Tinubu restates need for true federalism
From Saxone Akhaine (Kaduna), Idowu Ajanaku, Babatunde Bodunrin and Uche Nwankwo
GOVERNOR Bola Tinubu of Lagos State has restated the need for the nation to practise true federalism by giving autonomy to the 36 states to control their internal affairs.
In a paper titled "Federalism: A Gateway to National Reform and Integration", which the governor delivered at the second National Unity Lecture of the Northern Youth Consultative Forum (NYCF) in Kaduna, he said true federalism is what will take the nation out of the woods.
His words: "The yearnings of our people are for a true federalism where states will not be at the mercy of the centre that is powerful and superior.
"Just as democracy has become acceptable system for the management of political and economic life of nations, national reforms in the areas of economic, political and social life are also desirable in a true federalism".
According to Tinubu, granting of autonomy to the states will also stimulate healthy competition among them and accelerate the desired national development.
"If we do not want Nigeria to disintegrate, this is the right time to come together and reason on the structure and ways of relating together in the federation," he said.
The governor expressed appreciation to the forum for honouring him with an award, stressing that "the award is timely and also a confirmation of our confidence that our youths who are the leaders of tomorrow are detribalised and are for the nation's unity and progress."
In his speech, the chairman of the occasion and former Minister of Transport, Alhaji Umaru Dikko, expressed dismay over "progressive decline" in the economy and charged the youths to continue to stand firm in defence of the nation's democracy by joining the crusade against sectionalism and corruption in the society.
Dikko argued that he was encouraged by the activities of the forum, which, according to him, gave the feelings that "there is hope for the North and Nigeria"."
The National President of the Forum, Malam Abdullahi Ali Dogo, said the choice of federalism as the topic of the lecture was informed by the desire to find common grounds on the subject.
Meanwhile, Tinubu has attributed the success of his administration to the effectiveness of the state civil service under the leadership of the retiring Head of Service, Alhaji Rafiu Babatunde Tinubu.
The governor who spoke at the public presentation of the book Path of Honour: A Memoir of R.B. Tinubu, said it was the retiring head of service who advised him to give priority to the payment of workers' salaries.
Tinubu who described the senior official as "a man of great candour, great administrator and a good family man", disclosed that his appointment was occasioned by a false position presented by some people over the N3,500 minimum wage package which negated his professional instinct.
He stated that public servants deserve more than what they are being paid now, blaming the situation on the refusal of the nation to practise true federalism.
Tinubu said his call for true federalism was not borne out of the desire to be a radical but based on the historical consciousness that the greatest period in Nigeria's history was the pre-1966 era when there was serious and healthy competition among the regions.
Professor Bola Akinterinwa of the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs, who reviewed the book, described it as a testament of a seasoned administrator who offered copious panacea for the ills of the Nigerian society.
