By Chris Chimezie
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The need for the formulation of a policy that will encourage states to look inwards for survival and be able to depend on their immediate environment for sustenance has been stressed.
Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, made this call at the 2018 Distinguished Guest Lecture and Award ceremony organised by the Faculty of Social Sciences of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State.
Delivering a lecture titled: “Restructuring of the Nigerian State: Implications for Development” at the popular Oduduwa Hall, Governor Akeredolu enjoined the country to take seriously, the issue of State and Local Government Police for adequate security.
Governor Akeredolu, who was the guest lecturer also recommended that for the nation to experience more development, Nigeria’s educational curricula must reflect her peculiar challenges, adding that youths must be trained to address them.
He added that the country must expunge State of origin and federal character from his statutes, promotion of citizenship above ethnic origin, adding that place of domicile/residence must replace state of origin as well as encouraging Nigerians to eat what they produce and produce what they eat.
The Guest Lecturer hinted that current agitations for restructuring of the polity must be organised, coordinated, predictable and be put in perspective.
“Sincerity reveals that there is nothing magical about the word “Restructuring” as freely branded in the polity today. It connotes a process of structural adjustment in social engineering and necessary in all facets of societal existence for optimum service delivery.
“It is important in the economy, politics and education of state. It must, however, not be understood as relevant only in politics. Restructuring must be periodic. It is a fact of life.
“This is very correct, but the proponents of this “new political theory” have been unable to articulate their positions with clarity.
“Many people are, however, convinced that the new wave of agitations gained currency after the last general elections held in 2015 which saw the incumbent President losing his office”, he said.
“To some, it connotes creation of more states to address the issue of “imbalance and marginalization”, others consider it as the return to regionalism, the political system of the first republic which witnessed tremendous developmental strides in the country.
“Some aggrieved persons, whose environments have been destroyed as a result of oil exploration and exploitation, and their people live in abject poverty see restructuring as “Resource Control”.
Akeredolu, who is an alumnus of the University explained that political development concerns a philosophy of governance and a system of administration for the welfare of the people.
“The welfare of the people cannot be subjected to the whimsical preferences of elites whose interests stand at variance with yearnings and aspirations of the people.
“The inherited colonial political system upon which subsequent systems have been built have not addressed the issue of difference.
The Governor however, enjoined everyone to join hands with the Federal Government in the onerous task of social re-engineering for the benefit of the people.
Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Eyitope Ogunbodede and Chairman of the event, who is also Pro-Chancellor, Federal University, Gusau, Prof Funmi Togonu-Bickersteth, commended the governor on the topic which is meant to chart a new direction that would drive the country to the desired point of excellence.
The duo applauded the him for his submission which they described as a product of his experience and research on how the restructuring of Nigeria would drive national development.
Highlights of the event was the presentation of an Award of Excellence to the Governor for his immeasurable contributions to the development of Ondo State and OAU as well as cutting the 43rd birthday cake of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Eniitan Ogunwusi.
Other awardees and alumnus of the institution included; the Secretary to the Ondo State Government (SSG), Mr Ifedayo Abegunde, former Ekiti State House of Assembly Speaker, Mr Richard Bamisile and former Board Chairman of Ondo State Water Corporation, Chief Dapo Filani.
