must not be ignored.

    All kinds of words have been used to describe what many people see as the lop-sidedness of our present federal system. Some have styled it power devolutions; while still some have described it as restructuring. However, proponents of the two theses agreed on one thing: that the political stability of the country depends mainly on the revisit of the present federal structure.

    Whereas, I agree both in principle and in practice with the advocates of restructuring, the only area where I disagree with some of the postulates is where they say it is a particular section of the country that is against restructuring in the country for the benefit of power perpetuity in the zone.

    Let me state with all sense of clarity that the level of our national political development has reached a stage that no zone can claim dominance over others. For instance, in 18 years of our return to democracy, the southern part of the country had occupied the office for more than two thirds of the duration, without any voice of dissent from the North. This is because the principle of zoning had come to stay in Nigeria.

    Besides, the shout of marginalization at the federal level have not been less vociferous in any section of the country including the North. Perhaps except in the area of personnel recruitment, no zone of the country, to the best of my knowledge, enjoy noticeable infrastructural advantage over other zones.

    The call for secession by a particular zone of the country is certainly not the solution; rather it is borne out of frustration and despondency; which however should not be ignored.

    To me, whether we call it devolution or restructuring, the need for a return to the First Republic federalism can never be overemphasized. The current power centralization is certainly a military version of federalism, which is not desirable in a democratic federalism.

    Fiscal autonomy of the federating units is the beauty of true democracy. It was under this arrangement that the old Western Region under Chief Obafemi Awolowo was able to set infrastructural model in areas of education, agriculture and industry for the country. One could notice that in such institutions, like the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, Liberty Stadium at Ibadan, which the British Ace Boxing promoter Jack Solomon described as the Mini-Wembley Stadium in London because of the facilities provided in that stadium, WNTV, the first Television Station in Africa, the Premier Hotel Ibadan, the first five-star Hotel in Nigeria, the first dualization of Mokola road to the State Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan which was commissioned by Queen Elizabeth II during her first visit to Nigeria in 1956, and not forgetting the farm settlements across the region.

    If only because of the healthy rivalry that existed among federating units of that time, both the eastern and regional governments were quick to take a cue from Awolowo’s initiative. That resulted in such institutions like the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium among others in the Eastern Region. In the North on the other hand, we saw such infrastructure like the Ahmadu Bello University, Ahmadu Bello Stadium, and Northern Nigeria Television among others.

    All these were achieved without recourse to the federal government. But the first assault to our federalism was that all those regional projects were forcibly acquired for the federal government by the Murtala/Obasanjo regime between 1975 and 1979; and that was the beginning of political imbalance in the country with which we are still battling today

    The regions at that time were allowed to harness their resources according to their respective initiatives for the benefits of their regions. One can imagine the state of unease the region would have found themselves were their natural resources be under federal revenue. That makes the current agitation in the Niger-Delta region somehow understandable. The only difference is that resource control agitation does not have to go with the destruction of public institutions or any kind of violence.

    In my own opinion, for Nigeria to remain stable and united, the centre must be made less attractive so also should be the cost running government at all levels. The central government should be restricted to such areas like Defence, Currency, Immigration, Foreign Affairs and few others. In areas of internal security and maintenance on law and order, police should be on the concurrent list whereby state police will operate without any hindrance from the central police. A lot of modern day crime like kidnapping and its likes can be avoided were state police to serve as a kind of vigilante to their respective communities.

    Unfortunately however, the craze for federal attention has reached such a level that even some highly placed traditional rulers in the country have also ‘gone federal’ – demanding a slot in the federal revenue allocation for the maintenance of their headquarters. Before we know anything, they would be demanding for recognition as the fourth tier of government in the country.

    If I have taken any serious exception to a unified traditional institution in the country, suffice to say that it is not a personal matter between one or any of the traditional rulers concerned. Rather, it is borne out of the fact that as custodians of custom, culture and tradition of their subjects, they should be content with the preservation of their peculiar cultures and customs without making any attempts to liberalize or nationalize it in the name of national unity of any form. I nurse no personal grudge against anybody.

    It is personally painful that what we are operating at the moment is a one-tier functional government. This is because the state government which is supposed to be the second leg on which true federalism rests is more or less a lame duck. This is as long as it depends on the federal government for its budgetary obligations to its people.

