Fayemi says fundamental restructuring inevitable - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:  

The Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has urged Nigerians to always hold their leaders accountable in order to strengthen the nation's democracy, reports ITREALMS.

Dr. Fayemi pointed out that democracy goes beyond the right to choose leaders through the ballot, but stimulating civic engagement to better the lives of the citizens.

The Governor stated this on Wednesday while delivering a paper at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), Washington DC, United States. He also made a case for a fundamental restructuring of the country as a way of correcting the inherent flaws in the polity.

Governor Fayemi's lecture was entitled: "Twenty Years of Democracy in Nigeria: Successes and Challenges", at the event with the theme : Deepening Democratic Governance in Nigeria.

In attendance were Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom; former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Martin LutherAgwai; former INEC Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega and a member of House of Representatives, Hon Aishatu Dukku; as well as officials of the US Department of State, scholars and members of the civil society.

While noting that Nigeria has made significant progress as a democracy since returning to civil rule in 1999, Dr. Fayemi opined that "democracy is a journey and not a destination" hence the need to address imbalances in the Nigerian federation.

He maintained that a fundamental restructuring of the Nigerian federation is an "unavoidable step for the creation and sustenance of a participatory, consensus oriented, accountable, responsive and equitable national governance based on respect for the rule of law.

Fayemi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF) explained that his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) included restructuring in its 2015 and 2019 manifestoes and has been working towards it in a bid to use its platform to address the perceived structural imbalance.

The restructuring, Dr. Fayemi said, must address issues like writing the people's constitution and the question of constitutional governance, the fundamental precepts of authorising principles of national togetherness, citizenship and national question, the political economy of federalism including the allocation of public revenue, security sector governance, human rights, social justice, electoral system, type of government-parliamentary or presidential, among others.

While urging the Nigerian populace to show more interest in governance and hold their leaders accountable, Dr. Fayemi stated that " an indifference might be dangerous for democracy" as Democratic institutions cannot be strengthened in a climate of of apathy and "clinical disengagement."

Dr. Fayemi said: "The current phase of the struggle is therefore not just about maintaining the sanctity of the ballot but also holding those elected accountable and stimulating civic engagement in the public realm, in a way that democratizes ownership and improve the quality of life of our people.

"We must banish the idea that governance is something performed by a team of gifted performers or strong men, while the rest of the citizens are spectators or complainers." he said.

“What we established in 1999 is the right to choose our leaders via the ballot. But democracy is more than just the ability to choose one’s leaders. As Larry Diamond argues in his latest book, ’Ill Winds’, it means ‘strong protection for basic liberties, such as freedom of the press, association, assembly, belief and religion; the fair treatment of racial and cultural minorities; a robust rule of law; in which all citizens are equal under the law and no one is above it; an independent judiciary to uphold that principle, trust-worthy law enforcement institutions to check the potential for high government officials to behave corruptly; and a lively civil society made up of independent associations, social movements…" Fayemi said.

“But there is a fundamental truth to the saying that politics is too important to be left to politicians. It is about redefining politics itself, transforming it from a rarefied craft reserved for a select few professional politicians, to the protocols and relationships that undergird personal, communal and social wellbeing. In other words, politics is the management of human relationships, interactions and aspirations in the service of the common good. It is not something mysterious that only ‘politicians’ do; it is how citizens operate. Politics is a civic responsibility. It is how we engage with each other. The pursuit of good governance means that politicians can no longer be left to their own devices.

“Seen in this light, the mutual estrangement of government and civil society will end. The civil society will continue to express the communal instinct to regulate power but the chronic antagonism that poisons relations between the state and civil society will be replaced by mutual respect and positive tension. Civic engagement means that the state can access a much larger pool of wisdom and knowledge made available by a new rapport with civil society. In return, participatory governance will become much more practicable across all levels of governance.

“Before we arrive at that new rapport between the state and society, we must work hard to address a lingering threat, a carry over from the days of military rule. The biggest challenge facing us as democrats is to rebuild trust between the state and society. The relationship between both spheres is often needlessly adversarial owing to a lack of trust. Simply put, Nigerians do not trust their governments and this has made it difficult, indeed in some cases, impossible, to build mass citizen movements for a fuller democratic engagement.”


According to Dr Fayemi “residual distrust of power” feeds apathy, disinterest and cynical disengagement.

