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Tag: young

  • Catching them young

    The three-month free training and placement programme tagged ‘Project Create’ has ended in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital. No fewer than 100 youths attended the event, which included a job fair, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    THE three-month free training and placement for youths, tagged: Project Create, has ended in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital with a job fair.

    The programme, supported by PIND Foundation and Niger Delta Youth Employment Pathways (NDYED) Project, held between last October and December.

    The fair hosted tech firms in and outside the state.

    The event was attended by youths who wanted to explore employment and internship opportunities with reputed international and national organisations.

    Start Innovation Hub Chief Executive Hanson Johnson said the training created a new place for entrepreneurs.

    According to him, Project Create is helping to build a tech community  of programmers.

    He said his dream is to help the Niger Delta, become a leading destination for entrepreneurs who want to develop their applications for the public sector.

    He said such fairs played a role in bridging the gap between universities and the industry, and helping  to understand demands.

    Johnson said 100 youths benefited from the training. The trainees made  of Akwa Ibom indigenes and from the Niger Delta, formed the various tracks in the programme. They include android web and hardware development, digital media marketing, video editing and motion graphics, graphics design, blogging, and Internet of Things (IOT). The participants took turns to pitch their final projects during the fair.

    Highpoint of the event was presentations of swags to outstanding trainees and issuance of internship placement letters.  Of the  400 who applied, only 112 were admitted.  So far, more than 40 trainees have been placed on internship. Some of the trainees have formed teams to work on startup ideas from this month.

    Akwa Ibom Commissioner for Science and Technology Mr. Nse Essien commended the trainees for taking advantage of the programme. ‘’I want to thank Start Innovation Hub for taking up the challenge of training Akwa Ibom youths in ICT skills, which, to me, is the fastest way of getting jobs in this era.

    ‘’The Akwa Ibom State Government under the administration of Governor Udom Emmanuel has concluded plans to kick-start the building project of Ibom Science Park, projected to have an exclusive centre for the tech innovators in Akwa Ibom State,’’ Essien said.

    The commissioner, moved by the innovative ideas by the trainees promised that as soon as the park is completed, the trainees would be inducted into the park.

    ‘’We are going to adopt the first batch of Project Create trainees into Ibom Science Park once the park is on its completion phase,’’ he added.

    Also at the event were firms that partnered Start Innovation Hub. They were Codekago Limited, Hypestation Nigeria, Aiiburtel Nigeria, The Roothub, Digital Suites, Kanara TV, Xpress Technologies, AfrimeNig, 36zerong, and Wallboard Computers.

    Others were Propeller Newspaper, Inyanga Studio, Elite Phenomenon, Abed-Chibir Brothers, Motion Grade & Graphics, Transcorp Hotel Calabar, Comfort FM, Planet FM, Elroy Technologies, Digital Dreams Enugu, Lewisky Computer and IMFI.

     

  • Young, cerebral amid despair

    I had cause to smile and frown in June. I smiled at good pieces of writing and frowned at extremely substandard attempts at essay writing. Pity, disgust and fear were other feelings I had while reading through the essays. But what gladdened my heart the most was that I also felt hope and energy. I felt the ‘lost generation’ in this ‘lost country’ can still work out some miracle to take our country back from the failed generation and make us truly proud.

    It all started when I became an accidental judge of an essay contest organised by Young and Cerebral, a platform run by some young and upwardly mobile Nigerians. A judge dropped out unexpectedly and I became the substitute. I had to read and judge 96 entries in one of the two categories. In the category I judged, entrants wrote on “Popular Nigerian I Consider Self-Actualised”. The other category was about how a raw idea can change the society.

    The first piece I read was written by Abasima Solomon Essien. 22-year-old. Essien, who is a student of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), started his piece on Linda Ikeji this way: “Everyone knows her: everyone should, as a matter of fact.” Being a sucker for punchy introductory sentences or paragraphs, Essien hooked me and even before reading further and discovering other nice pieces like the ones by Ayodeji Awe and Morenike Adams, I felt I had found my winner. But the decision was not solely mine. I am just glad that Essien and Adams made the final list. Awe carried the day in this category after the public was allowed to choose the winner on twitter. He was away in Manchester when the prize was presented on Saturday.His brother received the honour on his behalf.

