EMINENT Yoruba leaders, supported by the leadership of the South-East and South-South, have demanded an immediate restructuring of Nigeria through regional lines, for the country to experience real peace and development.

The leaders, who met at the main bowl of the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba, Ibadan, Oyo State on Thursday, September 7, recalled with nostalgia the great strides made by the South West in the years of self-government up until the abrogation of the federal constitution in 1966.

The leaders pointed out that the giant strides recorded in the era of self-government were evident in mass literacy, novel infrastructure and progress in all spheres of human development.

Afe Babalola, SAN, who chaired the summit, said: “I, respectfully, disagree with the few Nigerians who are opposed to restructuring. They are entitled to their opinions. The only change that can change the country and pave way for nationhood is the change that changes the structure of project Nigeria.

“No amount of sermon can change the country. It is that change that will bring about the necessary interest and determination to succeed. That change is the restructuring of the country.

“It is restructuring that would  curb over-concentration of power in the centre and reduce corruption, promote harmony and unity and make the country metamorphose into a nation.”

Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, said: “They want us to talk about the truth or lies. But we will say the truth. They can throw the words away, but they can’t throw us away. Our fathers, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Sir Ladoke Akintola and other Yoruba leaders, tried their best for us.

“But you elders of Yoruba are the problem we have. We are our problems. We’ve had good meetings like this one, attended by elders and kings of Yoruba. After this summit, you will see some so called Yoruba leaders saying on television ‘we don’t need restructuring.’ To me, those words do not make sense. There is no alternative; we will go back to regions.”

Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, Ooni of Ife, who commended all people who had helped in moving Yoruba nation forward, however, cautioned those moving the motion for restructuring.

Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu,  a medical doctor and daughter of the late Obafemi Awolowo, premier of the defunct Western Region, said: “There is absolutely nothing in the campaign for restructuring or federalism or devolution of powers that portend any form of negative outcomes for our other compatriots or, indeed, for Nigeria.”

In the same vein, Tokunbo Ajasin, the scion of the late Governor Adekunle Ajasin of Ondo State, also noted that Yoruba nation should think of Oduduwa Republic.

Femi Fani-Kayode, a former minister of Aviation, said: “If Nigeria is not restructured, if we do not have regional restructuring, I will tell you this for free, let us prepare for Oduduwa Republic, end of story. That is the feeling of majority of our people.

“Nobody can silence the Yoruba, nobody can hold us down, we shall go forth in power in the name of Jesus.”

John Nwodo, president general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, who led a high powered delegation of South East, which included Ike Nwachukwu, a former minister of Foreign Affairs, and Walter Ofonagoro, a former minister of Information, to the summit, also said: “Is it wrong to have a say in your country? Is it right to be ruled by a document that you are not party to? What you are saying today is that the people of Nigeria must have a say in the way they are governed. It is not only the Yoruba nation that is saying it, we the Igbo are saying it loud and clear.

“Many people have tried to destroy restructuring and I am saying it is a ploy by some Nigerians to monopolise the God-given mineral resources in Southern Nigeria. I think those who are doing this do not love Nigeria.”

Albert Horsfall, a leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, in his remarks, said that the people of his region started restructuring long ago, adding that agitation for restructuring of Nigeria would depend on control of physical energy by each region. He said that each region should have the statutory rights to control “what you produce or what your soil produces.”

Sept. 8, 2017 @ 17:58 GMT |