“The people distrust their governments but not enough to actively check them and avert excesses of power. Rather, they distrust them so much that they desert the state and many simply do not care enough about the public realm. This indifference is dangerous for democracy. Democratic institutions cannot survive or be strengthened in a climate of antipathy nor can politicians long retain their legitimacy under such circumstances. If the price of a free society is eternal vigilance, then apathy will carry a severe penalty for our republic,” he said.

The Ekiti State Governor said looking back on two decades of democratisation in Nigeria, “it is instructive to note that only civic movements mobilised in the context of larger patriotic interests can overwhelm the forces of impunity. It is the discipline of civic engagement that will keep at bay those who wish to turn back the hands of the clock and return us to the dark days of totalitarian rule. The struggle we are engaged in is dedicated to making this democracy truly a government of the people, for the people and by the people, and by so doing honour the memory of all those who paid the supreme sacrifice pursuant of our common aspirations for the good society”.

Ambassador Johnnie Carson of the USIP and Gen Agwai led the discussion session after the Governor's presentation

Monitored by Ayo Midele/Editor

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Pix: Guest Speaker/Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi; delivering a lecture: “Twenty Years of Democratisation; Successes and Challenges “ at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) in Washington D.C., USA…on Wednesday.

1st year: Aare Adams insists on restructuring, plans 21-man Aare-in-council - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Chief Gani Adams, on Wednesday reechoed the call for restructuring as a way out of the challenges confronting Nigeria, accusing those opposing it as misunderstanding the true meaning, reports ITREALMS.

Adams spoke in Ikeja at the launch of two books in his honour by the Lagos Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists to mark the first year of his installation.

Adams, who highlighted other events to mark the anniversary, said: “I cannot end this speech without touching on a topic that is dear to us in Yorubaland.

“I said this before at various fora and I will still repeat it today that the only way out of the various crises Nigeria is facing is restructuring. Whether it is done today, tomorrow or next year, restructuring is a must if Nigeria must move forward.

“Many people, who are against restructuring, don't even know what it means. To me, restructuring simply means reorganisation, not disintegration. When we insist on restructuring, we are not after the balkanisation, disintegration or collapse of the country. What we are simply saying is that we need to reorganise this country.

“All over the world, development is always through Bottom-Up approach, not the other way round.

“Simply put, development can only come from ward to council, to state and then federal.
What the federal must do is to ensure effective compliance with laid down rules. 

“It is not possible to sit in Abuja and control what happens in the remotest part of Zamfara, Osun, Enugu or Rivers States.

“There is no need postponing this because the present system just won't work. The earlier restructuring is done, the better for all Nigerians. I pray that God will give our leaders the will to do the right thing.”

Adams, at the event, also reiterated the need to preserve the rich culture of the Yoruba people, recalling that his predecessors, the 14 Aares who reigned over a period of 589 years, did so in periods of war.

Adams, however, said his own period was important as the 15th Aare to promote Yoruba cultural heritage in a peaceful environment.

He said that 21 traditional council chiefs would be installed as members of the Aare-In-Council on Saturday.

“History will be made on Saturday as these eminent people are installed” he asserted.

Delivering his lecture, the guest speaker, Chief Gboyega Adejumo, said the current Aare was one with a purpose.

“All traditional rulers should please support the Aare, because he is an Aare with purpose. Respect him, don’t look at his young age,” he said

Adejumo, who also represented the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, said the office of the Aare was recognised as far back as 1622.

He explained that democracy started with the Aare because the roles and powers of the executive, legislature and judiciary were clearly separated.

The Chairman of the Lagos Council of the NUJ, Dr. Quasim Akinreti, lamented the effect of technology on culture in the nation.

He said the two books were written to preserve the cultural heritage of the Yoruba race.
“We want the next generation to have respect for their culture and respect for elders,” Akinreti said.

He implored all to patronise the books and also partake in the line up of the events for the installation of the Aare chiefs.

Prof. Siyan Oyeweso of the Department of History, Osun State University, who reviewed the first book, titled: “Gani Adams: The 15th Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land,” said it has 200 pages.
According to Oyeweso, Adams is a worthy Aare, a man of integrity who rose from humble background to greatness.
“The Aare is a role model, exemplar and one of the ambassadors of the Yoruba race,” he said and recommended the book for Ministries of Information, Culture and Tourism.

