Tony Spike: so, what is authentic, sir? Is Nigeria not ethnically and tribally divided already?

bilms: it was the same system that was used by desperate politicians in the first republic to [b]promote the fallacy of incompatible [/b]Nigeria through promoting ethnic and religious divide for their selfish interest,.

LFJ: The best system is what we currently have; regional autonomy is a means to create another problem.  If we don’t want to be together again, let say it loud and clear and let start the struggle for it, but to go to the system that will divide us more along ethnicity and religions should be rejected. The current system is not the problem; those who are in charge of the system are the enemies of our country. If we decide on regional autonomy today, the poor masses will be the greatest looser, as we will still have the same set present criminals controlling all the levels of government.
Our problem is very clear, no nation grow where corruption is a way of life and where the law and order is for the poor. There is no system that can survive the level of our corruption. What we need today is that leader with the fear of God, not the leader that will bury any report that does not favor his allied, but the leader that is more sympathetic to the feelings of poor masses.

Sky Blue:

The current system IS a problem, a system where the grassroots pay to sustain a distant federal government that is so far removed from them yet has so much power over their lives IS a problem. A system that encourages corruption to thrive IS a problem. And playing ostrich does not make the problem go away. Sometimes I wonder how blind Nigerians have come to be that they can't seem to see the snake that WILL come to bite them back in the ar.se. There is a widening gap between rich and poor, we are fast creating a class society between the haves and have nots. The have nots are overwhelmingly in the majority, yet people can't seem to see the link between that issue and the state of insecurity in the country and the corruption issue.

Sometimes I just don't know about Nigeria anymore to be frank, especially when you hear thoughts like these and wonder whether it is the same country we are talking about. The problem with youth unemployment and wealth disparity in the country (especially by people who make it through corrupt means and flaunt it to the poor) is a ticking time bomb. Daft people just don't know it yet. You think high fences can protect people forever? I laugh!

Sky Blue: By the way, regional autonomy does not have to come at the expense of equity or nationalism. These ideals are not mutually exclusive. Regionalism is not necessarily about ethnicity (because Nigeria is soooooo much more than the very irritating WAZOBIA politics that seems to be the sole focus - even on nairaland), but it is a means of reducing government bureaucracy and bringing it closer to the people. As long as we have a system where EVERYBODY has a voice (even if your ethnic group is made up of three people), then we don't have to be so scared. THIS system though, is not working for everybody. The new division is rich and dirt poor.

bilms: CAn anyone show me any physical achievement of the regional government today apart from civil war and ethnicity?

Sky Blue:

The current system IS a problem, a system where the grassroots pay to sustain a distant federal government that is so far removed from them yet has so much power over their lives IS a problem. A system that encourages corruption to thrive IS a problem. And playing ostrich does not make the problem go away. Sometimes I wonder how blind Nigerians have come to be that they can't seem to see the snake that WILL come to bite them back in the ar.se. There is a widening gap between rich and poor, we are fast creating a class society between the haves and have nots. The have nots are overwhelmingly in the majority, yet people can't seem to see the link between that issue and the state of insecurity in the country and the corruption issue.

Sometimes I just don't know about Nigeria anymore to be frank, especially when you hear thoughts like these and wonder whether it is the same country we are talking about. The problem with youth unemployment and wealth disparity in the country (especially by people who make it through corrupt means and flaunt it to the poor) is a ticking time bomb. Daft people just don't know it yet. You think high fences can protect people forever? I laugh!

Demdem:

I can speak to an extent about SW. The legacies bequeathed then are all for all to see.
Free education, health care infrastructures, scholarships - our parents were better off for it.
Legacies that includes TV station (first in Africa), cocoa house, Odua investments etc

Have u ever wondered why so many of the roads constructed by our colonial masters and those of the first republic are still standing till date while new generation roads are failing?

LFJ:

Those who are clamoring for regional autonomy are doing this for selfish end. The Yoruba leaders who lost out of power at the federal are looking for something to hold on to, and they want to be in charge of their home. Those that have one resources or the other think that they want to enjoy their resources alone.

