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At Soyinka’s lecture, Kanu,
Oshiomhole worry over 2007
•Renew call for SNC
IHEANACHO NWOSU, Lagos and LERE OJEDOKUN, Abuja
WHILE
political permutations are being made, ahead of the 2007 general elections, two
prominent Nigerians, Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu and the President, Nigeria
Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday cautioned that unless
Nigeria is restructured via a Sovereign National Conference (SNC), the polls may
run into a hitch.
Their position sharply contradicted
President Olusegun Obasanjo’s assurance to Nigerians in Addis Ababa, the
Ethiopian capital, at the weekend, that the handover process to a new
administration in 2007 will be flawless.
Rear Admiral Kanu, a pro-democracy
activist and former military governor of Lagos State, and Oshiomhole spoke at a
lecture organised by the National Association of Seadogs (NAS) in commemoration
of the 70th birthday of Nobel Laurate, Prof. Wole Soyinka.
Further encomiums have been poured on
Prof. Soyinka with President Obasanjo hailing him as "a worthy role model for
millions of youths in Nigeria."
At the lecture, Kanu backed calls for a
president of Igbo stock in 2007, saying it was legitimate.
Kanu, delivering a paper titled:
Nigeria: The Unfinished Business said the present structure of the
federation is hugely defensive and would continue to breed instability, chaos
and hopelessness.
"Almost everything, every aspect...
indeed, not almost, but all aspects of the country is in error," he said.
The faulty structure, he explained, more
than other reasons, provoked the formation and activities of the National
Democratic Coalition (NADECO) during the regime of former Head of State, the
late Gen. Sani Abacha.
Lending force to the position, Oshiomhole
noted that people would continue to view issues concerning the nation from
tribal lenses as long as the leaders turn a deaf ear to the persistent clamour
for the restructuring of the country.
Although he acknowledged that the country
has transited from military rule to democracy, the former military governor of
Imo and Lagos states contended that the status quo still remained in
terms of defective structure.
Quoting copiously the views of notable
Nigerians like Soyinka, legal luminary Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), former Inspector
General of Police, Alhaji M.D. Yusuf, on the faulty nature of the constitution
and the nation generally, Kanu submitted that only the restructuring of the
political structure, was germane for attaining the desired height the nation
craves for.
Said he: "I reiterate that the basic thing
required is a change of our political structure," recommending that "we should
return to federalism."
According to him, the ills besetting the
nation cannot be addressed even with the best leadership in place, arguing that
the situation remains so because of the faulty structure of the country.
"Even if you put a genius and Angel
Gabriel (Jubril) to run this country, the way its structure is, we shall
continue to wallow in all that we do to detest and keep pitying ourselves," he
argued, stressing that "the unitary structure is not feasible, it is not
tenable."
On the clamour for the ceding of the
presidency in 2007 to the South-East geo-political zone, by leaders of the zone,
the NADECO chieftain described it as a legitimate quest.
He, however, attributed the campaign to
the existing structure which he said promotes ethnicsm and parochial
consideration of issue.
According to him such clamour by different
tribes in the country would continue unless the nation is restructured and
premised on a sound footing.
"In point of fact, once the country
returns to a federation, it would be inconsequential where the president comes
from," he said.
The NLC president whose comment elicited
protracted applause from the audience, accused politicians of using tribal
sentiments to draw the sympathy of unsuspecting Nigerians.
He blamed the ills of the country on what
he called organised corruption by political leaders.
Because they were benefitting from the
existing faulty structure, the Labour leader contended, many of the leaders were
frustrating every effort at restructuring the nation on the path of popular
wishes.
The event which had the Senior Special
Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mrs. Remi Oyo representing
President Obasanjo, was witnessed by dignitaries from across different callings.
They include former governor of Osun
State, Chief Adebisi Akande, former Vice-Chancellor of University of Ibadan,
Prof. Ayo Banjo, Sen. Tokunbo Afikuyomi, Owelle of Onitsha, Chief Chukwuma
Azikiwe, and Mr. Agbakoba.
There were also Chief Ayo Opadokun, Dr.
Funsho Williams, Chief Sunny Irochie, Ayo Obe and Prof. Oye Ibidapo Obe,
University of Lagos Vice Chancellor.
Meanwhile President Obasanjo yesterday
congratulated Prof. Soyinka on his 70th birthday, eulogising him as a worthy
role model.
In a congratulatory message to the
literary icon, marked PRESS/132, and sent on behalf of the Federal Government,
himself and people of Nigeria, Obasanjo said the attainment of 70 years was a
most remarkable milestone.
He described Prof. Soyinka as living an
"illustrious and achievement-filled life," noting that having contributed
immensely to national development, it was just appropriate for people from all
walks of life to celebrate him.
"Your immense achievements in the academic
and literary world, which were crowned with the Nobel Prize for Literature, have
brought great honour and glory to you and to your fatherland. They have also
made you a worthy role model for millions of youth in Nigeria and other parts of
the world," he said.
President Obasanjo, while stressing that
70 was a good time, added that it was also a period for stock-taking and
reflection on how one has spent the time God has graciously given to mankind.
He informed Prof. Soyinka that if he could
look back, there was every cause to be satisfied that he has done his best with
the talents God has endowed him.
"If perhaps your mind turns to such
introspection in the midst of the many events lined up to celebrate your 70th
birthday, I believe that you can be reasonably satisfied that you have done your
best with the great talents God blessed you with at birth and which you had
opportunity to develop and utilise for humankind in general," he asserted.
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