He also requested the NUJ to make an online version available for wider audience.
Reviewer of the second book, Dr. Tunde Akanni, a lecturer in the Lagos State University, said the book: “Voice of Media, Voice of People,” was a good one, but pointed out the need for consistency in the spelling of nomenclature of the Oodua People’s Congress, which has Aare Adams as National Coordinator.

The “Voice of Media, Voice of People” has 129 pages and contains various media publications and comments about Adams.

Other activities lined up for the anniversary include the final match of the Aare Ona Kakanfo Under-13 football competition at the National Stadium in Lagos on January 10 at 3pm.
On Friday, another book: “1,000 Yoruba proverbs,” will be launched.

On Saturday at the 10 Degrees Event Centre in Oregun, Lagos, 21 Yoruba sons and daughters will be installed as members of the Aare-in-Council, while the launching of a documentary on the Aare and a lunch will conclude the events on Sunday.

Ayo Midele/Editor

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APGA presidential candidate, Gbor, laments Nigeria's brokenness, seeks restructuring - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, retired Major General John Wilson Terwase Gbor, on Sunday in Abuja pledged that his administration would protect every Nigerian no matter where the person lives, reports ITREALMS.

Gbor in his acceptance speech after he was endorsed by his party, General Gbor unveiled a five-point agenda which, he said, would promote national security, peace and prosperity of all Nigerians no matter where they lived in the world.

The five-point agenda, which he described as his “irrevocable covenant with Nigerians,” are: true federalism based on fiscal restructuring, security, economic reconstruction driven by private enterprise, social agenda and a presidential initiative that places empowerment of women and the youth as the key driver of national renaissance.

General Gbor told the APGA delegates to the special convention where he was unveiled with his running mate, Chief Jerry Chukwueke, that Nigeria was badly broken, yearning to be repaired. 

But he said that it is only a pragmatic and progressive leader, not just a president, that could rescue the country from the deplorable situation.

“We need a President who believes that all lives matter and works proactively to protect lives and properties of all Nigerians,” he said to the applause of the audience.

Offering himself as the new face of hope in the midst of despair, Gbor said under his leadership, the Federal Government would take steps to revitalize the non-oil sector, reduce the national debt, promote agriculture and above all work “for the prosperity of all Nigerians where “no one and no place is left behind”.

Expatiating on his economic recovery plan, Gbor said: “In line with APGA’s commitment to restructuring, my administration will vigorously pursue the entrenchment of true federalism which promotes productivity and competitiveness among the federating units.

“Thus, instead of the present misguided emphasis on cake sharing, which accounts for high level of corruption, the APGA-led Federal Government, under my leadership, will promote the emergence of viable, competitive and sustainable economic entities that will unleash the creative potentials of Nigerians. The end result of such competitive entities will be wealth creation, job opportunities, social harmony and national security.”

Dismissing the fear of those who argue that restructuring could lead to disintegration, Gbor said: “The truth is that fiscal federalism and national unity are not mutually exclusive. What a restructured Nigeria will achieve is that, we shall move away from the cake sharing formula which breeds laziness and rent seekers to cake baking which unleashes the creative energies of Nigerians especially the youth.”

The National Chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Oye, who unveiled the presidential candidate and his running mate, assured Nigerians that the party was poised to produce governors in at least eight states of the federation. 

Oye hinged his hope on the party’s belief that the All Progressive Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party were in disarray in those states. 

Besides, he stated that APGA was robbed of victory in Nasarawa and Abia States in 2015 and that the party would reclaim the mandates in 2019.

Uboshe Uboshe/GEE

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Pix: Gen. Gbor and Chief Jerry, his running mate.

Restructuring Nigeria: Propositions summarised

Commentary@ITREALMS:

The aim here is to summarise my current position on the question of geopolitical restructuring of Nigeria. I say “current” because as far as I can remember, I started thinking seriously—and then debating and writing—about restructuring from 1986 as a member of the Political Bureau. Today, 32 years later, I am still thinking and writing on the subject. The present piece is implicitly a draft memo on this important political subject to the Nigerian Left. And, for the avoidance of doubt, the category “Nigerian Left” means the aggregate of socialism and popular democracy in Nigeria today.