Gbawe:

I disagree. The Yorubas asking for regional autonomy are actually the ones in charge of things in the SW right now. Rather, it is those in the region who lost out on "chopulation-without-giving-zilch-back" who oppose regional autonomy like Agagu, Oyinlola, Oni, Omisore and others who did nothing for anyone while in power yet will not let mandated leaders work.

Are all the Governors of the SW who back regional autonomy "those who lost power at federal level"? They are Governors already so what have they lost out on when allocations to their State remains the same as it was? If anything, why not just be silent and loot their State dry for the next 4-8 years if that is what they want to do?


In essence, the "lost out at federal level" theory makes no sense. The guys angling for regional autonomy are people wielding power and autority. They have "lost out on nothing" and should actually really stick with the Status quo if they are cut from the clothe of Alao Akala, Gbenga Daniel, Segun Oni, Omisore et al. It is important for you to know as well that many apolitical prominent Yorubas fully support regional autonomy.

LFJ:

If truth must be told, whatever the current system cannot take care, no other form of system will do it. People make the system to work not the other way round. In the first republic, the system at that time work for us because the leaders then were more sincere and willing to serve their people. The system then was about Awolowo in the West, Azikwe in the East and Balewa in the North. Remove the name of these people from that system and imagine what would have become of that system. I can help you answer this question, the moment these people left the stage, what happened next? People with less mature mind took over and the result was unnecessary civil war that claimed the lives of many innocent people.
Those who are clamoring for regional autonomy are doing this for selfish end. The Yoruba leaders who lost out of power at the federal are looking for something to hold on to, and they want to be in charge of their home. Those that have one resources or the other think that they want to enjoy their resources alone. What people don’t understand is that events have overtaken what we had in the first republic. Today, we have 3 levels of government: Federal, State and Local government to take care of grassroots. This to me is more design to reach the grassroots than the regional government.
The problem with most of us is our inability to understand the current system, if you don’t understand what is currently on ground, how do you want to compare this to the past or make an amendment to shape the future? I guess what Yoruba are looking for is regional autonomy that will retain the present structure, the local and state government with a regional government in Ibadan where the likes of Tinubu and co will start to determine the faith of people of west, I pray for people in the east that somebody like Andy Uba will not have the chance to gain control of that region and suddenly become regional head.
With current system, the 3 level of government have the areas they are expected to discharge; that is why we have exclusive, concurrent and residual list. The exclusive powers belong to the federal government to take care of areas like defense, foreign affairs, overseas trade, fiscal and monetary policy etc. The concurrent powers are those powers which are shared by both federal and state governments, both may act or intervene e.g. education, internal security etc, the federal government overrides the state where there is conflict, and the last one which is residual powers, which is exclusively for the state, examples of residual powers are those regarding civil law, urban planning, property issues, etc.
In all this, I find it very difficult to see the problem with our system. The real problems are those who are executing, legislating and interpreting our law. I will support the regional autonomy if this system will help us reduce the level of corruption within our system, if it will make everybody equal before the law.  

LFJ:

Gbawe, I am a Yoruba man like you, but I believe every issue must not be politicized. Let us look at issues based on their merit, and the rational behind it. Obasanjo ruled for 8years nobody cried of regional government, we play politics of this is our son.  We cry only when things are not 100% in our favor. The statement I made is not about Yoruba alone; it is about every one of us who realize that there is injustice within our system only when things are not to our favor. You raised a valid point when u said that the present federal system is bastardized and our leaders are not sincere. The system is bastardized because we have “bas-tard” people in charge of things. Tell me, what benefit you think we can get from regional system if these criminals will still held this system?
I am not a politician, but I can smell it when people are indirectly promoting selfish interest. If regional autonomy will eradicate and people can show me how that can be possible or if it will make all of us equal before the law not on paper but in practice. I will immediately start the campaign for this system. Good leaders produce good results and bad leaders produce bad results. I maintain that our system as we have it today is not the problem, there is no perfect system anywhere in the world; it is not the system that is holding us back, it is not the system that divide us, those who are piloting the affair of our system are the enemies of our system, they are the one that are holding us back, regardless of whatever system we have in as much as these criminals are in charge our future is in mirage.
 

