By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor
Last WEDNESDAY was the 54th Founder’s Day
of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, the
nation’s first indigenious university established
a week after the country’s independence


IT was thus fitting that the big green coloured
anniversary cake prepared by the university
was decorated to also capture Nigeria’s 54th
independence anniversary that was marked a
week earlier.

However, Founder’s Day events in campuses
are also opportunities by universities to sound
off statesmen on contemporary issues. For
UNN, the 54th Founder’s Day was an
opportunity to hear from one of its most
popular alumni, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, the
deputy president of the Senate and
concurrently, speaker of the ECOWAS
parliament.

For Senator Ekweremadu who graduated from
the University’s law programme more than
twenty five years ago and subsequently taught
constitutional law in the school, it was a sort of
homecoming. Not much apparently would have
changed in the eyes of the senator especially
given the seeming failure of the university town
to develop despite hosting the country’s first
university for more than 54 years.

The venue of the lecture was the Princess
Alexandra Hall, and dignitaries from far and
near were around. Among them were the
governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano,
Brig-Gen. Benjamin Alanotu who as
commander of the army brigade in Maiduguri
apprehended the, Boko Haram founder,
Mohammed Yusuf, the managing director of AIT
News Mr. Imoni Amarere and a surplus of
leading lights of the academia led by the UNN
vice-chancellor and chief host, Prof.
Chukwuma Ozumba.

The event had commenced shortly after noon
with the academic procession led by the vice-
chancellor. Though he was in the procession,
Ekweremadu was difficult to point out, reason
being that he was clad in the academic robe of
the university.
Sonorous renditions
He was also more difficult to identify because
of the unusual attire of an Adams Oshiomhole
like khaki suit he wore. He was to later explain
that he donned the attire of a comrade
essentially because of the revolutionary ideas
he had prepared to propound in the lecture.
Following prayers, a welcome address by the
vice-chancellor and ceremonies interspersed
with sonorous renditions by the university
choir, Ekweremadu was called on to deliver his
address.

His lecture was titled “Key Governance Issues
in Nigeria: My Perspectives.” He surely had
many perspectives, given his political
antecedents. From local government chairman,
to chief of staff to the Governor of Enugu State
and subsequently, secretary to the state
government, senator, and for the past seven
years, deputy president of the Senate, Senator
Ekweremadu offered revolutionary proposals to
ameliorate the malaise in governance in the
country. It was to some, an act of class suicide
as he proffered radical steps to the structure
and synergy in the Nigerian federation.
Arguably, the most revolutionary proposal in the
about 90 minute lecture was his call for the
abrogation of the 36 state structure and the
replacement of such with a six geo-political
zones federating units.
“My take is that we should return to the
regional arrangement with the six geopolitical
zones as the federating units. This will help us
to shrink the size and number of government
and increase the volume of resources available
to the regions. It will also help the federating
units to benefit from the economy of scale,
doing mega development projects as we had in
the First Republic.”

The senator also used the opportunity to
reiterate his call for the establishment of multi-
level policing saying that recent developments
had vindicated him. It was also noted that
several stakeholders, notably, northern
governors who had in the past opposed him on
the issue have recanted on the issue.
Corporate entities
He said: “My take is that we cannot continue to
live in denial. The cost and embarrassment are
clear like daylight. And whether we accept it or
not, many of our states, communities, and
corporate entities are already practicing
multilevel policing by using vigilantes, the
Sharia police or Hisbah, neighborhood watch,
and other assorted arrangements aimed at
beefing up security around. My worry, though,
is that they are largely illegal, poorly regulated,
prone to abuse, and indeed often abused.”
“Decentralised or multilevel policing is the order
of the day because it enables sub-national
entities such as the states, local governments,
and communities as well as organisations such
as universities to have their own police under
strict regulation and supervision. It allows for
competition in the provision of security as a
way of attracting investment and quality
residents. These levels of government and
corporate entities package and prioritise the
security of lives and property to suit their local
challenges and resources. The system is so
effective in the United States of America, USA,
that the police pays you a compensation if they
fail to answer a distress call by being physically
present at the scene of distress in eight minutes
and something untoward happens thereafter.
That way, crimes are averted, and when they
occur, because they inevitably do, response is
timely and solid, while punishment is quick and
certain.”

Perhaps in line with his revolutionary zeal,
Ekweremadu sought to bring the welfare and
issue of the common man to fore as he
lamented that the “dominant public sentiment
is that leaders show insufficient commitment to
the citizens’ welfare and gravely under
appreciate the need to use powers to achieve
public good and national interest”.
“The welfare of citizens should not depend on
the goodwill of those in power, but should be
the center piece of government policies and
programme; hence I consider it obscene and
irreligious when those in governance insist that
the people role out the drums to celebrate and
glorify them for providing them with what they
in government were elected to do in the first
place”, he added.

He insisted that “only an aggressive pursuit of
citizens’ welfare can mute the uneasy feelings
and agitations percolating in the society about
leaders’ insensitivity to citizens’ welfare”.
Senator Ekweremadu added: “Those in politics
have the binary moral choice to make: to use
power for evil or to use it for good; this is an era
of immense challenges and the nation needs
leaders who use their powers for the good of
the nation. The logical and serious way to
recapture public trust is by providing honest
and effective leadership. Good leadership will
assuage citizens discouraged and alienated by
what they view as insensitive, corrupt, and
ineffective leadership at various levels of
government”
Before concluding he offered a ray of hope for
Nigeria, saying:

“There is legitimate optimism about the future
of Nigeria, as problems that bothered us seem
to be dissipating; hence nothing should alter
our mindset, vitiate our commitment, enfeeble
our resolve or distract our purpose. We must
work together for to make Nigeria a better,
more secure, and more prosperous nation”, he
urged.