What I consider my current aggregate position on restructuring of Nigeria is constituted by several propositions articulated and refined over a fairly long period of time. For the purpose of this piece the propositions can be grouped under the following five broad headings: The impossibility of purely ethnic separation; Redeployment and redistribution of national resources; Levels of exercise of power and responsibility; Principles of triple balancing; and Popular- democratic restructuring at a glance. The propositions are not of the same status. Some of them are issues which the Nigerian Left should struggle to have inserted in the Constitution of Nigeria and others are those that the Left should insert in its programmes, manifestoes and occasional platforms. I shall now take the groups of propositions one after the other.

A little over 20 years ago, on December 3, 1997, when General Sani Abacha was still in power, I attended and contributed to a seminar organized in Calabar by the Cross River State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). The seminar was one of NUJ’s contributions to Abacha’s transition programme after the collapse of Babangida’s experiment. I was asked to speak on the theme “The ethnicity syndrome: How it affects the development of Cross River State”. In the preamble to my contribution I said: “If a 100kg bag of beans and a 100kg bag of rice are mixed, it will be possible, with patience and perseverance, for a school boy or school girl to separate the grains”. I then went on to say that it would be easier for that unfortunate young person to perform the feat than for any political authority or forces to separate Nigeria into pure ethnic components!

Two years later, on November 4, 1999, my piece, Impossibility of (pure) ethnic separation appeared in my column in The Guardian. The article was essentially a review of the late Chief Anthony Enahoro’s proposition on restructuring the federation. But simultaneously the article appeared as a re-statement of my December 3, 1997 proposition. I shall in future return to Chief Enahoro and, in doing so, touch on the coincidence of my position and his on some aspects of geopolitical restructuring. This coincidence led to a series of private meetings between the late nationalist, democrat and federalist and myself in Lagos and Benin between 1992 and 2002.

Mind you, I am not saying that Nigeria cannot disintegrate. Of course, the country can disintegrate if it pushes itself or is allowed to be pushed beyond certain limits by those who have the means and the power. Nigeria can disintegrate in a manner worse than that of the former Soviet Union, the former Yugoslavia, the former Czechoslovakia, the Greater Ethiopia (before Eritrea broke off), the Greater Somalia (before the current catastrophe), and Yemen, a bleeding country which has seen separation and unification several times. All I am saying is that if Nigeria disintegrates—as it can disintegrate if the Nigerian Left does not step in—it will not be along ethnic lines.

If Nigeria disintegrates the more powerful war juntas will simply carve up the country—with each component reproducing Nigeria, that is, recreating majorities and minorities, the dominating and the dominated. Please, set up a large map of Nigeria on the wall. First, demarcate and indicate the present 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory; then, in a different colour, demarcate and indicate the present six geopolitical zones; finally, in another colour, demarcate and indicate Nigeria’s ethnic groups. 

The only requirement I seek from you is elementary knowledge of your own country’s history and politics plus intellectual honesty—including the honesty to seek honest assistance wherever you are stuck or confused. Compatriots, what do you have before you?

The second cluster of propositions relates to class-to-class redeployment and redistribution of national resources or, simply, the restructuring of class appropriations. By this I mean the massive movement of resources from the ruling classes and blocs to the popular masses through people-oriented radical reforms in employment, education, health, housing, transportation, taxation and levies, etc.

Class appropriations, by the way, include not only the monies, properties and businesses recovered from “looters” but also proceeds of state and class robberies which may have been covered by obnoxious legalities. The class-to-class redeployment is the sociological and logical complement of horizontal, state-to-state distribution which—as it is now—is essentially a distribution within the ruling classes and blocs and their various segments.

The third cluster is the principle of triple balancing in Nigeria’s geopolitical restructuring. The picture is like this: split each of the South-south and North-central geopolitical zones into two. This raises the number of geopolitical zones from six to eight. Now, go to Nigeria’s pre-independence geopolitical structure: the three regions—West (plus Lagos), East and North—where the first two regions (plus Lagos) were also regarded as the South. 

With the new eight-zone structure, the former North and the former South will have four zones each; the former East and former West (plus Lagos) will have two zones each; the South-south and North-central will, together, have four zones while the “big” groups—the Southwest, the Southeast, the Northeast and the Northwest—will together have four zones. So, the North balances the South; the East balances the West; and the historical “Minorities” balances the historical “Majorities”.

The fourth cluster of propositions relates to the levels of responsibility and exercise of power or, in more familiar language, tiers of government. Here we move from the current three tiers to five tiers of government as follows: federal, zonal (between federal and state), state, local government and community (below the local government). 