    Though I was not a judge on the second category, I read the piece by the winner, Anietie Asuquo Akpan (you can call him triple A) and he bought me over. He wrote: “Idea is like an embryo in a mother’s womb, so young and tender it lies so still. Like a new born baby it makes a loud cry when it is born, thereby creating an impact that draws many towards its direction. Ignoring an idea is like aborting a baby; it flows away from our minds, just like an unwanted baby is washed away from a mother’s womb. As we do so, we destroy the destiny of such babies and the impact they would have made in the society…” His idea centres on introducing a one-year compulsory vocational training for all secondary school students.

    It was nice meeting these young Nigerians on Saturday at the UNILAG FM, where they were presented their prizes, which include laptops, printers and phones. Comfort Uwakhonye was a brilliant host as usual. Toyin Tapa Osodi, her colleague, was missing in action because she was on duty at Talk FM, where she was hosting another of Young and Cerebral’s radio shows.

    The winners, the finalists, Toyin, Comfort, Seun Odukoya, author of ‘Saving Dapo’, and I later converged on Young and Cerebral’s conference room in Yaba for a workshop on writing.

    What struck me in the conference room first was the abundance of talents. It also occurred to me that some people’s writing careers might have been started unknowingly. I could perceive confidence brewing. Being winners and finalists in the contest was a validation whose evidence I suspect we will see in form of books in years to come.  These guys had thoughts that were profound for their ages.

    Akpan’s idea that pupils should have vocational training before going to higher institutions strikes me as an answer to the unemployment ravaging our country. If you are trained in fashion designing, carpentry or cake making, there is so much money to make instead of waiting for unwilling employers. Just employ yourself and tuck your higher certificates somewhere in the drawer. These days, I even see a lot of people go into fashion designing and other vocations after earning university degrees. One of those in this category is Bukola Olajide of DebbyRose Fashion Academy. She earned a degree in Mass Communication from the Redeemers’ University and was one of the best in her set. Now, she is doing well in fashion and also imparting knowledge on others via online fashion training. Rather than wait on government or the private sector for shrinking job space, may be it is time for self-actualision. Adams and Essien wrote on Linda Ikeji and Ali Baba. The duo did not wait on government or private sector to employ them.

    Ali Baba, for instance, fought his way out of the poverty in the Niger Delta to the exclusivity of NICON Town. He is a writer. He has done some fantastic photography. His poetry is in a class not a few believe only special poets belong. He also acts, motivates and hosts talk show.  The entrepreneur in him is of no mean stature. He is so good at what he does that he lost his first and surname decades ago. Like Zaq in Helon Habila’s ‘Oil on Water’, he seems always interested in the greater meaning.

    This son of a soldier born in Warri but from Agbarha-Otor has risen from the flabby back of the Niger Delta to become an institution. Ask other comedians and they will tell you he is the king.

    He sees desperation in saying “I need just any job”. As far as he is concerned, only people who do not have value to add thread this path. Harvesters should not play the role of planters, he preaches.

    My final takeaway for me from the competition borders on the positive things social media can be used for. All the contestants got to know of the contest on social media and the winners were chosen via the same platform. Hate speech, ethnic profiling and the other senseless stuffs most of us do on the social media can do nothing other than further drive our country down the precipice. If we burn down this country, there is a limit to those America, United Kingdom and others can accommodate. If we fall our heaven, we all go down.

     

  • Details of Not Too Young To Run Bill

    A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ALTER THE PROVISION OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999 AND FOR OTHER MATTERS CONNECTED THEREWITH

    Sponsored by Hon. Tony Nwulu

    [ ] Commencement
    BE IT ENACTED by the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as
    follows:
    1. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (in this Act referred to as
    “Principal Act”) is amended as set out in this Bill.
    Qualifications for Membership of National Assembly
    2. Section 65 (1)(a) and (b) is amended by substituting the provisions with a new
    provision as follows:
    A person shall be qualified for election as a member of –
    (a) the Senate, if he is a citizen of Nigeria and has attained the age of thirty years;
    and
    (b) the House of Representatives, if he is a citizen of Nigeria and has attained the age
    of twenty-five years.
    3. Section 65 (2)(b) is amended by substituting the provision with a provision as
    follows:
    A person shall be qualified for election under subsection (1) of this section if –
    (c) He is member of a political party and is sponsored by that party or he is an
    independent candidate
    Qualifications for Membership of House of Assembly
    4. Section 106 (b) and (d) is amended by substituting the provisions with new
    provision as follows:
    A person shall be qualified for election as a member of a House of Assembly if –
    (b) he has attained the age of twenty-five years;
    (d) he is a member of a political party and is sponsored by that party or he is an
    independent candidate
    Qualifications for election as President
    5. Section 131 (b) and (c) is amended by substituting the provisions with new
    provisions as follows:
    A person shall be qualified for election to the office of the President if –
    (b) he has attained the age of thirty;
    (c) he is a member of a political party and is sponsored by that political party or he
    is an independent candidate
    Qualifications for election as Governor
    6. Section 177 (b) and (c) is amended by substituting the provisions with new
    provisions as follows:
    A person shall be qualified for election to the office of the Governor of a State if –
    (b) he has attained the age of thirty;
    (c) he is a member of a political party and is sponsored by that political party or he
    is an independent candidate
    7. This Bill may be cited as Constitution (Alteration) Bill, 2016
    EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
    This Bill seeks to alter the Section 65, 106, 131, 177 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal
    Republic of Nigeria (as amended) to reduce the age qualification for the office of the
    President and Governor and membership of the Senate and House of Representatives and the
    State House of Assembly. The Bill also seeks to allow independent candidacy in Nigeria’s
    electoral process.

