Chief Olu Falae’s Call for Restructuring, Reflects the Aspirations of Honest and Progressive Nigerians

Chief Olu Falae, a prominent Yoruba leader and former Head of the Southwest Delegation to the Jonathan National Constitutional Conference, has articulated the true meaning and necessity of restructuring Nigeria.

In a detailed statement, Falae explained that restructuring means reverting to the Independence Constitution negotiated between 1957 and 1959, which provided significant autonomy to the regions.

This constitution was the foundation for Nigeria’s unity, agreed upon by the three regions at the time.

“The Yoruba position is my position and it is the same position I canvassed in my book, ‘The Way Forward for Nigeria,’ launched in 2005,” Falae stated.

He emphasized that the military’s overthrow of this constitution in 1966 discarded the negotiated political consensus and imposed an over-centralized unitary constitution.

“When we say restructuring now, we are saying let us go back substantially to that constitution which gave considerable autonomy to the regions,” Falae explained.

Falae highlighted that during the pre-military era, each region collected its revenue and contributed a portion to the center.

The current centralized system, he argued, is not what leaders like Ahmadu Bello, Nnamdi Azikiwe, or Obafemi Awolowo envisioned.

“The constitution we are using was made by the late Gen Sani Abacha and the military. Abacha came from only one part of Nigeria, so he wrote a constitution that favored his own part of Nigeria,” he said. “That is why I am saying, let us restructure and go back to what all of us agreed before.”

Falae clarified that under restructuring, regions would be called federal regions, coordinating states within the zones and enjoying considerable autonomy.

He recounted how regions previously had their own constitutions and ambassadors, illustrating the level of independence they enjoyed.

“We must go back to the negotiated constitution which gave considerable autonomy to the regions, so they can compete in a healthy manner,” he urged.

Falae concluded by calling for a return to the independence arrangement, which was fair and agreed upon by all, unlike the current constitution imposed by Abacha. “That is the meaning of restructuring; it is to restructure unfairness and give semi-autonomy to the federating units.”

This comprehensive explanation by Chief Olu Falae aims to enlighten those who may still be unclear about the true essence of restructuring, urging Nigerians to support this path towards a more equitable and united nation.