    I make bold to say that in actual sense, the Yoruba political system is the original home of true federalism, dating back to the old Oyo Empire which lasted for more than 600 years in history.

    Each of the traditional Yoruba kingdoms was a federating unit running their administration with local peculiarities. The role of the Alaafin as the Central Government was to defend the Yoruba territorial integrity against any external aggression as was the case in Iganna, Okeho and Kishi when Alaafin invited the British for military intervention to halt French aggression. Another was in the area of settling boundary disputes among various Yoruba communities. Few of such cases were boundary disputes between Ede and Ife which the Alaafin determined at Shasha; between Ibadan and Abeokuta which the Alaafin settled at Bakatari in favour of Ibadan.

    If we all want the Nigerian project to succeed, we must face the stark reality of history and empirical postulates of true federalism.

     

    • Oba (Dr) Adeyemi III JP, CFR, LL.D. is the Alaafin of Oyo and Permanent Chairman of Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs.
  • Is this true?

    Is this true?

    •Allegations that the EFCC bungled its recruitment exercise should be investigated urgently

    One week after the allegation that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) infringed on the rules in its latest staff recruitment exercise, it is unfortunate that the anti-graft agency has refused to refute the claim. Twenty-four young Nigerians who had been allegedly admitted to the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) for training had petitioned the acting chairman of the commission that, three weeks after they commenced training, they were dismissed for reportedly failing medical test.

    The youths said they had participated in the various layers of the tests, including medical examination at the Nigerian Air Force Base Hospital in Kaduna before they were invited to participate in the training programme. They claim that they had actually been congratulated for passing the medical test.

    Their lawyer, Mr. Olusoji Toki, told the EFCC boss that the 24 trainee recruits were sidetracked to make room for “special candidates”. It is disheartening that an agency of government that lays claim to fighting the integrity battle on behalf of the country has refused to react to the allegation. This could suggest to many that there is some truth in the allegation. The EFCC is not known to be taciturn, rather, it has been accused many times of being garrulous and rushing to the media even when investigations are yet to commence on cases.

    In the on-going controversies over recovered cash, the commission made its catch public before it could even answer basic questions about the owners of the building and legal occupants of the apartments. But, in this case, the young people have been left all alone.

    This is one case that should not be left to die naturally. If Nigeria is to be revived, justice must be seen to thrive in the land. It is a notorious fact that it takes having godfathers or parting with huge sums of money as gratification to recruitment officers or agencies to scale the unemployment hurdle. It is easily recalled that it was such circumstances under Mr. Abba Moro as interior minister that a Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) recruitment exercise led to the deaths of many young Nigerians. Each had been made to pay for registration on-line and then invited for a test that led to stampede. The lot fell on the EFCC to charge the former minister and others involved in that sad episode to court.

    As the agency charged with promoting integrity in governance, and moral probity in the society, the EFCC is expected to be above board always. In this case, while not rushing to conclusion (since it is still an accusation), the handling of the petition by the commission falls below public expectation.

    Every public organisation should be transparent in its recruitment process. All Nigerians are entitled to apply, and after passing the test, no one has the right to deprive them of the opportunity based on excuses that cannot pass legal and moral scrutiny. We therefore call on the EFCC to clear the air immediately. Were the candidates properly screened as they have alleged? Did they pass the medical test? If they did not, why were they invited for the training? At what point was it discovered that they had such medical conditions that make them unfit to undergo the training? How were the substitutes chosen? Did they also undergo the rigorous screening procedure?

    In view of these posers, the Federal Government should institute a probe into the cloudy circumstances surrounding the matter and make its findings public within a short period. Justice delayed is justice denied.

  • Alaafin calls for true federalism

    Alaafin calls for true federalism

    The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111, has called for true federalism to foster what he described as unity in diversity. He also enjoined the Federal Government to ensure that the reports of Commissions of Enquiry into civil disturbances and violent conflicts are sincerely implemented, with a view to bringing the perpetrators to justice.

    The monarch called for discipline, hard work, selflessness, patriotism, dedication and unalloyed support for the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

    Oba Adeyemi gave the admonitions in Lagos at an award ceremony organised by the World Peace and Diplomacy Organisation, in collaboration with KEISIE International University, South-Korea.

