Last WEDNESDAY was the 54th Founder’s Day of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, the nation’s first indigenious university established a week after the country’s independence

IT was thus fitting that the big green coloured anniversary  cake prepared by the university was decorated to also capture Nigeria’s 54th independence anniversary that was marked a week earlier.

However, Founder’s Day events in campuses are also opportunities by universities to sound off statesmen on contemporary issues. For UNN, the 54th Founder’s Day was an opportunity to hear from one of its most popular alumni, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, the deputy president of the Senate and concurrently, speaker of the ECOWAS parliament.

For Senator Ekweremadu who graduated from the University’s law programme more than twenty five years ago and subsequently taught constitutional law in the school, it was a sort of homecoming. Not much apparently would have changed in the eyes of the senator especially given the seeming failure of the university town to develop despite hosting the country’s first university for more than 54 years.

The venue of the lecture was the Princess Alexandra Hall, and dignitaries from far and near were around. Among them were the governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, Brig-Gen. Benjamin Alanotu who as commander of the army brigade in Maiduguri apprehended the, Boko Haram founder, Mohammed Yusuf, the managing director of AIT News Mr. Imoni Amarere and a surplus of leading lights of the academia led by the UNN vice-chancellor and chief host, Prof. Chukwuma Ozumba.

The event had commenced shortly after noon with the academic procession led by the vice-chancellor. Though he was in the procession, Ekweremadu was difficult to point out, reason being that he was clad in the academic robe of the university.

Sonorous renditions

He was also more difficult to identify because of the unusual attire of an Adams Oshiomhole like khaki suit he wore. He was to later explain that he donned the attire of a comrade essentially because of the revolutionary ideas he had prepared to propound in the lecture.

Following prayers, a welcome address by the vice-chancellor and ceremonies interspersed with sonorous renditions by the university choir, Ekweremadu was called on to deliver his address.

His lecture was titled “Key Governance Issues in Nigeria: My Perspectives.” He surely had many perspectives, given his political antecedents. From local government chairman, to chief of staff to the Governor of Enugu State and subsequently, secretary to the state government, senator, and for the past seven years, deputy president of the Senate, Senator Ekweremadu offered revolutionary proposals to ameliorate the malaise in governance in the country. It was to some, an act of class suicide as he proffered radical steps to the structure and synergy in the Nigerian federation.

Arguably, the most revolutionary proposal in the about 90 minute lecture was his call for the abrogation of the 36 state structure and the replacement of such with a six geo-political zones federating units.

“My take is that we should return to the regional arrangement with the six geopolitical zones as the federating units. This will help us to shrink the size and number of government and increase the volume of resources available to the regions. It will also help the federating units to benefit from the economy of scale, doing mega development projects as we had in the First Republic.”

The senator also used the opportunity to reiterate his call for the establishment of multi-level policing saying that recent developments had vindicated him. It was also noted that several stakeholders, notably, northern governors who had in the past opposed him on the issue have recanted on the issue.

Corporate entities

He said: “My take is that we cannot continue to live in denial. The cost and embarrassment are clear like daylight. And whether we accept it or not, many of our states, communities, and corporate entities are already practicing multilevel policing by using vigilantes, the Sharia police or Hisbah, neighborhood watch, and other assorted arrangements aimed at beefing up security around. My worry, though, is that they are largely illegal, poorly regulated, prone to abuse, and indeed often abused.”

“Decentralised or multilevel policing is the order of the day because it enables sub-national entities such as the states, local governments, and communities as well as organisations such as universities to have their own police under strict regulation and supervision. It allows for competition in the provision of security as a way of attracting investment and quality residents. These levels of government and corporate entities package and prioritise the security of lives and property to suit their local challenges and resources. The system is so effective in the United States of America, USA, that the police pays you a compensation if they fail to answer a distress call by being physically present at the scene of distress in eight minutes and something untoward happens thereafter. That way, crimes are averted, and when they occur, because they inevitably do, response is timely and solid, while punishment is quick and certain.”

Perhaps in line with his revolutionary zeal, Ekweremadu sought to bring the welfare and issue of the common man to fore as he lamented that the “dominant public sentiment is that leaders show insufficient commitment to the citizens’ welfare and gravely under appreciate the need to use powers to achieve public good and national interest”.

“The welfare of citizens should not depend on the goodwill of those in power, but should be the center piece of government policies and programme; hence I consider it obscene and irreligious when those in governance insist that the people role out the drums to celebrate and glorify them for providing them with what they in government were elected to do in the first place”, he added.

He insisted that “only an aggressive pursuit of citizens’ welfare can mute the uneasy feelings and agitations percolating in the society about leaders’ insensitivity to citizens’ welfare”.

Senator Ekweremadu added: “Those in politics have the binary moral choice to make: to use power for evil or to use it for good; this is an era of immense challenges and the nation needs leaders who use their powers for the good of the nation. The logical and serious way to recapture public trust is by providing honest and effective leadership.  Good leadership will assuage citizens discouraged and alienated by what they view as insensitive, corrupt, and ineffective leadership at various levels of government”

Before concluding he offered a ray of hope for Nigeria, saying:

“There is legitimate optimism about the future of Nigeria, as problems that bothered us seem to be dissipating; hence nothing should alter our mindset, vitiate our commitment, enfeeble our resolve or distract our purpose. We must work together for to make Nigeria a better, more secure, and more prosperous nation”, he urged.

Another act of class suicide that many in the senator’s Peoples Democratic Party, PDP would be quick to disown was the proposal for the introduction of proportional representation in the election to parliament. Through that process, smaller political parties would be represented in the legislature based on the total number of votes scored in the election.