‘Our stand on integration’
By Our Reporter 16/02/2012 02:05:00
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[img]http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/thumbnail.php?file=Raji_Fashola81__NEW_441007857.jpg&size=article_medium[/img]
Gov Fashola Gov Fashola

Text of the communique issueed at the end of the First Legislative Summit on Collaborative Agenda by Southwest and Edo State goverments in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital yesterday

Sequel to the First Legislative Summit on Collaborative Agenda (South West and Edo State), held from 12 to 15 February 2012, at Premier Hotel, Ibadan, Oyo State, the participants made the following resolutions:

•Given the glaring failure of Nigeria’s present federal arrangement, regional cooperation, collaboration and integration offer the best approach to saving Nigeria as a federal republic; and delivering development and prosperity to Nigerian citizens.

•Regional integration is not to break up Nigeria. It is rather to renew the Nigerian federation and deliver its capacity to deliver the greatest good for the greatest number of Nigerians, in the six geo-political zones. Simply put, it is regional growth as a strategy for national integration.

•Regional integration is erected on the pillars of true and fiscal federalism, aimed at weaning Nigeria from centralised sharing of resources, which has created mass poverty; to regional creation of wealth, which has the capacity to create mass prosperity.

•Regional integration is all about a new Constitution, to reorder Nigeria’s malfunctioning federal system. The National Assembly cannot give us a new Constitution. That is the job for a Constituent Assembly, thereafter subjected to referendum or plebiscite. But it should facilitate the process by passing a Bill for the setting-up of a Constituent Assembly to write a new Constitution, which product would be subject to a simple referendum of “Yes” or “No”.

•Issuing from this premise, the states in present Political South West of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti, as well as the contiguous Edo, are better off integrated into an economic zone, sharing resources and attaining economies of scale for economic growth and development.

•Though integration is on the surface economic, its basis and driving force is political. Therefore, the present ruling progressives in the South West and Edo states must make the people the centre-piece of their policies and programmes. That will ensure they retain political power and continue to drive the South West integrated regional agenda.

•But beyond politics, winning or losing power, there must be a robust legal framework for South West regionalisation, so that the laudable agenda is not reversed. To this end the summit called for a South West Consultative Assembly, made up of legislators in the South West states and their members in the National Assembly, to serve as clearing house for such legislations and give adequate advice to the legislatures in the South West states.

•For the regional integration agenda, the Legislature is key. So, the South West Executives must closely work with the Legislatures, both in the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly, to achieve the desired goals of the agenda.

•South West members in the National Assembly must network, lobby and sell regional federalism among their peers from other parts of the country, to demonstrate its mutual benefits to all; and as a better alternative to the present failing federal arrangement.

•Also, South West legislators in the National Assembly must lobby their colleagues, across party lines, for the repeal of anti-federal laws in energy/power, mining and minerals. If regional federalism must deliver the goods, states constituting the regions must have legal backing to prospect economic activities in such areas as mining and minerals, railway, aviation and other strategic areas like energy/power in which the present laws give the Federal Government absolute or near-absolute monopolies.

•In the area of security, South West legislators in the National Assembly must lobby their colleagues to press for constitutional amendments to establish State Police.

•In the envisaged regions themselves, State Houses of Assembly are very crucial to making such strong legislative frameworks. For this task, the South West legislatures would require sound legal advice.

•In the 1999 Constitution, even as amended, there are strong legal impediments to regionalisation as a panacea to save Nigeria’s failing federalism. However, the South West states can work around these impediments to jump-start the process, pending the requisite constitutional amendments.

•To preserve Yoruba as a living language, the summit called for all legislatures in the South West to conduct proceedings in Yoruba for at least a day in the week. The summit also resolved that Yoruba language be made a prerequisite for admission into tertiary institutions in the South West from 2015.

•To deepen good governance and best global practices in public sector management, the regional executives and legislatures must subject themselves to institutional peer review.

•As a result, South West states and Edo can start with close collaboration and cooperation in agriculture, with each state concentrating on areas in which it has core competence and comparative advantage.

•To boost agriculture, the summit resolved, as a matter of urgency, to push for regional investment in research, innovation, access to land and training of young farmers. There is also an urgent need to invest in agricultural extension services to boost improved crops and seedlings. There is also need for a regional commodity exchange to protect farmers and guarantee good prices for farmers and make farming profitable and sustainable.

