Anyaoku advocates return to regionalism
by Agency Reporter

Former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, has advocated a return to regionalism “for Nigeria to effectively face her development challenges”. According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Anyaoku made the call in Awka, Anambra State on Thursday at a lecture on good governance organised in his honour by a non-governmental organisation, Youth Affairs International Foundation.

The theme of the lecture was ‘The Role of Youth in Governance’.
He said, “There are big challenges confronting the governments; state and federal, the challenges of youth unemployment, how to deal with the massive corruption and the growing challenge of insecurity. “Insecurity that began with kidnapping in the Niger Delta is an identifiable grievance that the area which produces the nation’s resources was underdeveloped.” Anyaoku stressed that the security challenges had manifested in the Boko Haram menace which was “making life nearly impossible for those in the northern parts”.

The elder stateman added, “That is a challenge that the government need to tackle much more effectively. “For the country to effectively face the challenge, we do need to return the structure of our governance to a regional system. “I recall that there was healthy competition during the era of regional system. “Now we have a system that not only involves the country in spending too much in the cost of governance, but also fuels destructive competitions among the diverse ethnic groups for the control of power at the centre.

“I don’t think our country can achieve the desired goals on the existing structure. “Our country Nigeria, by all economic indices was at par with South Korea and Malaysia, but today these countries are one or two generations ahead of us. “I hope that you, the youth of today, will remedy the situation in not too long a time to come.”

@Post

I am strongly in support of regionalism and a weaker center. If Nigeia had gravitated towards regionalism year ago, we would not be in this mess we are in today as a nation.

supported

Strongly disagree

miteolu: Strongly disagree

in total support of it......maybe we will start to show ourselves a little respect, especially those ijaws that feel like they can open their mouth whenever because of the oil their father didn't put there.

I love dat map!

Anyaoku.....what are you saying again ?

Absolutely we all know regionalism is key to our development... But our useless lawmakers are just paying lip service to it..becos dat way d centre becomes less attractive and less bribes for dem from d numerous probes. Less bribes to inflate ministry budget...less access to money for dem on d whole. Everybody is talking true federalism both Jonathan n lawmakers but nobody is initiating it. Who is fooling who.

Waiting for the entity called Nigeria to work with this system of government, means waiting for forever to come. We are already torn within ethnic and religious boundaries, this natural separation should serve as basis for our regional system of government.

Having a strong center and a weak appendages will still promulgate corruption and laziness. Its about time the various regions think on how to survive without oil

Fully supported but I have a challenge for the name given to the middle belt area. Perhaps a better name for the middle belt would suffice.

Chei...see ibo moraphukin thieves....grouping the SS as BIAFRA....like the south southerners won't want the full control of the oil in their own region.

If una like support statism, the mindset of people is just the problem.None of this will work, anarchy prevails even from the state levels. What we will see after this will still be people like the sarakis popping up from all this region and people stealing more to hang to power.
Have we ever sat down and think how much money has gone through governors like Ibori, alams ,Odili ,Akpabio and the rate of development that have been achived in this states.
For me I will see more tribalism, oil theft, and suffering

GboyegaD: Fully supported but I have a challenge for the name given to the middle belt area. Perhaps a better name for the middle belt would suffice.

we never start yet oooo

While Biafra is a good name, the states that makes up the region will have to come up with acceptable name for all. I don't think a Delta guy want to be call Biafra.

What is your new name suggestion?

To my own mind, no system of governance or structural Administration is good enough for Nigeria until we all sit down to actually discuss in a no holds barred fashion the concept of our pax Nigeriana. This becomes critical in that a situation whereby the same set of characters parade our political, economical and socio cultural landscape with scant regard for our collective welfare and happiness. If at the end of the talk session, we produce and fashion out, our collective dream and asipration in terms of the a well spelt out modus operandi of governance, then and only then we can forge ahead to the promise land without fear of betrayal, lack of trust and political perfidy

Very funny map..

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Regionalism is dead and buried in Nigeria.

What has Biafra got to do with the Niger Delta States? Stop associating yourselves all in the interest of oil deposit in the Niger Delta.

Billyonaire: Anyaoku.....what are you saying again ?

Billyonaire: Anyaoku.....what are you saying again ?

obviously u're blind!!!

This is not new from Anyaoku. He has been calling for this for so long but the system is unfavourable to Aso Rock and National Assembly so that won't accept it.

Regionalism? *ponders deep in thought.* In any region where the likes of Alams, Ibori, Orji, Obasanjo and cronies are leaders, there can never be development. Until we address our corrupt mindsets, no economic or political ideology will work.

Of course Biafra wants the South South. LOL!!!! Bloody thief-thief.

Nigeria can't return to regionalism unless it figures out what to do with oil revenues. The only thing feeding the Federal Government is oil $$$$... the federal government isn't going anywhere or getting any weaker until somebody snatches away the feeding bottle.

when

I support u my bro, but division go beter

I am in total support.

Without doubt, Regionalism is the key to our development, having enjoyed it in the past, this is because it made the centre less attractive, thus gave no room for selfish sectional politicking and the attendant corruption. Unfortunately, our legislators are today pre-occupied with contracts and re-elections, so they are not ready to give due attention to critical but important issues like the one Distinquished Chief Emeka Anyaoku is advocating. Let's keep watching this movie called Nigeria and the Characters called Politician!

musiwa1: when did delta state become part of the east.

Seju Emiko is the Olu of warri. while the one before him is Ayo emiko..

My man, know one's begging u to become part of east, but then u need to read ur book as well ask ur elders questions to understand better!

out..

GboyegaD: Fully supported but I have a challenge for the name given to the middle belt area. Perhaps a better name for the middle belt would suffice.

The rationale is for the Middle belt which has the capital in it to still retain the country's identity - Nigeria. Do you want the name(Nigeria) to be completely eradicated?

Nigeria is too big for one man especialy a civilian to handle.