Anyaoku, Murray-Bruce, Sani, seek true federalism for political stability

THE former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth nations, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, among others, has proffered federal restructuring as a catalyst for a mutual national integration and unity in the country.

Anyaoku said this yesterday in Akure as chairman of the anniversary symposium held at the International Cultural and Events Centre (Dome), titled “Curtailing Nigeria’s Centrifugal Forces.”

According to him: “Nigeria has not been a stranger to centrifugal forces, especially since the intervention of the military in the governance of this country in January 1966.”

He classified the centrifugal forces into three namely: the benign socio-cultural groups like Arewa, Afenifere, Ohanaeze, the Ijaw Council, the active and non-violent group such as the OPC, MEND, MASSOB and so on.

“And then thirdly, we have what I will describe as the seriously violent group like the Boko Haram and the Fulani herdsmen,” he said.

The former Commonwealth chieftain, who moderated other six discussants: Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, Yinka Odumakin, Yadoma Mandara, Labaran Maku, Dan Nwanyanwu and Senator Shehu Sani, noted that Nigeria must urgently address the situation as it threatens the unity of the nation.

His words: “My view which I articulated mostly is that restructuring the present government architecture by adopting a true federalism will go a long way in enabling us to achieve a speedy development and political stability which would reduce the enablement of centrifugal forces in Nigeria.”

Meanwhile, Senator Sani admitted that the forces poised great risk to the nation but opposed the generalisation of the violent herdsmen to the Fulani people, noting that it is a social misnormer that must not be ethnicised in the country.

Sani affirmed that the Chibok girls in the North-East would be rescued alive, as opposed to some declarations from some quarters dispelling every chance for their reunion with their various families.

The Publicity Secretary of the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, said that the nation is not flaying the Fulani for their traditional occupation as nomadic cattle rearers, but only condemning the criminality of the business.

He said: “They were not carrying guns. They were not carrying AK-47, they were not kidnapping. So, what we are condemning today is the criminality that is attending nomadic cattle grazing. Let’s do it in a modern way.”

He declared that the present administration is fighting corruption and in the other hand encouraging it in the country, affirming that the centrifugal forces will continue to exist because “we have not made a nation out of Nigeria.”

Besides, former Minister of Information to the last regime, Labaran Maku and Senator Murray-Bruce urged Nigerians to change their mind and value systems.

According to Murray-Bruce: “Leaders choose to put us in this mess because it benefits them. We must change the federal system and the people must learn to recall any of their representatives who are not representing well their interests.

The former Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Dan Nwanyanwu, also faulted the structure of the nation, recommending that the nation’s federal system should be restructured.

He urged the Federal Government to embark on reasonable dialogue to harness viable pentrifugal forces that will mutually enhance the stability, peace and progress of the nation.

Governor Olusegun Mimiko, the host of the event, affirmed that each state of the nation has all the resources to survive as an entity, advocating for an economic profiling of the resources in the states.

According to him: “The centrifugal forces are getting stronger and until we restructure this country, we will not make that quantum leap in this 21st century.

“It is not a ploy to give advantage to any part of the country. It is actually a design to ensure the quantum leap we need for development is guaranteed.”