  • Young entrepreneurs urged to invest in agric

    The Chief Executive Officer, Davichi Farm Tech, David Echegwisi, has challenged young entrepreneurs to invest in agriculture to boost employment generation and meet the growing food gap.

    Echegwisi spoke at the Farmfest 3.0 organised by the company at Inspire Centre in Simawa, Ogun State.

    The event brought together farmers, women groups, cooperative societies, corporate bodies, students, school owners, and agriculture enthusiasts among others.

    He called for increased investment in agribusiness to tackle unemployment.

    According to him, industrialists, including Aliko Dangote, Maduka Cosmas, and Oba Otudeko, are into agriculture because they saw huge potential in the sector.

    He challenged unemployed youths to explore agriculture as there were fewer white collar jobs.

     

  • Not Too Young To Run Bill, NASS’ golden gift

    Sir: It was very welcome news during the course of the year when both houses of the National Assembly passed the constitutional amendment bill colloquially referred to as the ‘Not Too Young to Run Bill’.

    The Not Too Young to Run bill reduces the age of eligibility for legislative and executive offices, as currently prescribed by the constitution. The bill still needs to be ratified by at least 24 state Houses of Assembly and assented to by the President to become law, but it is nonetheless an important step in widening the pool from which we select our leaders and representatives, at least theoretically speaking.

    Theoretically, this is because age is just one of the many subsets in the Venn diagram of political selection in Nigeria. The theory of it all is why many watchers were surprised that the bill did not die on the floor of either house. A substantial part of the advocacy for the bill focused on the unsatisfactoriness of the choices available to the electorate during the election season. Some have described the current order as “sexagenarians who only seem focused on perpetuating 19th-century leadership in a 21st-century world”.

    Beyond the nominal trappings of sloganeering – electricity, good roads, potable water, basic education and healthcare – which have defined our elections in the last three decades, Nigeria needs leaders who can wrap their heads around new world issues – artificial intelligence, cryptocurrencies, the internet and so on.

    There is an imperative to usher in a new and virile breed that are competent in speaking to concepts that revolve around innovation, coordination, green, openness and sharing  as they impact Nigeria and the wider world in the coming years. To attempt to bridge this massive gap and turn ourselves into a competitive economy requires a lot more vision and strategic thinking than our beret and glove wearing administrators have demonstrated over time. This is where my generation has so much to offer and I do honestly think that we can do much better.

    In all of this, we are not too idealistic. We realise, as has been famously said, that power is never served a la carte. And there are indeed a few governors and senators in their forties that perhaps lend themselves to the argument that youth can lead just as poorly as age – the Wisdom of Solomon, the Age of Methuselah, Strength of Samson having nothing to do with each other and all that. Clearly, there are many other factors such as intellectual capacity, wealth, zoning and so on that prevent the pool of contestants from being much richer than it currently is.

    This is why it is imperative that once the constitution has officially been amended to allow younger people to run for office, advocacy must resume immediately to push new bills. We need new bills such as the Not Too Poor to Run and Not Too Smart to Run bills. The National Assembly can surely open more doors and break more glass ceilings in a bid to fast-track Nigeria’s race to the top while leveraging her greatest assets, its huge youth demography.

    To be less facetious, one must commend the Senate on this issue, for helping to move the needle to ensure that Nigerian youth have a foot in the door to being the leaders of today and tomorrow.

     

    • Folakunle Adeagbo,

    Lagos.

