Chief Reuben Fasorunti, an elder statesman, is an associate of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and leader of the pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere. As Nigerians mark the country’s 57th Independence anniversary, he spoke to OJO OYEWAMIDE on the state of the nation and the way forward. Excerpt:
Sir, 57 years after independence, Nigeria has not been able to make appreciable progress as a great nation full of potentials. What went wrong?
When you talk of physical development, yes, we’ve made some progress. Our cities have grown large. Our institutions have also grown very large. But, when you talk of the spirit of the country, there is not much to write about because things have fallen apart. There is moral laxity. There is large scale fraud. Attitude towards work is very lackadaisical. In any case, everybody is running after money. That’s my own impression. Physical growth; yes. But, when you talk of a nation, the spirit of a nation, it is not there. We have not started at all. We need dedicated leaders, leaders who have made up their minds to create a virile nation, not people who are running after money. I think that’s our problem.
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What do you think is the way out of the mess?
The way out is for God to bring out some leaders who have focus, who want to serve this country and make it march on. At the moment, everybody is for himself. Even, the legislatures are only concerned about money. We don’t even know how much they are earning.
Do you support a return to a Republican constitution as was practised in the First Republic?
What we were practising before was parliamentary. What we have now is more or less Republican. But, there is no focus. I will even advocate that we go back to the parliamentary system where a party will choose the leader of government and the leader of government will choose his own ministers or commissioners that will be responsible to him. At the moment, everything has somehow scattered. I prefer a parliamentary system.
What do you think is wrong with the presidential system?
It is very expensive. In fact, that is my main criticism. And then, the legislators have no allegiance to anybody. Look at what is happening at the centre. Everybody is doing what he or she likes. It is everybody for himself. There is no focus.
There have been agitations in most parts of the country for restructuring. Voices of the agitators are getting more strident. How do you see this development?
Restructuring is overdue. We will like to do what we are able to do in our own state as before. For instance, we should have state police. Centralised policing is too unwieldy. It does not make for efficiency. If you want to speculate for minerals, you should be able to do it in your state. But now, it is a federal affair. The states should be allowed to develop their ports. Power is too much in the hands of the centre and that is why we don’t have efficient running of the country. So, let’s devolve powers and responsibilities and then let everybody be for himself.
It doesn’t mean the country will break up. But, it will allow us to take care of what we have in our local areas. The centre should handle external affairs and defence. Those are the things the centre can look after. But, if we are talking of exploitation of minerals, we should be able to do it in our local areas. The states should be able to have their own police and give them instructions, not to refer things to Abuja. If you refer things to Abuja, by the time you get result, things will have gone haywire. That’s why we are saying let us devolve.
But, some people think restructuring means breaking up the country. What’s your idea of it?
It doesn’t mean breaking up the country. My idea of it is devolution of powers and responsibilities from the centre to the federating units. A lot of people seem to have embraced restructuring. That is the trend now. It may take some time to materialise, but people seem to have accepted it. People like Chief Bola Tinubu, people like Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, people like Alhaji Atiku Abuhakar seem to have accepted it. Even people who were reluctant to accept in the past, seem to have embraced it now. They are holding meetings and they want to agree. Let’s have a system that will allow the country to move forward. As a country, we are not moving fast enough.
Why do you thing the North is averse to the idea of restructuring?
If you read your paper a couple of days ago, you will know that the northerners are meeting now and they want to talk about restructuring. The North has seen that it is the trend. Our people in the South and in the Middle Belt have embraced restructuring. It is only people in the core North that oppose it and they are in the minority. Eventually, we can get it.
Is the Federal Government in order to have proscribed the Indegenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and designated it a terror group?
No, I think it is a wrong step. The government shouldn’t have proscribed the group. By prescribing IPOB, it gives its members more pep to continue to agitate. The idea is still there. They can’t kill it. The best thing is to talk to them and negotiate with them.
But, the Federal Government’s justification for the group’s prescription is that its activities were threatening the peace and unity of the country. Don’t you agree with this?
The problem is the way the thing has been handled. Yes, the group is threatening the unity of the country. But, the authority should go about it in a more diplomatic way rather than cracking down on them. Members of the group won’t take it, knowing full well the character of the Igbo. I only hope God should give the government the wisdom to go about it in a very diplomatic way so that we can have a peaceful solution. We can’t afford to scatter at this time.
The Federal Government has also been sending soldiers to some parts of the country to handle civil matters. Do you see any justification for this?
It is wrong. The police can handle that. The people are not armed to the extent that they threaten government. Government should use police. The Army should be the last resort. It is wrong using soldiers to crush the Igbo people. Instead, talk to them and point to them the danger of breaking up the country. The Igbo are wounded people and a wounded person is an angry person. So, government needs a diplomatic approach to be able to calm their anger and have a peaceful resolution to it.