    The Alaafin said: “There can be no national development without relative peace and stability.  Since May 1999, there have been greater challenges of security than at any point in time in our history, thus rendering our political stability fragile, democratic institutions and processes fluid, and our economy debilitated.

    “Government, political leaders and followers, and all of us, must have the courage and honesty to get to the root causes of our current state of insecurity, underpinned by criminality, and insurgency/terrorism; Our leaders and followers have taken the issues of security for granted; yet urgent and immediate steps (short and long–term) must be taken to consciously respond to current threats by architectonically designing and building a security system which would create a stable and relatively peaceful environment, conducive for national development’’.

    He added: “We must accept the reality that while it is necessary to create “unity in diversity”, we must identify and respect our differences – “diversity in unity”. Unless those in government are in a country different from ours, they should realise that the conditions of life are currently very hard for the average Nigerian. Having one, let alone three square meals daily, poses a real problem, not to talk of affording costs of medicals for members of families”.

    Oba Adeyemi called for the development of a national security strategy that is aligned with the anti-corruption and national development priorities.

    He added: “The present administration must be eulogized for investing massively in infrastructure, education, health,  job creation and youth programmes. There is also need to bolster the capacity and professional autonomy of anti-corruption institutions, identify institutional entry points in governance systems, such as access to information and social accountability and transparency, adopt an institution building approach to governance, and bolster the capacity of public institutions for effective service delivery’’.

    The monarch described corruption as multi-dimensional, adding that it does not only involve money, but also involves the abuse of trust, processes and institutions.

    He said: “It is my conviction that  we should concentrate on the prevention of corruption by establishing appropriate mechanisms for checking it.

    “This will reduce the number and cost of cases prosecuted. If we must rebrand Nigeria, Nigerians must shun primordial sentiments, but give total support to the present administration, as its determination to be exemplary should not be in doubt.’’

  • Towards a true ‘party of change’ for Nigeria

    Recently, I wrote that Nigeria does not want another mega-party, but a true party of change. I added that our politicians who had recently tried to create a party of change, though they had put enormous good intensions, energy and resources into the effort, had made crucial mistakes, including the mistake of not negotiating thoroughly with groups inside the group. Since then, I have given some more thoughts to this matter.

    First and foremost, a true party of change must be a party of ideas and programmes. Its agenda must state clearly how the Nigerian federation will be restructured, and what the principles, process and time-table for restructuring will be. It must include programmes for change in all sectors of the Nigerian economy (modern agriculture, rural development, modern job skills development, entrepreneurial development, infrastructural development, educational improvement and expansion, small business development, business assistance programmes, export promotion, urban renewal, fiscal policy, cast-iron protection for public treasuries and bank accounts, systematic inclusion of the Nigerian Diaspora in Nigerian development, etc). It must include protection of the integrity of various regulatory agencies (Police, Electoral Commission, Judiciary, the Civil Service, etc) to enable them to do their duties properly. It must also include sincere plans for returning Nigeria’s elections to orderly, free, fair, peaceful, democratic exercises. And it must include a no-nonsense programme for eliminating public corruption. Very importantly, since sections of the leaders in the new effort will need to negotiate certain critical issues among them, the agenda must include assurance that this will be done in unalloyed interest of Nigeria, and in the open sunshine, and how the agreed details will be made spring-clear to all Nigerians.

    In yet one more direction, the true party of change must lead Nigeria back to sanity. In modern democratic systems, the well-established practice is that members of political parties own and control their parties, and politically active members have voices in the affairs of their parties. By and large, this was the kind of parties created by our founding fathers in 1951 – AG, NCNC, NPC, NEPU, etc.  Individual members of each party bought inexpensive party membership cards as proud proof of membership – and such cards were usually renewable annually. Members attended party meetings at their own expense at all levels, and did not expect money from their party or party leaders. Persons who got elected or appointed to public positions on the platform of their party paid into the coffers of their party an agreed small percentage of their salaries from those positions. Rich members might donate large sums of money to their party, and a government controlled by a party might employ its power to find money for the party, but even the smallest individual member was able to enjoy the pride that he was one of the persons financially supporting his party’s existence and strength. Parties had executive committees at local, state and national levels, and such bodies were respected within the party. Parties also had independent party financial accounts, as well as party secretariats, and paid party officials earning their salaries directly from the party accounts.  Party constituencies responsibly nominated their candidates for elections to all levels of government. All these contribute to making political parties democratic in their structure and activities, to making party leaders respectful and responsive to party members, and to making governance democratic.