     

  • African politics: Young must grow

    SIR: By the wake of decolonization in 1945, Ghana’s former president, Kwame Nkrumah was just 36 years old. He had become politically conscious at age of 23 when he started Nzima Literary Society. Coming before Kwame into the limelight of political awareness was former Nigeria’s president, Nnamdi Azikwe. At exactly 30 years old, he had become a graduate instructor in History and Political Science Department at Lincoln College; he had created an African History course in that department and had begun writing his political opinions as a columnist for pro-Africanist papers. He influenced Kwame’s interest in Black nationalism.

    Julius Nyerere, former president of Tanzania came into the scene quite late but not without the zeal needed for a political career. By 1954, at the age of 32, he had helped form the Tanganyika African National Union – an instrument in obtaining the independence of Tanganyika and eventually Tanzania. Few years later, Nyerere issued his vision of ‘Ujamaa’ – African Socialism.

    However, while some of the African liberators (not necessary mentioned above) met an untimely death in the hands of those they fought for; a few stepped down as leaders to let others lead; many of them remained sit-tight. It suffices to note that these freedom fighters started young, got into the power struggle scene and fought through to liberate their various nations. They understood the analogy of power. Power is not given, it is taken. They were literally worshiped, accepted by Africans and taken Young Africans needs to take a clue. Kaduna State governor, Nasir El Rufai, explains the reality of African youths in politics thus: “The youth come into the political process with a sense of entitlement. Nobody gives you power…You have to get involved and fight and negotiate for it. If youth think old guys would just hand over power to them because they are young, then they are making a mistake. It has not happened anywhere in the world. It will not happen. The issue is involvement and getting engaged and making contributions. Then you will have the way”.

    This brings to fore the need for youth’s genuine, positive and impactful involvement in politics. There is a need to bring something to the political scene, as a contributor not just a liability or benefactor. The old men in power fought passionately to get the power they own and enjoy as perceived by most African citizens. Political power – which also comes with wealth not economic power – becomes a jealously owned possession because they earned it. Hence, they will need either a trusted hand to hand the power over to or they will watch a determined generation, fight to get that power off their hands, the way they fought to get and earn it. Then, the old generation will agree that the young have grown.

     

    • Oluwatosin Akintola,

    Lagos.

  • Fidelity Bank partners Africa’s young entrepreneurs

    Fidelity Bank partners Africa’s young entrepreneurs

    idelity Bank Plc. has partnered with the Africa’s Young Entrepreneurs (AYE) to empower entrepreneurs in Nigeria. The partnership agreement between both organizations, signed recently, will strengthen the on-going efforts and initiatives of AYE in developing and supporting future business leaders. It will also afford Fidelity Bank the opportunity to offer financial and technical advisory services to enhance the competitiveness and dynamism of young Nigerian entrepreneurs.

    With a network of over 12.6 million members across the continent and 1.6 million Nigerian members, AYE is the largest network of entrepreneurs in the world. The organisation uses conferences, workshops and motivational talks to share practical information on how to develop and manage businesses. As one of Nigeria’s top lenders operating out of over 240 business offices and other numerous e-channels, this is in tandem with Fidelity Banks’ unique solutions to supporting small businesses and practical steps in hand holding and guiding entrepreneurs to building sustainable businesses.

    “The partnership was made possible because we share the same ideals on entrepreneurship and job creation.  In line with the Federal Government’s economic diversification plan, more employment opportunities lead to poverty alleviation, improved food security and GDP growth” said CEO Fidelity Bank,  Nnamdi Okonkwo at a media parley in Lagos on Wednesday, November 22, 2017.

    The AYE encourages social entrepreneurship with role models, powerful mentors, social innovators, thought leaders, forward thinking investors and people passionate about addressing a range of societal and environmental challenges.

  • Catching them young with arts

    Catching them young with arts

    It was a banquet of artistic activities at Marywood Girls College, Ebute Metta (West), Lagos State when it held its art exhibition. The event came alive with a showcase of various arts: drawings, paintings, fashion, dance, choreography and display of tye and dye, among others

    The pupils showed creativity and innovation while displaying their artworks, as some thrilled guests with their dance and dramatic performance. The fashion show was also a delight. Set like a professional show, the models walked down the red carpet in diverse lovely Ankara designs, among other trappings.

    The art exhibition, which was the highlight of the day, was equally captivating. Displaying great talents in drawings, paintings, and tye and dye, the pupils came up with creative designs, which many of the guests bought.

