Restructuring, devolution of powers, State Policing and economic productivity are some of the key factors identified by the Osun Central Senator and Nigeria’s Senate Spokesperson, Sen. Bashiru Ajibola (SRJ), as solutions to ethnic agitations and dichotomy in Nigeria.
This was disclosed on Monday in Osogbo at a lecture delivered by the Senator, titled “Tackling The Ethnic Agitations and Dichotomy in Nigeria”, during the Opening Ceremony in the 2020 edition of Press Week.
The Governor of Osun State, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola who was ably represented by the Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mrs Funke Egbemode, who declared the Week open.
Mrs Egbemode who expressed happiness, appreciated Journalists in Osun State for standing tall to professionalism in spite of daring challenges.
She therefore congratulated the Osun Council of NUJ led by Comrade Wasiu Ajadosu, on this year’s Press Week and urged Journalists in the state to resist all forms of temptation against doing the right thing. “As watchdogs, we must continue to do what is right at all times”.
The Chairman of the occasion, a former Nigerian Ambassador to Philippines, Amb. Yemi Farounbi who had earlier dissected the theme of the event, “Tackling The Ethnic Agitations and Dichotomy in Nigeria” had posited that “Nigeria needs rebirth”.
He was of the opinion that different Constitution in use since 1914 till the current 1999 has remained a donation of the Military. According to him, “Nigeria needs a new constitution” to get it right on ethnic agitations and dichotomy in Nigeria.
Amb. Farounbi also asserted that whoever must be elected, selected or given any responsibility must have vision, knowledge, experience, exposure, competence and character to deliver on the needs of the people.
Analysing issues in the theme of the event, Sen. Bashiru Ajibola (SRJ) who said his paper was predicated on his personal views, pointed out that Nigeria needs restructuring, to tackle ethnic agitations and dichotomy in the country.
The Lawmaker who itemized four basic ways by which agitations and dichotomy could be tackled, emphasized on the devolution of powers as an essential factor to finding lasting solution to the issue.
According to him, “at the centre of these agitations is the demand for devolution of powers. Devolution refers to the clamour for powers vested in the Federal Government. I have earlier highlighted the overcentralisation of powers and demonstrated the effects on the bloated Federal beaurecracy”.
“It is necessary to transfer some of the items on the exclusive legislative list to the state. The Federal Government should retain only matters of National concern like defense, foreign affairs, currency and immigration. This will restore the Federal Structure bequeathed by our founding fathers and reposition the state as federating units in the affairs of public governance” Sen. Ajibola said.
He also said that the adoption of parliamentary system of government, State Police for effective security and economic productivity are other factors, that will go a long ways in addressing issues of ethnic agitations and dichotomy in Nigeria.
Earlier in his welcome address, the NUJ Chairman in Osun State, Comrade Wasiu Ajadosu had expressed happiness, saying “this year’s edition of our Press Week is unique because it marks a turnaround in the life of the Union, as the Union will be commissioning a nine lock-up shops as part of its efforts to increase its revenue base and sustain the independence of the Union”.
Comrade Ajadosu also urged the invited guests to come to the aid of the Union in form of financial assistance to address varying challenges facing it.
According to him, “It is also important at this point to intimate our invited guests on the major challenges facing the Union as regards the Union facility. Obviously, parts of the facility need rehabilitation, especially this particular hall we are in presently”.
The commissioning of the nine lock-up shops was performed by Sen. Bashiru Ajibola on behalf of the State Governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola.
