Crisis of over-centralization led to mass misery in Nigeria – Yoruba leaders insist on restructuring (Read full communique)

Leaders of Yoruba race, on Thursday declared that the crisis that resulted from over-centralization of government apparatus, powers and functions at the federal level has led to misery across Nigeria.

They, however, insisted that the only way out of the present social, economic and political problems confronting Nigeria such as Boko Haram, corruption, unemployment among others can only be solved if Nigeria returns to 1960 and 1963 constitutions where regions had the mandates to develop at their own pace.

Yoruba leaders at the summit held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital christened, “The Ibadan Declaration” under the chairmanship of Chief Afe Babalola titled “Yoruba Standpoint on Restructuring” agreed that there was no any other alternative to restructuring of the country.

In a communique signed by the Chairman of the occasion, Chief Afe Babalola and Chairman of the planning Committee, Dr. Kunle Olajide, Yoruba leaders remarked that, “Nigeria is careering dangerously to the edge of the slope except urgent steps are taken to restructure Nigeria from a unitary constitution to a federal constitution as negotiated by our founding fathers at independence in 1960”.

Those who spoke at the summit include Chief Babalola; Dr. Kunle Olajide; Ekiti State Governor Mr. Ayodele Fayose; former Governor of Ogun State, Dr. Gbenga Daniel; Ooni of Ife Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; Chief Ruben Fasoranti; Mr. Yinka Odumakin; Dr. Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu; Chief Femi Fani Kayode and Chief Idowu Sofola (SAN).

They all declared that restructuring of Nigeria which has been a subject of debate for many decades was long overdue.

Other speakers who corroborated their stand on restructuring of the country are Otunba Gani Adams, Chief Femi Fani Kayode, and Senator Sefiu Olugbenga Kaka.

Also present at the event which was held at the main bowl of the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba Ibadan were Chief Deji Osibogun; Dr. Doyin Okupe; Senator Femi Ojudu, and former Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko.

Read the full communique below…

PREAMBLE

Leaders and people of Yoruba nation met in a solemn gathering at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba Ibadan to deliberate on the restructuring agenda and the future of Nigeria, The summit was attended by Yoruba leaders, governors, parliamentarians ,Yoruba social cultural groups, professional bodies, market leaders, youth groups and friends of the Yoruba nation

After exhaustive deliberations by the largest gathering of Yoruba people from the six South-West states. Kwara and Kogi states, the following communique was adopted.

Summit recalls with nostalgia, the great strides made by the Yoruba nation in the years of self-government up until the abrogation of the federal constitution in 1966 evident in mass literacy, novel infrastructural strides and giant leaps in all spheres of human development.

Summit noted that the crisis of over-centralization has led to mass misery in across the country with poverty levels at 72%, unemployment rate at 65% internal immigration and internal displacement, security threat in form of Boko Haram, herdsmen and organized crime.

Summit convinced that Nigeria is careering dangerously to the edge of the slope except urgent steps are taken to restructure Nigeria from a unitary constitution to a federal constitution as negotiated by our founding fathers at independence in 1960, it was resolved as follows:

That Yoruba insists that Nigeria must return to a proper federation as obtained in the 1960 and 1963 constitutions. This has been our position since 1950 Ibadan conference and developments in Nigeria over the last fifty years reinforce our conviction.

That Yoruba are clear that restructuring does not mean different things to different people other than that a multi-ethnic country like Nigeria can only know real peace and development if it is run ONLY along federal lines.

That the greatest imperatives of restructuring Nigeria is to move from a rent-seeking and money sharing anti-development economy to productivity by ensuring that the federating units are free to own and develop their resources. They should pay agreed sums to the federation purse to implement central services.

That the federating units- whether states, zones or regions must themselves be governed by written constitution to curb impurity at all levels.

Nigeria shall be a federation comprised of six regions and the federal capital Territory, Abuja.

The Federal Government shall make laws and only have powers in relation to items specified on the legislative list contained in the constitution of the Federation.

The Regions shall in turn be composed as states.

Each Regions shall have its own constitution containing enumerated exclusive and concurrent legislative lists regarding matters upon which the regions and the states may act or legislate.

Contiguous territories, ethnic nationalities or settlement shall be at liberty through a plebiscite, to elect to be part of any contiguous region other than the region in which the current geo-political zone or state boundaries places them.

States as presently comprised in the geo-political zones into which they fall, which shall become regions, shall continue to exercise the executive, legislative and judicial functions currently exercised at that level of government.

The States with a region shall determine the items on the legislative lists in the Regional constitution for the purpose of good government and the administration and provision of common inter-state social, economic and infrastructural requirements. Residual powers shall be vested in the states

The power to create states shall be within the exclusive powers of the region which shall be obliged to create a state provided a plebiscite is conducted, following a request by an agreed percentage of the residents of the ethnic nationality within a state. The procedure for conducting a plebiscite and the percentage of any ethnic nationality shall be out in the regional constitution.

The power to create local governments and assign functions to them shall be vested in the states.

States shall be entitled to manage all resources found within their boundaries and the revenue accuring therefrom. The issue of the entitlement of littoral states to offshore resources and the extension of such rights from the continental shelf and rights accuring to the federal government shall be determined by the national assembly.

The sharing ration of all revenues raised by means of taxation shall be 50% to the states, 35% to the regional government and 15% to the government of the federation.

For a period of 10years from the commencement of the operation of the new constitution (or such other agreed period to be enshrined in the federal constitution) there shall be a special fund for the development of all minerals in the country.

The Government of the federation shall raise this sum by way of additional taxation on resources at a rate to be agreed by the National Assembly. The National Assembly shall set up a body to manage the funds with equal representation of nominees from each of the Regional governments and shall also set out and specify the guidelines for the administration of the funds exclusively for this purpose. The president of the Federation shall appoint a chairperson for the entity so formed.

That these agreed positions of the Yoruba taken today shall form the basis of negotiations with our partners in the Nigerian project for a United Nigeria based on Justice, peace and fair play.

Chief Afe Babalola (SAN),
Summit Chairman

Dr. Kunle Olajide,
Chairman Planning Committee