In a bid to empower regional autonomy and encourage self-sufficiency among federating units in Nigeria, Yoruba leaders have called upon the federal government to embrace true federalism, News About Nigeria reports.
This plea was made during the 2023 Goke Omisore Annual Lecture held in Lagos, with the theme “Southwest Regional Integration: The DAWN Commission Approach,” organized by The Voice of Reason.
At the event, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, a prominent figure among the Yoruba leaders recalled memories of late Obafemi Awolowo’s contributions to the development of the Western region.
He noted that Awolowo staunchly opposed the colonial unitary constitution, advocating for a more decentralized and federal system of governance.
“Awo told the colonial masters that they cannot rule Nigeria with the unitary system of government,” Chief Adebanjo remarked.
The Yoruba leaders believe that the adoption of true federalism is crucial for the nation’s progress. They called upon President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to champion a constitution that fully supports federalism, allowing each region to develop at its own pace.
“All the theories Awolowo propounded are still practicable today. Let’s forget self-aggrandizement. Let the new president change this constitution to the federal system where each region would develop at its own pace,” Chief Adebanjo said.
The guest speaker for the lecture, Mr. Seye Oyeleye, who serves as the Director-General of Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN), expressed concerns about the lack of unity among the Yoruba people.
He observed that Yoruba individuals often prioritize their state of origin over their shared Yoruba identity. He stated that this division sometimes extends to discrimination between “home-based” and “Lagos-based” Yoruba individuals.
“We are all witnesses to these anomalies among us, and they reinforce what I said earlier that we cannot rely solely on our common language, history, and geographical location as the binding force of Yoruba nationalism,” Oyeleye added.
