Some opinion leaders across ethnic and religion diverse in Nigeria on Friday spoke on the current state of the nation, declaring that nothing is working at the moment.
The leaders, which include foremost economist, Professor Pat Utomi; former Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and 2019 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dr. Malaifia Obadiah; member of the 5th Senate, Senator Henshaw Bassey; Second Republic presidential assistant, Tokunbo Sholu-Ekukinam, stated that the nation’s current system has been unfair, killing the younger generation and their talents, stressing that all indices show that Nigeria is now a failing state.
The eminent Nigerians all spoke at the Second Goke Omisore Annual Lecture organised by a Yoruba Intelligentsia Group, Voice of Reason (VOR), in honour of its late convener, Prince Goke Omisore.
The panelists and guestsunanimously agered that impunity, lawlessness, anarchy and subjugation of the younger generation currently reigns supreme in Nigeria, suggesting that if the political, economic and social structures of the country are not restructured in line with the current realities in the country.
They maintained that Nigeria as a sovereign country should be terminated peacefully because, if not ended now, there’s higher tendency that the country would terminate herself and if that happens, it would lead to a gargantuan disaster.
They included lawyers and activists, Dele Farotimi and Inibehe Effiong, social crusader and Executive Director of Enough Is Enough Nigeria (EiE), Yemi Adamolekun, Nigerian Representative to the All African Students Union (AASU), Icon Olawale and Niger/Delta Activist, Annkio Briggs, among others,
They challenged the younger generation to take over the country themselves from the older generation whom they accused of failing to show direction, honour, meritorious service and sincerity of purpose to the younger generation in their modus of operations and actions regarding governance.
The speakers, who included the Secretary-General of the Lower Nigeria Congress (LNC), Mr. Tony Nnadi, argued that what was going on in Nigeria was worse than a Banana Republic as the country had failed to have an identity.
Obadiah said the statement credited to some Northern governors that not all Boko Haram were criminals was an oxymoron of the century.
Obadiah added: “Nigerian constitution guarantees self-defence to anyone who faces threat to his or her life, therefore, it is your right as a Nigerian to defend yourself and your community whenever you are faced by a treat to live.
“Let me say very expressly that Amotekun and Eastern Security Network (ESN) are legal; they are doing what they are supposed to do in line with Universal Declaration on Human Rights.”
Second Republic Presidential Assistant on Legal Matters, Mrs. Tokunbo Sholu-Ekukinam, said no one was safe in Nigeria because insecurity had been booming like wave of ocean.
A lawyer and former Students Union President of Lagos State University (LASU), Mr. Dele Farotimi, who spoke on behalf of the golden jubilee generation, said Nigerian leaders had turned the younger generation to chattered slaves who police could shoot at any time; who’s live could be taken away anytime by the agents of the state and who had no access to amenities, dignity and liberty.
Corroborating her fellow panelists, Adamolekun, said “the clampdown against the youth last Saturday was massive. It is an indication that the youth means nothing to the older generation.”
Adamolekun challenged the Director General of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN), Mr. Seye Olaleye, who was present at the event, to ensure that the South West Regional Security Outfit, Operation Amotekun, was deployed to all the local government areas in the Yoruba land to secure and protect lives.
She advised South West governors that though the Nigerian constitution guarantees all citizens to move from one place to another, no law stops them from enacting a law to mandate all visitors in their states to register.