Each zone will be constituted by a number of states while a local government ward will be constituted into one or more communities. At the federal level, the president will be replaced by a presidential council of 8 equal members—a member representing a zone—with rotational headship. 

The zone may or may not be a “government” as such, but minimally it will be a unit for some strategic appointments and location of some strategic industries, state institutions and infrastructures. The communities will be the domain of direct mass involvement in development, social welfare and security.

So, what will this type of restructuring—which we have called “popular-democratic restructuring”—look like when it has been constructed and set in motion? This question summons the fifth cluster of propositions. The answer here is that the picture is fragmentary and tentative. Only discussions can refine it. 

But the clear features include: Nigeria will remain a federal republic; the current principles of citizenship, fundamental human rights and principles of state policy will be enhanced; the federal government will give up a substantial fraction of its current appropriation to the states and local governments. 

The states, in turn, will finance the zones and the local governments will finance the communities. Finally,—and this is the “magic” of popular democracy—the “cost of governance”, both in relative and absolute terms, will be much less than what it is at present.

*Edwin Madunagu, mathematician and journalist, writes from Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.

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Restructuring is way forward - Aare Gani Adams tells APC

ITREALMS: 

The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Dr. Gani Adams, has told the All Progressives Congress that restructuring if the country is the way forward,  reports ITRealms.

Speaking when are team sent by the APC Deputy National Chairman (South) of the party, Engineer Segun Oni, paid him a visit at the Lagos home of Adams to dialogue with on the proposal of the APC to restructure the country and present to him copies of the report of the Committee on Restructuring.

The Committee, headed by the Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, submitted the report to the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, a few weeks back.

The delegation from Oni, made up of Senator Olu Adetunmbi, the Secretary of the el-Rufai committee, and Otunba Ben Oguntuase, told Adams that as one of the champions of the restructuring of the country, his input remains critical to the eventual position of the party on the issue.

Adetunmbi said: “We are here to let you know that your views are important. We cannot embark on such a project without consulting proponents of restructuring like you.

“We have followed your position and know it is germane when it comes to State Police, system of governance and restructuring of the polity general.”

Adams, apart from his personal views on restructuring, was also at the 2014 Constitutional Conference, where he and others championed the cause.

Adams told the delegation that his first instinct was to clarify from them if the position of the party on restructuring was not just to get reelected in 2019 only to abandon the cause thereafter.

He said his belief in the restructuring of the country remains unshaken and unwavering, adding that without it, “we cannot become a Nation speaking with one voice and with a single focus”.

The Aare Ona Kakanfo said the restructuring of the country cannot be said to be complete without resolving the issue of State Police and the reversal to the six geopolitical structure of governance.

He said the present structure of governance was not only lopsided and a waste of resources, it can also not guarantee the flow of democratic dividends to the people at the grassroots, who should be the priority of the government.

He said:APC takes restructuring campaign to Aare Gani Adams

The All Progressives Congress has taken its campaign for the restructuring of the country to the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Dr. Gani Adams.

 “There is no way the man at the grassroot will feel the impact of governance if the majority of the decisions affecting his day to day living are taken in Abuja.

“Before this will permeate to the grassroots, the impact would have been lost.”

Aare Adams said he stands with anyone or group that believes in the restructuring of the country, adding: “Before we begin the talk of election in 2019, this issue must be tackled headlong.

“Otherwise, we still remain a country sitting on a keg of gunpowder.”

Ayo Midele/GEE

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Restructuring panacea to growth, development - Martins

Sundaysermon@ITREALMS:

The Metropolitan Archbishop of Lagos, His Grace, Most Rev Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins has reiterated that for Nigeria to successfully toe the path of growth and development, it must, of essence, be restructured along true federalism as the current bloated structure of governance had become obsolete, reports ITRealms.

In his 2017 Christmas Message made public through the Director, Social Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Msgr. Gabriel Osu, Archbishop Martins warned that any attempt by the political class to jettison the full restructuring of the country as is being clamoured for by the masses and members of the civil societies, would not only set the nation back, but may equally constitute a clog in the wheel of the successful execution of the 2019 elections.

While noting with dismay that the political class, including the ruling party has since commenced their usual flurry of activities ahead of the 2019 election, Archbishop Martins called on Nigerians not to allow themselves to be deceived anymore by mere rhetoric and promises but to insist on the building of appropriate and realistic political structures that would help guaranty that they enjoy access to good quality of life and self actualization in line with God’s plans for His creatures.

