President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams as well as other Yoruba leaders; have said that for Nigeria to witness good governance and meaning growth and development, restructuring and effective security system must be in place.
The Yoruba leaders included;nthe Alagbegise of Agbegise Kingdom in Ogun State, Oba Ikudaisi Olusina; the Oniselu of Odo Iselu, Ogun State, Oba Oladipupo Badejo; Mr Philip Nganyandi and Mr. Giwa Tobi of the University of Luxembourg.
They made this statement at the Oodua Progressive Union (OPU) Europe Summit held in Luxembourg.
The event with the theme, ‘The Yoruba Response to Restructuring, Insecurity, and Cultural Erosion in a Struggling Federation of Nigeria.’ stressed the critical need to recalibrate Nigeria’s federal system to ensure equity, justice, and effective governance.
Addressing the gathering of OPU executives, delegates from Europe and other parts of the world, Adams, who is the Global Convener of OPU, noted that the theme was timely and critical for addressing the nation’s current challenges.
He said the over-centralisation of power at the federal level is “counter-productive and identified this system of government as a root cause of inefficiency and marginalisation, particularly for the Yoruba nation.”
He called for urgent restructuring and true federalism, saying that it “will grant states of the federation genuine autonomy. Restructuring is essential not only for equitable resource distribution but also for fostering national integration and eliminating ethnic discrimination.”
Addressing Nigeria’s insecurity crisis, he described it as a “collective responsibility that requires more than military solutions.”
He also called for empowering local security groups, community policing, and intelligence-sharing mechanisms that leverage local knowledge.
He highlighted the importance of collaboration between government and grassroots security actors to tackle banditry, insurgency, and kidnapping.
Chairman of the occasion, Engr. Philip Nganyandi, who advocated for constitutional reforms that decentralize power stated that the challenges of restructuring, insecurity, and cultural erosion were interconnected and required a holistic approach.
In his address, the guest speaker, Mr. Giwa Tobi of the University of Luxembourg, described Nigeria as a “nation blessed with abundant resources and rich cultural diversity but currently facing profound challenges that threaten its unity, security, and cultural heritage.”
He emphasised that practical federalism and effective empowerment of local security groups to “tackle insecurity headlong remained true pillars for Nigeria’s future.”
Also speaking at the occasion, the Alagbegise of Agbegise Kingdom in Ogun State, Oba Ikudaisi Olusina, said the Yoruba people’s vision aligns with constitutional principles promoting unity in diversity and respect for all federating units.
He called for a system of governance where states and local governments have the power and resources to address local needs effectively.
At the event, the leaders unanimously urged Nigerian government to “implement policies supporting cultural education and promote indigenous languages in schools to aid for meaningful growth and development of the nation.”
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