    Change must include a return to this kind of sanity. The party of change must not only conscientiously organize and run itself along these norms, it must promote the establishment of these norms as the legally binding standard for political parties in our country. It must also commit itself to promote strict laws and regulations directed at making Nigeria’s politics responsible, oriented towards ideas and serious debates, and respectful of law, order and public peace. It must also commit itself to legally and truly eliminating from Nigerian politics such destructive practices as the use of thugs in politics, the amassing of armies of thugs by politicians, and the payment of citizens for attendance in political meetings. And it must advocate for legal provision for regional parties that choose to focus attention on the development of their particular regions.

    Parties of change like this have been done before in Nigeria, and can be done again. Intrinsically, the pre-independence political parties (AG, NCNC, NPC, NEPU, etc) were, to varying extents, parties of change, parties with ideas and programmes of development, parties under pressure to show that they could develop their country better than the British had been doing, parties which, to varying degrees, tried to organize and operate as parties of the people. To varying extents, these parties generated serious development and progress in their different regions of Nigeria in the 1950s. These progressive tendencies were strongest in the Western Region and in the Action Group which originated in the Western Region – part of the reason for his being that such progressive traditions had been well established from ancient times in the political life of the Yorubas of the Western Region. Also the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) founded in 1978, was a big improvement on the progressivism of the AG. Even though the UPN suffered hostility from the military dictatorship of the years before the 1979 elections, the UPN was phenomenally successful at mobilizing membership and support all over Nigeria because of its thoughtful development programmes and its well-known sincerity. And then, though the UPN was robbed of success at the presidential election of 1979, it easily swept the South-west, and it gave to the states of the South-west the highest quality of governance and development in Nigeria in 1979-83.

    In country after country in today’s world, parties of this kind have been known to change the directions of their countries astoundingly for the better. In Ghana, in the years of Jerry Rawlings’ second coming (as a civilian politician elected as president in 1991), his most important gift to his country was that he reorganized his ruling party and his country’s politics along these lines – and that is when Ghana began to emerge from disorder and poverty into the sustained progress that the world is commending today. Lee Kwan Yew, the man who pulled Singapore out of abject poverty and made her “Asia’s success model” in only a few years in the late 1960s, achieved his miracle by first reordering his party and his country’s politics in these ways. Korea was devastated and split in two (North and South) by the Korean War of the 1950s. After some more years of uncertainty, South Korea bravely reorganized its political life along these lines, and it is therefore a successful country today. In contrast, North Korea chose a communist dictatorship, and it is therefore still a desperately poor country – a country that is trying to divert attention from its internal hardships by rowdily threatening the peace of the world. And yet others are Slovakia and the Czech Republic, after these two peacefully agreed in 1991 to dissolve the joint country of Czechoslovakia into which European powers had forced them in 1918. By organizing their political lives sensibly along these lines, the two countries are among the most successful economies in Europe today.

    The emotional support for a party like this is potentially overwhelming today in Nigeria. In the disaster facing Nigeria, there are countless Nigerians, high and low, who would support serious and sincere efforts to save their country. Most Nigerians are shocked, embarrassed and pained by the sordid poverty, corruption, confusion and instability of their naturally rich country, and the irresponsibility and rapacity of their country’s leaders. When the aged statesman, Maitama Sule, recently called for a revolution, he was speaking for most Nigerians. The critical population mass exists for an invincible mass movement for grabbing control of Nigeria from those who see politics as a means of amassing personal wealth and those whose mission in Nigerian politics is to impose and expand their own ethnic nation’s domination over Nigeria.  Very many prominent Nigerians demand restructuring of the Nigerian federation so that Nigeria may become efficient for development and for harmony among Nigerian peoples. Many of these are warning that delay in restructuring could destroy Nigeria. Most Nigerians believe that widening regional autonomies (to empower each section of Nigeria to develop its resources and curb poverty among its people) could bring to an end even the most extreme demands for secession.  The masses of Nigeria’s unemployed youths, the millions of Nigerians who are poor, hungry and destitute, the majority of Nigerians who hunger for basic safety and security and who daily suffer from failures of electricity, clean water, and public administrative services, are desperate for change. The door seems wide open for a true party of change.

