By Anu Oyeleye, Ibadan.
In view of the current challenges of insecurity, infrastructural deficit, wholesome poverty, educational backwardness that bedevils Nigeria, various groups across the country have been clamouring for restructuring, power rotation and secession.
However, Members of the Coalition of Nigeria Stakeholders (CNS) Forum at a national dialogue which was its First Southern Nigeria Convergence unanimously posited that secession will not necessarily resolve the nation’s problems but only domesticate them.
The group of esteems rather canvassed that Nigerians should be united in the bid to flush inept political leaders out of its system.According to Dr Augustine Agugua of the department of Sociology, University of Lagos, Economic inequality, ethnicity bias cannot be separated from the root of these challenges which have made Nigerians to become frustrated and lose hope its leadership.
Nigeria must create an inclusive economic and political system where ethnic and religious affiliation will not be a defining factor in economic and political participation.
“I think it is high time for the old cadre of leaders to give the young ones a chance, he said”
Also Speaking Prof. Ayobami Ojebode of the University of Ibadan said the lack of accountability on the part of the leaders is a major problem that needs to be addressed because it breeds lawlessness.
There is a high level of lawlessness in the country because the citizens know that the legal system has been compromised and only those that do not favour the government gets punished.
The scholar stressed that the rule of law and good governance are critical factors that enables development.
Prof. Ojebode also called for individual contribution to the growth of the nation; everyone has a role to play, we need to eschew bad practices and help rebuild our nation.
The National Chairman of CNS Forum, Dr Dayo Kayode in his remarks said the organizers deemed it fit to organize the convergence in order to help salvage the situation in the country.
Dr Dayo kayoed in his words said Nigeria is in chaos and there is need to promote social cohesion. The incessant drumming of discordant tunes is quite high coupled with the high rates of kidnapping, killings, professional group strikes and unemployment and security breaches in various forms.
He advised that since many agree that Nigeria’s problem is multi-faceted, we must all work together to unify the nation.