    The work of a Senior Secondary School Three (Art) pupil, Serah Song, was quite outstanding. While noting that “art work can be used to change the society for good”, young Serah said her work, entitled: “Mothers pride”, took her five days to complete, having made some research online.

    “God inspired me to come up with the design, after which I made more research online. The message I am passing across with the art is that people living in poor society, still have a lot to offer the society. Children from such communities can still become the pride of the nation,” she said.

    For Amarachi Iroabuchi, a Junior Secondary School Three pupil, “arts can be used to identify problems and fix the solutions”. Hear the budding artist:  “The solutions to the problems of our nation, including child abuse, robbery, kidnapping and domestic violence, can be drawn with a view to correct the situation.” Like Serah, her work caught the eyes of guests, even as an SSTwo pupil, Boluwatife Olabanji, shocked all by making 18 tye and dye cloths, which were showcased at the exhibition.

    “My passion for fashion and desire for it since my younger days made it easy for me to complete the work,” explained Boluwatife.

    The school’s administrator, Rev Sister Catherine Ologunagbassi, said, the arts displayed by the pupils were meant to impact on the society. Introducing children to the Arts early in life, she said, enables them to have a critical mind and contribute to the society.

    She, therefore, urged parents to nurture the creative gifts in the children. “Parents should support their children: having discovered their gift, they should allow them be who they want to be, provide all that they need to actualise their dreams and encourage them to take their skills to the next level.”

    She affirmed that children in the arts cannot deviate from the other school subjects, noting that the school has structure in place to ensure the pupils do all other subjects they are required to.

    She also charged the government and private sector to support and encourage the children with art skills, noting that it would enable them move to greater heights.

    The Chairman, Dr Kunle Filani also enjoined parents to encourage their children in arts.

    “When a child shows interest in creativity, they should be encouraged, because people make the best use of what they love doing and that is where they can triumph. Parents and students must understand the career opportunities, so that children can decide to do what they like doing.

    “Often times because of lack of adequate understanding of the discipline, parents find it difficult to encourage their children to pursue career in the arts. No one can do without arts in our daily activities. Our clothes, shoes, cars and phones are within the creative skills in the art industry. Art is beyond paper and pencil. Whatever discipline you want to settle for, if you have artistic ability, you are likely to be a better person, because your senses of observation, creativity, and competitive skills, combined with your aesthetic ability will help you have an edge.”

    He encouraged the pupils to continue in the line of creativity, be it in the theatre, visual or poetry, adding that parents should support and follow their children’s career.

    Chief Executive Officer, Tabernacle of Talents, Miss Abiola Ajao, observed that God has deposited talents in every man to be of benefit to humanity. According to her, gift is for God, the child, their parents and to serve others.

     

  • Kagame, Elumelu to lead young entrepreneurship day

    Kagame, Elumelu to lead young entrepreneurship day

    The Rwandan President and Chairman of Smart Africa, Paul Kagame and founder of the $100m Entrepreneurship Programme Mr. Tony Elumelu will be lead speakers at the Young Entrepreneurship Day (YED) at the Africa 2017 Forum.

    The Young Entrepreneurship Day will bring together some of Africa’s most-promising entrepreneurs and investors/new partners to help them scale up their ideas and businesses. The most-successful start-ups will gain access to a deal room and a week tailored course at Stanford, United Kingdom.

    The YED is a new addition to the Forum and will take place on the eve of Africa 2017, on  December 7. It has been designed to connect some of Africa’s most promising entrepreneurs and give them exposure to investors, incubators and accelerators as well as partake in workshops that will give them the skills and tools to scale up their businesses.

    Both Elumelu and Kagame have been championing entrepreneurship and will be sharing their perspectives both from government and the private sector as well as engage in an open platform with some of the upcoming leaders from across Africa. Sitting on the advisory board of the YED are Issam Chleuh and Rebecca Enonchong, two of the foremost players in impact investing and in the technology space in Africa as well as Parminder Vir, Chief Executive Officer of Tony Elumelu Foundation. Other speakers at the YED include Ben White of VC4Africa and Wale Ayeni from IFC Ventures, the venture capital wing of the World Bank’s private sector arm.

