The demand for Nigeria’s restructuring went a step further on Thursday, as leaders of the Yoruba race, Igbo and the South South, made a strong case for the return to regional government.
At a summit organised in Ibadan by the leaders of the South West, the umbrella body for the Igbo, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and leaders of the Niger Delta all joined Yoruba leaders to demand for a return the 1960 and 1963 constitutions.
The summit was convened to deliberate on the position of the Yoruba on restructuring and the future of Nigeria and attended by Yoruba leaders, South-West governors, traditional leaders, lawmakers, Yoruba socio-cultural groups, professional bodies, various Yoruba youth groups and leaders of various groups from the South-East and the South-South.
The South-South and South-East leaders and groups, who came in large numbers, said they were at the summit to offer solidarity to the Yoruba’s position on restructuring.
A 16-point communiqué, titled Ibadan Declaration, and signed by the summit chairman, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), and the Chairman of the Planning Committee, Dr. Kunle Olajide, and read by National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, the Yoruba elders stated that Nigeria must return to proper federation as obtained in the 1960 and 1963 constitutions.
It also added that this had been the position of the zone since the 1950 Ibadan Conference.
The communiqué reads: “Yoruba are clear that restructuring does not mean different things to different people other than that a multi-ethnic country like Nigeria can only know real peace and development if it is run only along federal lines.
“The greatest imperative of restructuring Nigeria is to move from the money-sharing anti-development economy to productivity, by ensuring that the federating units are free to own and develop their resources while they pay an agreed sum to the federation purse to implement certain services.
“The federating units, whether states, zones or regions must be governed by a written constitution to curb impunity at all levels. Nigeria shall be a federation comprising six regions and a federal capital territory in Abuja.”
“Each region shall have its own constitution, containing enumerated exclusive and concurrent lists. Contiguous territory, ethnic nationalities and settlements shall be at liberty, through a plebiscite to elect to be part of a region other that the region which the current system has.
“The power to create state shall be within the exclusive power of the region provided a plebiscite is conducted following request by the agreed percentage of the ethnic nationality within the state.
“The power to create local government and assign functions to them shall be vested in the state.
“States shall be entitled to manage all resources found within their boundaries and the revenue accrued thereof. The sharing ratio of all revenues shall be 50 per cent to the state, 35 per cent to the regional government and 15 per cent to the federation.”
Speaking at the summit, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, called on Yoruba elders to be honest and place the future of the youth ahead of every consideration, adding that it was the only way to preserve and strengthen the Yoruba race.
Ooni said: “I thank God for this forum; He is God forever. He made the Yoruba people leaders of human race.
“My appeal is that we should all approach restructuring with honesty. We should separate politics from it because of the future of our youths. Out of 10 people in Nigeria, seven are in the youth brackets. We should be firm in our pursuit and let peace reign in our agitation.
“With peace, we can get what we want. Patience can earn us everything we want. We should place the future of Yoruba youths in front and not selfish interest.”