  • Still on true federalism

    Still on true federalism

    Six months ago, I called for a deliberate movement toward “a more perfect union”, which respects the federal structure that the founding fathers of the republic envisioned. Here I quote from the first two paragraphs from my July 3, 2016 column:

    “We have been speaking pass each other for a long time. Especially since 1966, we have used terms and concept that different groups interpret as fighting words. As often as it does happen, the natural reaction of everyone is to flee to their corners to fight back and the hope of one nation bound in truth and freedom has been the loser.

    “While one group takes a stand for true federalism and argues therefore for restructuring the country to bring about that change, another mocks the idea and instead calls for strong leadership. (At a point in the present republic, a senator actually argued boldly for unitarism). While one voice advocates for resource control and fiscal federalism, another argues that to avoid disintegration, the centre needs to corner the most resources. It appears from the pattern we have seen thus far that whichever party controls the centre sees itself as the protector of the nation’s unity at all cost and cannot be expected to give an inch, even when that inch is going to yield a mile in terms of lasting unity.

    I emphasise the last sentence of the paragraph above to affirm that my understanding of the pattern of support for and opposition against the idea of true federalism has been precise. The ruling party has generally seen itself as the defender of unity, which it wrongly assumes is threatened by true federalism. On the other hand, the opposition has been in the vanguard of the demand for true federalism. I do not intend to impute any motives but it is amazing that the party positions turn out this way.

    One reason that many progressive-minded citizens gave their unflinching support to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last presidential election was their belief that it shared their values about a true federal structure as the best way to advance the nation.

    The “Manifesto of the All Progressives Congress (APC)”, which was publicised as the contract between the party and Nigerians, is still prominent on its web page. In the first bullet point of the manifesto under the first heading, “The Constitution”, the party promised to “initiate action to amend our constitution with a view to devolving powers, duties and responsibilities to state and local governments in order to entrench true federalism and the federal spirit.”

    I hope that I am not alone in deducing from the quoted item on APC’s manifesto the following conclusions. First, I inferred that APC is committed to entrenching a true federal structure in the country. Second, the party and its members, especially those in leadership positions, understand the fundamentals of a true federal structure. Third, I deduced that once Nigerians gave it their mandate, APC intended to educate those of its members, who are given positions of authority in government so that they are in sync with its resolve to fulfil its promise to the electorate.

    I did not infer, nor did I expect any dissension within the party hierarchy regarding the meaning of true federalism or the need for its entrenchment as the pillar of governmental policy in an APC administration. That was what the logic of the statement of the manifesto led me to believe. To the extent that a different conclusion has been inferred and acted upon, it is not unusual, but it is not a validly drawn conclusion. It is not unusual because the phenomenon of akrasia or weakness of the will is a familiar one. That which is known to be right is avoided because at the point of action, the knee buckles.

    My inferences gave me reason for shock and embarrassment when I read a screaming headline from the Nigerian Tribune of November 11, 2016: “Minister tackles govs over true federalism.” Prior to reading the content, I had imagined the minister encouraging governors to do more to implement the party’s manifesto. But I was wrong.

    I am still unsure if Minister Adebayo Shittu was quoted correctly by the media. But I have waited for a rebuttal, which has not been forthcoming. Here is what the minister was quoted to have said at a forum at the University of Ibadan: “A lot of people have been talking of true federalism. But it is always a problem when you ask them to define what true federalism is. The question I ask is what is the definition of true federalism? What are the expectations? A lot of times they talk about the fact that the federal government takes more money from the federation account.”

    The reason this is embarrassing is that it is coming from a minister of the All Progressives Congress, which has as its first platform a strong commitment to true federalism. Is there such a fundamental ideological division within the APC-led federal government?

    The minister went on to tackle the governors to do more about local government autonomy, a legitimate observation, which ought to be kept separate. It would make more sense for the minister to proceed as follows: “The APC government is committed to a true federal structure and intends to deliver on its promise. However, the states must help in this effort especially by granting local autonomy as an important strand of true federalism.” Why, for heaven’s sake, do you have to contemptuously dismiss true federalism just because you have issues with state governments on local government elections? I don’t get it!