•In education, the South West states can start with integrating their state universities into a better funded South West University, along the model of the University of Cairo, or even the multi-campus University of California. State universities should be turned into colleges offering specialised disciplines. Aside, the region should urgently consider setting up a University of Native Medicine to maximise the economic use of Yoruba flora and fauna, particularly in processing them for drugs to curtail killing diseases like cancer. It also calls for setting up specialised science laboratories to take advantage of modern strides in genetic research and engineering.

•Still on education, the summit resolved that the region declare a state of emergency in education to restore effective and qualitative basic education. There should also be a revamping of vocational and vocational technical education to equip youths for self-employment.

•On transportation, the summit resolved that the South West state government approach the federal government for the take-over of federal roads in the area, as a cheaper alternative to building a new network of roads. The summit also moved for the South West government to prevail on the federal to create the enabling legal environment for the region to develop fast trains as part of a multi-modal transport system that would seamlessly link every part of the region by road, air, rail and water.

•In sports, the South West states can pool resources to fund a regional football club in the Nigerian Professional League, in the mould of Enugu Rangers, which approximated the Igbo spirit after the Nigerian Civil War, or the former WNDC, later IICC (now known as 3SC) that was popular enough in the whole of Western Nigeria to approximate the spirit of the people of the region.

•The summit also resolved to promote cultural integration in the form of regional cultural festival to further propagate Yoruba traditions, mores and norms. It also resolved that culture should be used to promote tourism in the region, even as each part of the region can invest in specific tourism products to create gainful employment for our teeming youth.

•The region should save cost by integrating manpower training and development. For instance, it suggested that Lagos State serve as specialist centre for training regional civil servants.

•There is urgent need for a clearing house for regionalisation; and to gauge specific areas in its progress and implementation.

•Osun State has shown leadership by establishing a Ministry of Regional Integration. Other South West states should establish their own regional integration ministries.

•Without prejudice to the anthems of other South West states, the gathering resolved to adopt the State of Osun Anthem as the South West Regional Anthem. That anthem was composed by our late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and it captures the correct spirit and sentiment behind integration for regional development and greatness. In the same token and for the same reason, the crest of the State of Osun should be adopted as the regional logo.

•The current South West must recreate and even surpass the glory of the old Western Region. The old West is rediscovering and must rediscover itself.

cjrane: Nothing like regional rubbish. Let us enjoy our country the way it is. Let us just work on fighting corruption and enhancing the rule of law in Nigeria.
Regionalism is a fraud Yorrobber wants to use to rob other Nigerians of their massive investments in Lagos.

Idokojimmy: BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE, SONI DANIEL & HENRY UMORU

…We agree with S-West on six regions — Ohanaeze scribe

LAGOS—NORTHERN leaders, Sunday, spurned Yoruba leaders’ agitation for regional autonomy and a return to the parliamentary system of government, describing the clamour as a recipe for Nigeria’s disintegration.

Yoruba elders under  the banner of Yoruba National Assembly, YNA, had after a meeting in Ibadan last Thursday, canvassed a return to the parliamentary system of government and granting of regional autonomy to the South-West.

They also called for removal of the immunity clause for criminal offences; a new Nigeria consisting of a federal government and six regional governments (based on the current six geo-political zones) operating federal and regional constitutions, respectively; and adoption of Regional and State Police force structure among others.

But responding to the development, some prominent northern leaders, who spoke exclusively to Vanguard, kicked against YNA’s call, saying that the agitation would plunge the nation into incalculable crises and hasten her break-up.

However, Secretary-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nduka Eya, said the demands of the Yoruba leaders were in tandem with the position of Ndigbo, which had been sent to the National Assembly for inclusion in the on-going constitution amendment exercise.

Former Kaduna State Governor, Alhaji Lawal Kaita, said the call for regional autonomy and a return to parliamentary system of government was self-serving and had the semblance of secession.

Kaita said: “I do not really understand what they mean by regional autonomy. They should be bold enough to say that they do not want to be part of Nigeria any longer and stop talking about what does not make sense anymore in the country.
“Regional autonomy and parliamentary system of government can no longer serve a complex society like Nigeria and our founding fathers were wise enough to jettison the system and adopt the present Presidential system, which to all intent and purposes, remains the best for a country like ours,” he noted.