Few days ago, some hoodlums invaded the palace of Olubadan of Ibadan. What is your take on this development?
I think it is wrong. But, I am happy the leaders in that place have condemned it. Violence can’t resolve any issue. I am happy the leaders have realised that. They are already talking. The people are infuriated because you can’t kill their Oba because you don’t like what he is doing. I think it is wrong.
Osun State Commissioner, Bola Ilori, was attacked by suspected political thugs in Akure at the All Progressives Congress (APC) public hearing on True Federalism and Restructuring. This has caused a feud between Ondo and Osun states. What does this portend for the South West region?
I think it is an internal thing. The man who was attacked is a member of a political party. And we know, within that party, there are factions. It should not be labeled as Ondo fighting another state. So, it is an internal problem. I know what you are talking about. The commissioner has not been straightforward. I think he is playing a double game, looking both ways. So, they cannot say Ondo attacked Osun. I hope they would settle it. The commissioner has been going between Ondo and Osun which is not good in politics.
It has been more than two years since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed the leadership of the country. What’s your assessment of his government?
He has been ill most of the time. We can’t really say this is his achievement. Most of the time, he has been away. And if a man is in charge of a place, he should be there. Lai Mohammed has tried his best to explain the situation by taking, talking and talking. That doesn’t give us any solution. I hope he is okay now. He should face the business of governance more squarely like he was doing before.
Could you compare politicians of today with those of the First and Second Republics when you were actively in politics?
We had discipline then. Money was not our main concern. I was living in my house when I was Commissioner for Finance. I left government poorer than when I went in. And that government has been referred to anywhere as the one that served the people. But, these days, it is money, money, money! That is not good enough. We don’t even know what legislators are earning now. They don’t want to discuss it.
What do you think should be done to reduce the influence of money in the country’s politics?
There should be a fixed remuneration of legislators; peg and make it less attractive. If we don’t do that, this trend will continue. And if it is possible, let’s make their job a part time assignment. When I was a councillor for Akure Divisional Council, comprising Idanre, Akure and Ifedore, I was still the principal of Iju-Itaogbolu Grammar School. We held our meetings in the afternoon or at the weekends. It was less attractive. I was still working full time. We were given sitting allowances. I am not saying it should be sitting allowances now. But, we should make public office holders’ earning less attractive. That’s why people are falling over themselves. They want to be legislators; they want to be commissioners and so on. There is so much rat race.
But, do Nigerian politicians have the political will to take such a drastic measure?
My concern is that they won’t do it because they are affected. They can’t take such an action.
You have been a teacher all your life, a politician and now an elder statesman. What is your advice to the present crop of leaders?
I’ve just mentioned a few things. First, there should be dedication and selfless service. Money making should not be their main concern. They should show sincerity and honesty. That will make this country greater than what it is now. But, as it is now, it is money, money, money and so much rat race to get money quick, which is not good enough. That is why we are not making any progress. There is so much scandal all over the place and stealing here and there. Sometimes, I wonder what they want to do with the money because when they die, they leave everything behind.
What is your advice to President Muhammadu Buhari?
He knows what to do because he knew he was coming to serve. He should demonstrate it. He should do away with stealing, do away with dishonesty, do with acquisition of wealth. For him, it should be life of service. People have been disappointed. We concede to him that he has been ill. But, as soon as he gets over it, he should show that he is there to serve.
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Do you think the fight against corruption has yielded fruits?
Not much, because, people who are corrupt and have been found out are not punished enough. There is an attempt to dispossess some of them of what they have acquired. But, it is not enough. We want him to set an example that honesty is the best.
Would you say he has tried in the area of security?
Yes and no. Nobody is safe now. People are afraid to travel because of armed robbery and kidnapping. The government has not done enough in that regard.
What is your view on political party organisation and discipline these days?
This is the laxity that I am talking about. Party organisation in those days was really party organisation. You had to be loyal to your party. If you were not loyal, you would be shown the way out. There was discipline and you could not do what you like. Otherwise, they would expel you and it would tell a lot of things about you. If you were not disciplined and your party expelled you, it was a stigma. The situation is now different. Today, people just change political parties as if they are changing their shirts. You leave your party today and join another party immediately. And if you are not satisfied with the new party, you dump it and join another one again. This has led to a lot of indiscipline. It is not good enough because it doesn’t make for party discipline.
The post Restructuring Will Not Break Up Nigeria – Fasoranti appeared first on Independent News Nigeria.
Source: Daily Independent
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