Nobel laureate , Prof. Wole Soyinka, on Saturday , re- echoed the call for restructuring the country as a means of tackling some of the major problems confronting it.

Soyinka stated that there was a consensus among Nigerians that the country must be restructured urgently , saying anybody still asking what restructuring means despite the numerous explanations already provided should be ignored because such persons had chosen to be ignorant deliberately.

The elder statesman spoke at the 2021 Obafemi Awolowo Lecture titled , ‘ Whither Nigeria ?’ organised by the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation.

The event, which was held virtually , had in attendance dignitaries, including a former Secretary - General of Commonwealth , Chief Emeka Anyaoku ; the Emir of Sokoto , Saad Abubakar; Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; former Emir of Kano , Muhammadu Sanusi II ; and former Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria , Obadiah Mailafia , among others .
Awolowo, who died in 1987, would have been 112 years old on Saturday.

Soyinka said , “There is a consensus that this country whether in terms of governance , economic relations , security , educational policy , cultural policy , etc, requires restructuring . Even the word ‘restructuring ’ has been restructured in many directions , in cogent expression which will mean the same thing for everybody .

“For me , for instance , I emphasised decentralisation , reconfiguration… We all know what we have now is not working , it ’s obvious and we can’ t continue along the same line and say that it will work, it is sign of madness .
“I want to make a plea to all governors , stop being so timid . Push this federal envelope as far as it can go , even while we undertake the technical aspect of restructuring whether in terms of dialogue, evolving the constitution or whatever, something has to go on , after all, we’ ve had so many of these confabs .

“My plea is to governors to start with : You are charged with the immediate responsibility of the welfare of your own people in whatever term and if you study the constitution carefully , I have done this with lawyers , and it seems that a lot can be done at this moment .

“You need a season of greater autonomy for your own states and that is what I mean by pushing the federal envelope as far as it can go even with this impossible document that we have to cease what power , what authority you can derive from the constitution .

“ Consult with your lawyers , I have consulted with mine and they also expressed the view that the governors are too timid, there is too much centralised mentality embedded in their minds and they are afraid to come out of their cocoons.

“Please remember that your primary responsibility is not the centre but the people , the state . So , take in your hands any form of authority that you can even from this constitution as it stands while we are working on a more honest, a more people -oriented constitution. ”
Anyaoku also said Nigeria needed a new constitution which would be produced by the people

He said , “There is no section or ethnic group that does not stand to gain from belonging to one country that is the size and resources of Nigeria . Therefore, it is and should be in the common interest of ethnic groups and component parts to sustain and nourish one country .
“The growing level of distrust and divisiveness among ethnic and religious groups are undermining the cohesion and threatening the continued existence of one Nigeria . For how can the leadership of Nigeria continue to ignore this fact?”

The guest lecturer , Odia Ofeimun, and Sanusi , however , clashed over why the North had been educationally backward.

Ofeimun, a poet who was the private secretary to Awolowo, said , “ Every child in the North should go to school . There is an ethnic argument against education . They are using that argument to stop the rest of us from moving forward . ”

Ofeimun had hardly finished speaking when the former Emir of Kano tackled him , saying the problem was not ethnicity but the failure of the government to provide schools, train the teachers and provide everything needed to encourage the children in the North to go to school .

Sanusi said he also believed that the problem was ethnicity until he became the emir and saw the situation differently .
He also argued that the British colonial masters did not want the North to be educated like the South.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/punchng.com/its-madness-sign-to-think-nigeriall-work-without-restructuring-soyinka/%3famp=1

Multi Ethnic Nationality ,Countries like United Kingdom florish better under regional authority and parliamentary system of government

England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are all Ethnic Nationality and a Nation under United Kingdom a country

...................................................................

Nigeria should also exist using regionalism and parliamentary system government

Yoruba Nation, Igbo Nation , Ijaw Nation , Arewa Nation can exist independently and still have a Country called United Nigeria

Imagine a country where ;

*Yoruba Nation has Professor Osinbajo as Premier, Babatunde Fashola as Deputy Premier

*Igbo Nation has Peter Obi as Premier and David Umahi as Deputy

*Arewa Nation having Professor Zulum as Premier and El Rufai as Deputy

-Hisbah been converted to Arewa Police Department

-Amotekun converted to Yoruba Police Department

-ESN converted to Igbo Police department

#With United Nigerian Police Force acting as Federal Police like FBI


.

Mr soyinka we don't want restructuring again but the disintegration of this zoo called country, this country is dead and can't work even if you restructure it.
God bless yoruba nation

I've already started my journey (trekking) ......to Rwanda

Those feeding fat are not interested Prof.


Happy birthday to me

Que sera sera...

If you restructure Nigeria today, it’s the old evil politicians that will still be handling power..