Archbishop Martins equally frowned at the recent inhuman treatment being meted on Nigerian immigrants and those of other African countries by some Libyans and their collaborators who sell them into bondage for monetary gains. According to him, such indignity being meted on Africans by fellow Africans, is not only repulsive and evil, but a clear indictment of the leadership for failing to provide the enabling environment for African youth to have access to basic necessities of life.

He therefore wants the Nigerian government to as a matter of urgency declare a state of emergency on the economy so as to rescue the nation out of the woods and set-up a realistic road map that would stabilize the naira and help the private sector create viable industries that would provide adequate job opportunities for the teeming youths who are growing more restless by the day.

“We need to be true to ourselves. We cannot be talking of 2019 when little is being done at the moment to address the rot in the system. Our people are going hungry daily, our youths are dying in their quest for better options to life outside our shores and yet our leaders appear more concern with how to clinch to power. I think the time has come for all of us to reason together to resolve and restructure the current the lopsided political structures we are currently operating and set up realistic goals that would help move us forward. Except all these are given top priority, I fear that the 2019 election may end up a mirage, after all.”

While congratulating all Christians on the occasion of the birth of Christ, Archbishop Martins reminded them to always put their trust in Jesus Christ who is the reason for the season, noting that the season of Advent should also enable us to prepare with hope and expectation for the second coming of our Lord and saviour, Jesus Christ.

Nonye Dom/GEE

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Catholic Priest clocks 25, says restructuring must start with Govs

Sunday Sermon@ITREALMS:

A Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Evaristus Bassey on Saturday backed the clamour for the restructuring of Nigeria but however said it should commence with state governors.

While calling on governors to practice what they preach, he warned that devolving more powers to the states without devolving powers to the grassroots "would virtually turn all of us to slaves of the governors."

Bassey, the International Director of Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria (CCFN) and Executive Secretary, Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), two agencies of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), expressed these feelings in a statement issued, on Saturday in Abuja, to commemorate the 25 years anniversary of his ordination as a priest.

Bassey ordained a Priest on October 17 1992 at St. Michael’s Parish, Oban Town in Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River State, 25 years ago. 

He said, "For nearly seven years now, I have taken day to day charge of  a department and an agency at the CBCN that interfaces with society. Typically my work at the national level is concerned with social issues. I take advantage of this jubilee year to pray for the peace of Nigeria. Recently, the Bishops gathered in Benin and consecrated Nigeria to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. During this jubilee year of mine, I shall be praying specially for Nigeria, for justice and peace to reign, as there can be no true peace without justice, according to the social teaching of the church. 

"I pray that God use this (silver) jubilee year to restructure our attitudes so that we see one another first of all as human beings created in the image and likeness of God and deserving of all dignity and respect before all the identities of religion, tribe and region. 

"Nowadays, there is so much clamour for restructuring. Recently, Southern governors got together to push for devolution of powers, as there is too much concentration of powers at the centre. I will use this occasion to encourage them to first practice what they preach. I urge Southern governors to support the amendments that have been proposed by the National Assembly especially with regards to the financial autonomy of the LGs. If our governors love the people, they should make the LG system work by supporting the amendments. 

"Sometimes the impression we get is that the de facto Speakers of the States Houses of Assembly are the governors, because the Assemblies always do their bidding. So at state level, there is only one and a half arms of government: the legislating executive and then a limping judiciary. Since generally, we are a very docile citizenry, our governors could help us by abrogating all those laws which have emasculated the LG system and allow it to work, so that our people could build up their capacity to engage with government at the local level."

While acknowledging that certain things should leave the exclusive list to the concurrent list, the cleric called on the governors to use the enormous powers they already have "to work for the good of the people."

To back his demands, Bassey said by the time Nigerians realised that there was indeed something to defend at the LG, they won't allow the chairmen run away with all their loots. 

He said, "At the state level, the governor may personalise all the state infrastructure and nothing will happen to him because he has immunity. But LG chairmen will not have immunity. Everywhere in the world, when we say citizens are powerful, that power begins at the local level. 

"The pathway to Nigeria’s stability for me therefore remains a strong and well coordinated centre, strong and efficient mid-level state structure and a strong and effective grassroots level structure."