    Interestingly, it was a PDP stalwart, the Secretary to the Ondo State Government, who had called for true federalism and suggested that “the federal government was holding the jugular of development across the country.” It confirms my observation above.

    To answer the minister, I quote again from my July 3 submission about the primacy of true federalism in our type of political structure:

    “Just as the establishment of a legitimate political authority is the answer to potential anarchy in situation of absolute individual freedom, so federalism is the panacea against potential chaos where ethnic nationalities cohabit and each has an abiding interest in the protection of its inherited values and ideals of life and feels compelled to repel perceived encroachments on such values. This is what the advocacy for true federalism understands intimately.

    “While true federalism does not espouse national disintegration as its adversaries wrongly assume, a pseudo-federal structure lends itself to resentment and thus political crises of the kind that we have witnessed in our recent history. For even when there is no intention to impose values or to marginalise, “mind-readers” are pretty much in the business of psycho-analysing and drawing conclusions, right or wrong. Whether it be in the matter of grazing reserves versus private ranches, or in the issue of revenue sharing, or in national language policy, there is plenty of room for diversity of positions and thus of mischief getting in the way of rational adjudication.” 

    In other words, the first point of interest for advocates of true federalism is not about granting more funds to the states. That is secondary. The first question is what areas of governance are best left in the hands of the states or regions. Once that is resolved, the question of how those areas are funded can then be determined. I also observed in the submission under reference as follows:

    “In the matter of revenue sharing, the central government has its obligations just as do the states. And while the nation has to determine the matter of what accrues to the centre and what to the states, it is not a matter of conjecture that states, being closer to the theatre of action regarding the welfare of the people, have a huge responsibility to bear. Therefore, states must explore all available sources of revenue and generate as much as possible for the discharge of their obligations.”

    True federalism is leaving for states what rightly belongs to them, and to the centre its areas of responsibility.

  • ‘A dream come true’

    ‘A dream come true’

    Visiting Osogbo? You do not have to worry about where to stay. Aenon Suites and Hotel International Limited has opened in the Osun State capital. It promises to give customers and tourists to the Osun Osogbo Festival, value for their money. Ass

    Osun State tourism industry has received a boost with the opening of a multi-million naira hotel, Aenon Suites and Hotel International in Osogbo, the state capital.

    Located on two-and-a-half hectares of land in the Government Reservation Area (GRA), the 41-room  facility has not only changed the leisure and tourism landscape of the city, but has also lifted the quality of services in the industry.

    Its Chief Executive Officer, Ademola Adedapo, said he was inspired to embark on the project by his experience in 2012. While trying to get a good hotel in Osogbo, he recalled, he drove round the state capital for several hours.

    He said: “In 2012 during one of my visits to Osun State, it was difficult for me to get an ideal hotel to stay. I went to about eight hotels, yet none was okay for me. The search lasted from 6pm to 9pm. So, this challenged me to start the hotel project and my dream was to have a standard hotel in Osogbo. Today, it is a dream come true,” he said.

    Adedapo, an engineer, may not be in the hospitality business, but he has stayed in standard hotels across the globe. He has taste, knows what he wants and which hotel will deliver quality services. He said the hotel’s plan and its facilities show that “we are here for business, and I would have opened the hotel last year but wasn’t ready with quality.”

    According to him, the long-term plan is to spread to other parts of the country and possibly sell the franchise to the world.

    On what makes the hotel unique, Adedapo said he hired  managers with performance indices, who are tasked to keep the place as new as possible.

    “If you appreciate quality and standard, Aenon is the place to be. I insisted in thoroughness and I have a taste for excellence, which influenced what we have here.

    ‘’Yet, it is affordable, and it is here for guests and as such should be affordable… We picked ideas from different hotels to give what we have now. We tried to model the hotel after a famous hotel in China. The beddings are modelled after Sheraton Dubai,” he added.

    Apart from quality and standard of service, Aenon Suites is located in a serene environment where security is guaranteed. It is equipped with facilities, such as conference hall for seminars, bar, event centre, business centre, restaurant, gym, sauna bath, swimming pool tennis court and laundry services. At Aenon Suites, every worker is a marketing officer whose target includes Osogbo, Ekiti State, Ibadan and its environs.

    istant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME reports.