Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka who spoke yesterday in Lagos at the maiden Handshake Across Nigeria summit, with the theme: Nigeria beyond oil organised by Nzuko Umunna in partnership with The Core Federalists, stated that President Muhammadu Buhari’s failure to obey court orders was a national embarrassment.
Wole Soyinka who further disclosed that the only way to move the country forward was restructuring, added that it is not an option but a necessity that will help avoid the constant bloodshed in the country and guarantee its unity.
“We want government to understand that they are part of the community and have been given a mission of carrying out the will of the people… Insecurity has reached a certain level that even when we bring experts in, they wonder what exactly they have come to do. They are given a certain problem to solve and when they arrive here, they meet another problem.
“We have had many instances of armed killer herdsmen who wreak havoc across communities in the country and, rather than show empathy to the victims, the Inspector General of Police goes there to say they were killed because they blocked the grazing routes for cattle.
“One way of stopping the bloodbath is to reconfigure the nation. States must be given maximum control over their resources. There are some who prefer to grow rice, there are others who prefer to grow religion and we know where religion has taken us, today.
“Some people will like to say it is not really religion that has gotten us to where we are. I agree with you, but, some people have manipulated religion to suit their purpose.
“Those insisting on restructuring do so because they know that there is something wrong with the state of Nigeria. Many times, Nigerians have come together to proffer solutions and the way forward for the country, but, after spending so much time and effort, nothing ever comes out of it. The recommendations are left to gather dust. How much longer shall we continue like this?
“Forgiveness is a virtue. Although I have the same temperament as my late friend, Tai Solarin, but, it is a national embarrassment that our president has refused to obey our laws. Citizens should not be the one to choose to obey laws” he said.
The President General of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, Afenifere chieftain, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, who also spoke at the even in Lagos, both stated that restructuring of Nigeria is now or never.