Concerning Faith, he said, "As I mark this Silver Jubilee two things come to my mind. The first one concerns our faith. I pray that that we do not remain in our comfort zones and forget that Christianity was built on the blood of Martyrs. Someone challenged me sometime ago that while some other religions teach their faithful to sacrifice their lives and the lives of others for the sake of their beliefs, we have forgotten to teach our people to take risks, even losing their lives for the sake of the Gospel. That all we do now is present God as a solution giver. 

"I pray for forgiveness if in anyway these 25 years, I and my colleagues have given any impression that being a Christian means only enjoying the good things of life. Of course as a Christian good things will come your way; the sin would be to not share. 

"Being a Christian too does not mean suffering only; it means both the Cross and the Crown, the death and resurrection of the Christ. May God forgive all who preach as if prosperity is the only indication of salvation and who live their lives like the rich man in the Gospel who was oblivious of the suffering of Lazarus by his gate. I use this occasion to challenge all of us to open our hearts to the grace of God for a life of witness that would be transformative."

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Adisa commends Yoruba summit on restructuring

ITRealms:

An Ibadan-based development expert and founder, Guildance Community Development Foundation, Mr Kabiru Adisa, has commended Yoruba leaders for convening the Yoruba Summit that deliberated on restructuring and other associated issue, reports ITRealms.

This was contained in a press release issued on Sunday by the chartered accountant and development expert and made available to ITRealms.

“I find it gladdening that Yoruba leaders are now following up their restructuring demand with concrete plans. It is easy to just shout slogan without providing specifics. With the specifics on restructuring contained in the Summit communique, I have no doubt that we are now getting somewhere on the issue and we can now have the much needed debate using this,” Adisa said.

He however cautioned restructuring agitators against failing to take the aspirations and feelings of other Nigerians into account.

“I am a bit worried that some of these agitations are not creating common ground with regions that may not be disposed to restructuring. There are regions that may feel that restructuring is not in their best interest as it threatens to stop the federal allocation that is responsible for keep their regions running,” he said.

“If you are saying restructuring will take away that allocation, how exactly do you want the regions to support your proposal when such support is practically a suicide? Therefore, restructuring agitators must come up with a compromise that will interest these other important regions. We could look at reducing federal allocation to states over a period of years that would allow all regions time to create new revenue sources. With a compromise like this, the restructuring agitation may be dead on arrival.”

Adisa also emphasized the importance of ensuring that restructured federation does not suffer the same case of mismanagement of resources and power that Nigeria is currently suffering.

“I really hope that restructuring does not mean running around a vicious cycle. If we are not going to import people to run the restructured Nigeria, then we need to ensure that the new system is better designed to prevent mismanagement. We currently have out of control governors in many states; we need to make sure that restructuring does not end up creating more uncontrollable regional leaders.”

“We also need to create a reliable national database so that planning will be based on actual data on not fabricated data. Every Nigerian must be captured in the national identity database which must further be connected to BVN, international passport, driving license and others. A restructured Nigeria cannot thrive without this system,” he concluded.  

Ayo Midele/GEE

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Adesina demands mind restructuring

Commentary@ITRealms:

Hearing some Nigerians speak (whether based at home or in the Diaspora), you discern that they are “in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity”. They spew out things that give them away as “whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones”.

What happened to grace? Where did decency disappear to? Are words not to be seasoned with salt again? What has happened to us as a people? The more rotten, the better, it seems. The fouler and odoriferous the cesspit, the more attractive, followed by applause. That seems to be the philosophy of some people today, and it doesn't matter who they are. High or low. But we cannot continue that way, if we want to be acceptable too.

The sing-song in the country today is restructuring of the polity. We want more states. We want a return to regional structure. We want a revision of the revenue allocation formula. We want six vice presidents, one from each geopolitical zone. We want those zones to be the federating units, rather than the states. And so on, and so forth.

In fact, so loud is the cacophony of voices over restructuring that if you ask 100 people what they mean, they give you 100 different explanations. But as a country, I believe we will get there someday and soon.

However, is political restructuring the most urgent thing Nigeria needs now? I don't think so. For me, what is more urgent is the restructuring of the Nigerian mind. A mind that sees the country as one, that believes that we have a future and a hope, that believes that we are one people under God. But what we see now is ruinous for any country. It is hemlock, bound to poison the entire polity, and send it to a premature perdition.