The only restructuring that can be effective on all Nigerians is to kill all politicians..

Who are those to even attempt this so called restructuring...........


Àbi we would bring angels from heaven.........

some fool will still come here to ask what they're talking about. anyhow this

RESTRUCTURING mixed tape

This govt should just try restructuring na..people that will chop money will still chop it

Prof.....stop diverting our attention because you're still on the register of those that brought this disastrous administration in 2015....

The Prof is right. But unfortunately he voted in an illiterate to be his leader. Illiterates doesn't listen to educated because of low self esteem, pride and lack of focus. Enjoy your darling president in whom you so loved.

This restructuring won't work, it's still just the same people

Big madness..



Guys check my signature and click

Well said

Baba, with due respect you must always be reminded that:

Your blind hatred for GEJ brought us to this level. Please tell your children to enjoy the change without crying.

PARACLETOS:
The Prof is right. But unfortunately he voted in an illiterate to be his leader. Illiterates doesn't listen to educated because of low self esteem, pride and lack of focus. Enjoy your darling president in whom you so loved.

Stop acting like a full all time... Didn't your father voted buhari, even your mother voted him

So blame your parents too and Stop blaming others.


After all it was Nigerians dt voted him

May God heal our land and Bless our economy
Amen

What’s wrong with soyinka

Now he’s gone and indirectly called these bmc zombies and sai barbar internet warriors MAD people

Yorubalagba:
Mr soyinka we don't want restructuring again but the disintegration of this zoo called country, this country is dead and can't work even if you restructure it.
God bless yoruba nation

So the sophisticated Yoruba nation has joined the wailing wailers IPOB miscreants in calling the country zoo.
Wonderful...

Agreed sir .. but what are we southerners doing when we are in power ? Instead of restructuring stealing is not corruption is what we are all shouting ....

Zendinho:
Prof.....stop diverting our attention because you're still on the register of those that brought this disastrous administration in 2015....

...Don't mind him and his people, now they want restructuring. OK, let's wait for what their masters will say.

ImmaculateJOE:


So the sophisticated Yoruba nation has joined the wailing wailers IPOB miscreants in calling the country zoo.
Wonderful...

I tell you. God is indeed wonderful. Who would have thought that we the common pained election losers would be agreed with in this country

Hnmm

But I still believe disintegration will be the best solution. Restructuring is welcomed too anyways, it's better than nothing.

ImmaculateJOE:


So the sophisticated Yoruba nation has joined the wailing wailers IPOB miscreants in calling the country zoo.
Wonderful...

las las u go be alright

The welfare of the people is critical, as hard as it is to access communities in the time of pa Awo, they still ensured that they moved about to hold town hall meetings to know their needs before embarking on development. But the reverse is the case with nyesom Wike who ensures that he will carry out his intrusive projects and goes about donating money to others while human capital development is nothing to write home about.

DenreleDave:


Stop acting like a full all time... Didn't your father voted buhari, even your mother voted him

So blame your parents too and Stop blaming others.


After all it was Nigerians dt voted him

Na so you are pained?
Nigerians voted him because sensible and d most educated Nigerians like the Prof took him on their shoulders for the uneducated masses to vote for him. Moreover, just to inform you that my parents voted for the Dr Johnny and not a certificateless herder!

Again, Yorubas are still not perceptive enough. When I say this, people will come for me calling me Igbo.

Restructuring is a clear trap. First of all, the stigma associated with Nigeria is almost a permanent stain. Getting jobs online is a problem. In the public eye, Nigeria is no secular state but an Islamic one. You are also regarded as a potential terrorist when out of its shores. The name Nigeria means badluck and evil. Why should I be restructuring what a dead white man created in the 19th century?

What exactly is my concern and business as a Yoruba name with a Fulani man from Mali, Niger and the North? What exactly is common?

All these fooolish mumulectuals and humbled slaves will soon depart the earth and leave we the younger generation in a much hotter mess. Just the same way Awolowo and Zik knew One Nigeria was not viable but still went ahead with it because of the greed of a nonsense ceremonial presidency. Now see us suffering their stupiid decisions.

Pls never be carried away because some people are professors, nobel laureates or global economic warriors. When it comes to people like this guy and that Chimamanda girl, you'll be surprised that their sense ends at just their certification or a so-called award. They are usually quite simpletons when it comes to other perspectives of life: one such which is the viability of a destiny-destroying zoo and open-killing field called Nigeria.

KEEP THE FOCUS

Sanusi said he also believed that the problem was ethnicity until he became the emir and saw the situation differently .
He also argued that the British colonial masters did not want the North to be educated like the South.

Sanusi the snake!
It's not a coincidence Boko Haram is also against education

Core Muslim north and greed