Following his presentation, the discussants Prof. Sam Egwu, Brig. Gen. Alanotu, Prof. Ben Elo Amucheazi and Mr. Amarere took turns to offer their insights into the issues raised by the senator.

They without exception agreed with the deputy Senate president on the proposals he pushed. Brig. Gen. Alanotu was to add the need for the nation to have a data base to capture all persons living in the country saying it was essential in the light of contemporary security needs.

Mr. Amarere even while applauding the submissions, however, questioned the capacity of the electoral body to superintend over an election based on proportional representation as he pointed at regular questions pointed at the electoral register.

It was the 54th Founder’s Day for the University, but for Ekweremadu and many who were there, the ideas proposed last Wednesday could well be the platform for the foundation of a truly more viable Nigeria.

Source:http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/10/ekweremadus-proposal-break-nigeria/

En and ansestors no feet, if na tru u dey talk gan

Smh

Too much Grammar from an overfed Senator



In summary, he is trying in a very roundabout way to say.....



THIS ZOO MUST FALL

And that may be the solution to the crisis occasioned by mutual distrust.

K

LIES

Enemies at it again.

Reading.

Personally, I will go with his proposal especially concerning the geo-political zone point. It used to be like that before it was changed. It is to me the only way to end the national issues we have in this country. Everything is in a mess in Nigeria, it's not about APC or PDP but there are lots of aggrieved regions and ethnic groups. Why then do we justle for human right or freedom of association? USA has in their law that if at any time any of its state wants to pull out they can do that, since they are together it means they actually want to be. Scotland had to vote last year if they wanted to remain in great Britain, so why can't Nigeria let this happen? I'm not in support of division but I support regional govt.

Ugo chara acha.... adighi echu echu.

Osisi putara ihe.... adighi ekpu ugbo.

Mana nigeria soro isi sokwute anyi....anyi ekpue ya ugbo.

Our demand is clear,
BIAFRA or death.

Ka anyi na ele ya bu nigeria bu ewu na-akpa n'ukwa.

Umu owuwa anyanwu udo diri nu!

Gr8tasign:
Ugo

wetin be ugo

Op Bia!! Na who u wan give assignment! Na who wan read this text book?? Abeg joor

state police is the best,if apc do not concur then they are hypocrite

I prefer true federalism for states and not regionalism. Let everyone mind his state boundaries and business.

madenigga:
I prefer true federalism for states and not regionalism. Let everyone mind his state boundaries and business.

oga regional govt is the best

presher:
oga regional govt is the best

It would create another class of minority d SW would be OK, d SE would be ok, but there would be Big problem here in d Southsouth. Only when Rivers state and Bayelsa was one Ijaw ppl show we igbo's in Rivers and ikwerres something, then imagine when they are now united with there kins from d coast of Benin to Akwa ibom. No hope.

and the headline contained "break up Nigeria"
OP God bless you.

presher:
wetin be ugo

Hahahaha u suppose undstd now.
Go back n check d meanin

Change that "topic"... how u dey take understand questions for exam?

in his words “My take is that we should return to the regional arrangement with
the six geopolitical zones as the federating units. This will help us to
shrink the size and number of government and increase the volume
of resources available to the regions. It will also help the federating
units to benefit from the economy of scale, doing mega development
projects as we had in the First Republic.”..





“The welfare of citizens should not depend on the goodwill of those
in power, but should be the center piece of government policies and
programme; hence I consider it obscene and irreligious when those
in governance insist that the people role out the drums to celebrate
and glorify them for providing them with what they in government
were elected to do in the first place”, he added....





Senator Ekweremadu added: “Those in politics have the binary moral
choice to make: to use power for evil or to use it for good; this is an
era of immense challenges and the nation needs leaders who use
their powers for the good of the nation. The logical and serious way
to recapture public trust is by providing honest and effective
leadership. Good leadership will assuage citizens discouraged and
alienated by what they view as insensitive, corrupt, and ineffective
leadership at various levels of government”...



TRUE WORDs FROM A TRUE LEADER...we r proud of u sir

GODBLESS ALA IGBO

GODBLESS NIGERIA

@op, the topic ix kinda mizleadin

h

Op is it lack of comprehension ability, mischief or outright illiteracy that is ur problem?, What's the correlation between the title of this ur thread & the content?

MisterLongman:
True, the north central may also encounter similar problem because of its complexity......
But regionalism still remains the best in this era of distrust. Let everybody go back and develop their region instead of waiting for orders from Abuja before they can get things done. Looking at the nigerian map alone is enough to tell you that its too complex for one man to rule especially in this situation where the governors are more like liabilities depending on the FG for feeding allowance to run their state.

D states were created for a reason, going back to regionalism is like we are moving backward not forward.
The states can act as federation, they work and pay tax to the centre.

I just d laff

MisterLongman:

we've been running that system for a long while now and it has led us nowhere.....
I'm not saying that resorting to regionalism will bring immediate change in the scheme of things but if we continue this system in this era of dwindling oil price and the central government continues to bail states out the states will only get lazier depending on the big brother (FG).
P.S I don't think regionalism is synonymous with moving backward. It worked (atleast for the southwest) in the past.

where are u from?...

not true

Regionalism is the best way to go, but how many regions would make the list.

The way Nigeria treats it minority would be the way each region would treat it minority if eventual we enforce it.

With regionalism, we would also see situations where powerful minority lord it over the popular majority. Like we have in the NE.

In lieu of this, true federalism would cater for the peculiar nature of each region or group.

regionalism isn't the answer, federalism with little centralization is what we need. an independent state. Ghana practices regionalism..what has that done for them.

Hmmmmm..

Misleading title. Op if you like carry propaganda for head dey waka up and down, it won't change the fact that he is your deputy Senate president.