Another act of class suicide that many in the
senator’s Peoples Democratic Party, PDP would
be quick to disown was the proposal for the
introduction of proportional representation in
the election to parliament. Through that
process, smaller political parties would be
represented in the legislature based on the total
number of votes scored in the election.
Following his presentation, the discussants
Prof. Sam Egwu, Brig. Gen. Alanotu, Prof. Ben
Elo Amucheazi and Mr. Amarere took turns to
offer their insights into the issues raised by the
senator.

They without exception agreed with the deputy
Senate president on the proposals he pushed.
Brig. Gen. Alanotu was to add the need for the
nation to have a data base to capture all
persons living in the country saying it was
essential in the light of contemporary security
needs.

Mr. Amarere even while applauding the
submissions, however, questioned the capacity
of the electoral body to superintend over an
election based on proportional representation
as he pointed at regular questions pointed at
the electoral register.
It was the 54th Founder’s Day for the
University, but for Ekweremadu and many who
were there, the ideas proposed last Wednesday
could well be the platform for the foundation of
a truly more viable Nigeria.
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Biafra we want and Biafra we shall get

Futureleader1:
Biafra we want and Biafra we shall get

Very very much soon!

Our oil shall cease to be for charity to criminal nigeria and their cabals

Freedom is the only way!!

Abba999:
Very very much soon!

Our oil shall cease to be for charity to criminal nigeria and their cabals

Freedom is the only way!!

Hunger......poverty.....that's ur real problem.......

The talks about biafra is alarming o these days..we might get biafra sooner. Some tanoids go die when they hear d sound of trumpet blowing d adorable Anthem Of The Republic Of Biafra..

Hmm.
Ekwremmadu only gave a condensed form of Igbo stance on Nigeria unity. Here is the full stance: http://www.igbofocus.co.uk/Ohanaeze/OHE2/ohe2.html

It's either that or Biafra!

Lolx,all diz igbos too lIke to dEy jOke

Futureleader1:
Biafra we want and Biafra we shall get

keep bragging. U guys are only afta political appointment 4 a government u did nt vote.

jumper524:
keep bragging. U guys are only afta political appointment 4 a government u did nt vote.

i don't chat up with kids like you...what do u know? prove yourself

Abba999:
Very very much soon!

Our oil shall cease to be for charity to criminal nigeria and their cabals

Freedom is the only way!!

that's why god punish u guys with small land and a very large population.
Don't worry we would soon deport ur parasites here in the north.

robay:
Lolx,all diz igbos too lIke to dEy jOke

The same joke that liberated the people of South Sudan from Sudan, the same joke that liberated the blacks in America that today, they have a black president is a good joke.

This is simply why I like jokes.

Anu mpama

Futureleader1:
i don't chat up with kids like you...what do u know? prove yourself

thats the truth if u guy's trully want ur biafra republic. Then pull out of our economy.
U can't be benefiting 4rm us and keep telling us biafra republic

May Amadioha destroy the reproductive system of any mods the will come to Remove this thread.....

coolitempa:



Hunger......poverty.....that's ur real problem.......

YES OOO! my people back home are hungry and so yours, so we urgently need their support of freeing them from the shackles of polarization and captivity of this colonial gyberty!

Inbtw I was told you r a man impersonating a woman and chasing us ladies or what have u HeShe

jumper524:
that's why god[/s] punish[s] BLESSED u guys with [/s]small[s] CRUDE OIL land and a very BEAUTIFUL large WORKING population.
Don't worry we would soon deport ur parasites here in the East.

FIXED!!!

IdiAmin1:
The same joke that liberated the people of South Sudan from Sudan, the same joke that liberated the blacks in America that today, they have a black president is a good joke.

This is simply why I like jokes.

Anu mpama

Lolllssssss..

Nigeria is a zoo

g

Introvert!! Abeg u no get work??

jumper524:
keep bragging. U guys are only afta political appointment 4 a government u did nt vote.

Bros,,,Biafran struggle is beyond political positions...have a rethink..

Nigeria is like an expire drug. UN take note

You guys should walk the talk and stop the unnecessary rantings and wailings online

coolitempa:


Only in ur warped mind....am I a woman......and only a brain washed fo0l like u can see war....as a way to get rid of poverty.... ...u suffer from poverty of the mind.....get rid of that first...then help might be on d way......

U mean ur MOTHER?
Sorry ooo she left u in the gutter at birth, and u r here spewing her hate on me
Efulefu Son of a Born-throwaway!

coolitempa:



Hunger......poverty.....that's ur real problem.......

Are you richer than him?

jumper524:
keep bragging. U guys are only afta political appointment 4 a government u did nt vote.

We want a country that will be yereba free.

Abba999:



U mean ur MOTHER?
Sorry ooo she left u in the gutter at birth, and u r here spewing her hate on me
Efulefu Son of a Born-throwaway!

See what I mean.......ur disease is simple....poverty of d mind........ ....typical flat.head noise making......

ekenedegreat:
Are you richer than him?

If d poverty stricken goat ........has ten percent of what I have....she will be dancing skelewu at the moment......

jumper524:
that's why god punish u guys with small land and a very large population.
Don't worry we would soon deport ur parasites here in the north.

our can contain all of us.

jumper524:
that's why god punish u guys with small land and a very large population.
Don't worry we would soon deport ur parasites here in the north.

our land can contain all of us.