    Commenting on the YED, Minister of Investment and International Cooperation, Dr. Sahar Nasr, whose ministry is organising the Africa 2017 programme with COMESA Regional Investment Agency, said creating a pro-business environment for entrepreneurs to thrive is at the centre of her government’s policies. “Egypt has been at the forefront of making entrepreneurship work. With a bustling population of 90 million, 50 per cent of which are below the age of 30 and tech savvy, Egypt is rightly staking a claim as one of the fastest growing entrepreneurial hubs in the world,” Nasr said.Africa 2017 has been earmarked as the biggest Business to Business (B2B) and B2G gathering to take place in Africa this year. A number of heads of state have confirmed their attendance and there are 30 African investment promotion agencies and government delegations scheduled to attend. Alongside President Al Sisi of Egypt and President Kagame of Rwanda, Côte d’Ivoire President, Alassane Outtara will be in attendance as well as President of Comoros, Azali Assoumani and the Prime Minister of Mozambique Carlos Agostinho do Rosário. Some of Africa’s biggest names from business will also be attending Africa 2017, with the aim to accelerate cross-border investments and partnerships.

    The Forum will also be a platform for Egypt to showcase some of the mega projects that are underway and the opportunities linked to these in agribusiness, logistics, mining, energy construction, real estate and tourism. 

  • Nigeria @57: Musings of a young citizen

    On Sunday, Nigeria turned 57. It was indeed a great cause for celebration. Amidst all the aplomb and celebration lay a very important question: Is the unity of Nigeria really non-negotiable?

    Let us examine the hypothesis surrounding Nigeria’s “sacred unity”. On October 1, 1960, 57 years ago, Nigeria gained her independence amidst much celebration and fanfare. I was not born then but I have heard and also read about how Nigerians were filled with so much hope and promise of a better future, a future which people like me still dream about till this day. As for the question posed above, I am contending that the “Nigerian Unity” our leaders have sworn to protect is incomprehensible and indeed a disaster for our nation.

    As the popular saying goes, “only a foolish man tries the same thing several times expecting different results”.  Is Nigeria this foolish man? For 57 years, we have been “united” and what benefits has this brought? We have had 57 chaotic years of poor leadership, a civil war and our people by the hour sink into moral delinquency. Whenever people bring the argument that ”our unity is sacred”, I ask ”How many countries have the same level of diversity as we have in Nigeria”? Nigeria has over 300 tribes and languages. All these tribes and languages have been merged into a strange contraption called Nigeria.

    I am of the opinion that the amalgamation of the Southern and Northern Protectorates in January 1914 was a grave mistake that we have yet to recover from. It took Malaysia and India far less time to rectify similar mistakes.

    They recognised their differences early with the former splitting into Malaysia and Singapore while Pakistan and Bangladesh were created from India. However, the mistake called Nigeria has been made and it’s far too late to correct it now. The only solution is to minimize the effects of that mistake. The only way to achieve this now is by restructuring the country while abiding by the true rules of federalism, in a similar model as provided for in the constitution used in the period from 1960 to 1966.

    The period from 1960 to 1966, otherwise called First Republic, was arguably Nigeria’s golden age.  Power was effectively shared between the centre and the various regions. This gave autonomy to each region, basically enabling us to function as “three autonomous regions in one nation”. In those six years, Nigeria had visionary leaders like Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Sir Ahmadu Bello and the less talked about Chief Michael Okpara, Nigeria was at its closest to achieving its promise and delivering on the hope which Nigerians were beaming with at independence on October 1 1960. However, the ill-fated coup of 1966 happened and since then we haven’t had such quality of leaders. These leaders focused more on their regions and paid little or no attention to the “One Nigeria” myth. They were silent big achievers unlike the loud ones we have as leaders today. The fact still remains that the period from 1960 to 1966 under a regional system of government was our golden age. If it worked once, we can try again. Our representatives in the National Assembly should indeed hear the pleas of advocates of restructuring as the current system of “unitary federalism” has left our country in a coma for a little too long. It is worthy of note to mention that I lend no credence to the thuggery of separatist groups like IPOB but the only away to allay such fears and to prevent a re-emergence of such groups is to restructure this country in a way that will accommodate all our differences. The unity might be non-negotiable but the structure of the country is definitely very negotiable and in fact must be changed. There is need for devolution of powers instead of concentration of powers at the centre. We must re-ignite healthy competition between the regions.

    Cost of governance must be reduced to free resources for development. Our system must be tough on corruption.  Source of revenue for the state must be diversified. We must allow component units to discover their strength and exploit it for development purposes.

    In all, I wish all Nigerians a happy 57th independence, although I am of the opinion that there is little to celebrate. We can self-reflect and hope for a better future. I pray to the Good Lord to bless our country and enable us fulfil our true potential as the “Giants of Africa”.

     

    • Olaniyonu writes from Bwari, Abuja.