According to the founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, neither the granting of autonomy to any region in the country nor a return to parliamentary system of government would solve the socio-political problems of the nation.

Kaita said that all that was needed to make the presidential system more useful was to strengthen the institutions of government to serve the citizens better and reposition the country as a strong, united nation.
Adding his voice to the debate, National Secretary of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Buba Galadima, described any call for regional autonomy as an invitation to the dissolution of the country.

“If they make the mistake to allow the kind of regional autonomy requested by the Yoruba, it is a recipe for the country’s disintegration because of the kind of politics being played in Nigeria. Our political immaturity would lead to dismembering the country as soon as any region is granted autonomy,” the politician noted.

Galadima warned that the country could disintegrate if urgent steps were not taken to address the growing sense of injustice and marginalisation of sections of the country by the government.

He maintained that demands for autonomy and other issues were borne out of perceived injustice and inability of the administration to provide the basic needs of the people.

It’s retrogressive — Haliru Mohammed
In his submission, immediate past Minister of Defence, Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed described calls for a return to regional structure as retrogressive.

According to him, states replaced the regions because of demands by ethnic nationalities for self-determination, adding that a u-turn to the old structure would be a repeat of the scenario where major ethnic groups like Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo were in total control of the regions and marginalised other groups.

The former Acting National Chairman of the PDP said rather than advocate regionalism what was required of the country now was to sit down and work out the modus operandi of our federation to accommodate all the ethnic diversities without any section feeling dominated.

His words: “Going back to regional structure is going to be retrogressive because states were created because of the demand by ethnic nationalities for self determination. To go back to regional structure where the major ethnic groups like Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo were in complete control of the regions is dangerous.

“General Yakubu Gowon responded to the demands of the minority groups and created states to allow for some level of self-determination for ethnic nationalities. Going back will make major ethnic groups to continue to dominate the minorities. Now, there is some level of equality between the nationalities regardless of the number and size.

“What Nigeria needs now is to sit down and work out our modus operandi of a federation that would accommodate all our ethnic diversities without one section feeling a sense of domination by others. Federating units should be different ethnic nationalities as we have in states. If there is need for creation of more states like in the case of South-East and also to break some of the larger and more populated states in the North and South, that can be accommodated rather than going back to regions.”

However, a former Senator from Kano State, Usman Kabiru Umar, stated that he would support any political restructuring that would bring about a strong, united and progressive Nigeria, where every citizen would have a sense of belonging. “Now, if they say that autonomy and return to parliamentarism would guarantee the promotion of peace, development and a united Nigeria, so be it,”

Indeed, Eya, who spoke in his personal capacity as a public commentator, said the South-West clamour for six regions was sound.

“Before the Presidential system was introduced, we had four regions. The North accepted the regions and we had Parliamentary system. The presidential system is very expensive; if we continue with it, we will soon go bankrupt. The parliamentary system worked for us. Then, if you did not win an election you cannot become a minister. Now the president appoints ministers from everywhere and they are not accountable to the people.

Noting that Ohanaeze had prepared a document on the constitution amendment, he said: “We agree with the South-West on six regions, which should become the federating units. The Federal Government should have nothing to do with state or local government creation.

“There is constant demands for new states and local governments because the military made them avenues for getting more allocation from the centre. Local governments should be states’ creation; they are not federating units. We stand for equity, fair-play and justice. The military gave North undue advantage and they do not want to relinquish it,” he said.

 http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/09/north-tackles-yoruba-leaders-on-autonomy/

Mr.chippychappy:


I agree with Mr Kaita's position on this . Regional autonomy is fraudulent and doesn't make any sense . If anyone wants to say something they should be bold enough to say so instead of hiding behind this so called "Regional autonomy" crap

bilms: i have been a little busy since yesterday,but will comment on some of the points raised as soon as i can. Point of note: there is nothing,i mean absolute nothing that a regional governt can add to nigeria that we can not achieve now,those calling for regionary autonomy are only doing so to hold unto regional power since the central power seems impossible for them to capture. I stand to be correctd. In my opinion,the only visible acheivement of the first republic that we can see and feel the effect today is the civil war and ethnicity.