Nigeria needs a new constitution, says Emeka Anyaoku

Chief Emeka Anyaoku, a person who served as the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth in the past, has stated that Nigeria cannot progress without a new constitution.

He is of the opinion that this must take place if the nation is serious about putting an end to the “unprecedented level of divisiveness and declining sense of national unity” that he observes among the population of the country.

This was something he discussed when giving the 2023 Convocation Lecture at Afe Babalola University in Ado Ekiti. The lecture was titled “Management of Diversity: A Major Challenge to Governance in Pluralistic Countries.” It took place in the state of Ekiti.

Anyaoku stated that in order for the nation to achieve the necessary transformation for the better, the country requires a system of government that not only accounts for the country’s variety but is also founded on a constitution that can accurately be called as the constitution of the Nigerian people.

He stated that “the essence of the new Constitution should involve a devolution of powers from the central government to fewer and more viable federating units with strong provisions for inclusive governance at the centre and in the regions as was agreed upon by Nigeria’s founding fathers.”

This was in recognition of the crucial principle of subsidiarity in every successful federation. He added that “the essence of the new Constitution should involve a devolution of powers from the central government to fewer and more viable federating units.”

To put that in perspective, the state of affairs in our nation is saddening right now, if the truth be told.

I am of the opinion that it is not too late to save Nigeria. In addition, he stated that there is still hope for the nation to achieve “greater peace and greater security, a renewed sense of national unity, greater political stability, and a more assured pace of economic development.”