From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan

In the wake of the seeming whirlwind of agitations by the component parts of Nigeria, the various self determination groups calling for restructuring of the country have been asked to openly and clearly state the outlook and form of the restructured Nigeria they envisaged.
This counsel was the summary of the presentations made by professors of political science and other scholars from various universities in Nigeria and United States of America  (USA), who met in Ibadan for about five hours and brainstormed on how restructuring of Nigeria, being agitated for by many ethnic groups, could work.
The scholars met at the first Seminar Series 2017 of the Ibadan School of Government and Public Policies (ISGPP) with the theme: “Prebendalism and the Nigerian Project: Reflections on Democracy and Development since 2015.”
They followed the postulation of a book published by a scholar from the Department of Political Science of the Northwestern University, Illinois, USA, Prof. Richard Joseph, on the Nigerian nation. The book titled, Democracy and Prebendal Politics in Nigeria, published 30 years ago, theorised the crisis of the Nigerian democracy, especially the rise and fall of the second republic.
The keynote speaker at the programme was the author of the book, Prof. Joseph. The speakers were the Vice Chancellor, Igbinedion University, Okada, Prof Eghosa Osaghae, a professor of Comparative Politics, who chaired the occasion; and ISGPP Governing Board Chairman, Prof Akin Mabogunje.
Former Private Secretary to late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, poet and ex-governorship aspirant in Edo State, Odia Ofeimun; and ISGPP Executive Vice-Chairman, Dr. Tunji Olaopa, a retired permanent secretary with the Federal Government, were also among the speakers.
The keynote speaker, Joseph, noted that the Nigerian current federal system is not in tandem with normal practice and stressed that there was need for the strategy to be reviewed, saying that instead of using the word ‘restructuring’ for the changes Nigerians want, the word ‘redesign’ should be used.
His words: “The word ‘restructuring’ of Nigeria sounds vague to me. But I would prefer the word ‘redesign’ as that would tell me the need to put some things together in the country.
“Nigeria has a flawed federal system and it is affecting the whole system. It is like the system eating up itself, which is not only appalling but that it could be better captured as redesign.”

 

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