On Tuesday, the National Bureau of Statistics announced that we had exited from economic recession. It was cheery news for majority of Nigerians, save for those in the gall of bitterness. They spat in the sky, and collected the spittle with their faces. Who gave Nigeria the permission to exit recession? Who gave her the audacity of hope? How can the economy attempt to rebound, when it should sink deeper and deeper into the miry clay? They were in the doldrums, unhappy because good news came for the country. In their befuddled minds, 

Nigeria must never see a silver lining in the sky. The ravening clouds must ever remain victorious, must forever possess the sky, simply because of primordial reasons. The party in power is not my own, so why should Nigeria make progress under it? The president in office was not the one I voted for, so why should he succeed? He does not speak my language, he is not of my religion or ethnic stock, so why must Nigeria prosper under him? 

They, therefore, throw all sorts of tantrums, like a child whose lollipop is taken away, and attempt to rubbish the news on exit from recession. And those same people would canvass for a restructuring of the polity. Big mistake. Wrong priority. They need to have their minds restructured first, so that they have goodwill towards their own country, and towards all men. Left to them, they wish that when NBS releases results for the next quarter, Nigeria should have gone back into recession. Filthy dreamers! Awful imaginations! They need a restructuring of their minds, and quickly, too.

Some people spend their lifetime expecting thunderstorms and hurricanes, so they never enjoy showers of blessing. Their addled minds expect negative news, so they never enjoy good tidings. They are the type that swallow poison, and then begin to hope that it will kill the person next door.  Restructuring, restructuring, that is what such minds need. 

Chase after him. If you catch up with him, kill him. If he outruns you, poison his footsteps. That is the chant in most parts of the country today. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Hate has become their natural language. When they speak hateful words, they speak their native language, their mother tongue. Don't mid the elevated offices they occupy now, or which they have occupied in the past. They are in the throes, in the paroxysms of bitterness. Only a restructuring of the mind can save them. 

My dear senior friend, Ikemba Obosima, from Imo State, has good counsel for them, in a text message he sent to one of them recently, which he copied me: “Pain will follow him who speaks or acts with evil thoughts, as does the wheel of the foot of him who draws the cart. He is greater man who conquers self than he who kills a thousand men in war...Love will purify the heart of him who is beloved as truly as it purifies the heart of he who loves.” But will they listen? If they have not danced too far, and have not become like the dog fated to get lost, which refuses to hear the whistle of the hunter. Let them return home, to sanity.

The National Bureau of Statistics announced our descent into recession. They embraced the news, almost with sickening glee. Now, the same agency has announced exit, and they begin to question its impartiality. What kind of people are they? They want to hear only bad news? May their minds be restructured, lest bad news dog their footsteps. Malediction?  Am I cursing anybody? Not at all. Just a warning, and a call to new attitude, new thoughts, new conduct. The things we expect have a way of coming upon us. Ask the biblical Job. “What I feared has come upon me. What I dreaded has happened to me (Job 3:25).”

One of the characteristics of a hateful mind is that it conjures a lot of mischief, and purveys same as truth. And the gullible laps it up. During the health challenge of our dear President, a thing common to any mortal, big or small, of high or low estate, they filled the land with evil tidings. Oh, he is on life support machine. No, he is dead and long buried. He will never return to that office, I swear. And then, God did what He knows how to do best. He showed the Deus ex machina, His Invisible Hands. Now, the reputation of those people is hanging on life support. If only men would restructure their minds!

President Muhammadu Buhari says exit from recession is cheery news, but until the life of the average Nigerian is positively touched by the economy, he doesn't consider the job done. Very good. Even the NBS, which brought the good news, says the economy is still fragile, and the good work must continue, so that we don't slide back. That is exactly what this government would do. That is the motive behind the Economic Reconstruction and Growth Plan. So, let nobody be filled with diabolic thoughts. Government does not feel it is there yet. Action stations! All hands on deck.

A final word for haters, wailers, purveyors of fake news, or whatever you choose to call them. Evil minds wax worse and worse. A hater would envy others unnecessarily. He would conjure evil thoughts that would poison his system. He would manifest all sorts of negative tendencies that turn him into a proper child of the Devil. And at the end of it all, his master welcomes him home with open arms. “Abandon hope all ye who enter here.” (Dante's Inferno). And there will be plenty weeping, and gnashing of teeth.

*Adesina is the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari.

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