2021 OBAFEMI AWOLOWO LECTURE!
TITLE
‘WHITHER NIGERIA?’
Question 1.
Preamble
Looking at the way Nigeria is currently packaged… three Regions: Eastern Region; Western Region and Mid- Western Region, are compressed into one Southern Nigeria; yet made to seem smaller than one Northern Region.
Regardless of how much effort and commitment our founding fathers made to peacefully benefit from our diversity…. states and local governments were created instead, and clearly skewed against the interests of Southern Nigeria by the de facto rulers who intermittently wrestled State Power, and executed their personal desires on Nigeria Sovereign standing, to the extent of giving constitutional strength to these desires.
…… Which Nigeria, as it were, sits in the minds of true and patriotic Nigerians: the Nigeria we inherited from our founding fathers, in the mould of Regions, or this ill-fated Nigeria that’s been recreated, corrupted and abused by these ‘supreme’ de facto enforcers that’s choking all of us?.
How far can Nigeria go with her entrenched injustice?.
Question 2:
Preamble
ONE NIGERIA: THE MISCHIEF…..!
Unity is strength- this is a well- known fact, even to Nigeria!
But, the difference is that Nigeria insists on attaining her own unity through a non-existent backdoor.
Does Nigeria promote equity and competitiveness….?.
Does Nigeria work to fertilize the principles of merit, reward for hard work, fairness and inclusiveness—- even in her leadership position?.
What a glaring mischief to suggest that a country where honest answers to the above questions are in the negative, can ever be ONE, UNITED COUNTRY!.
….. Can a country be said to be moving in the right direction, which frowns at all the virtues that bond to promote the general good, and greatness in any society…. such as mentioned in the above preamble?.
Question 3:
Preamble
The ‘Zoning’ Justice: The New Wine ‘Zoning’ the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria bears again, with respect for the Old Wine, and the Old Skin— meaning: there is an omnibus recognition of the importance of tender attention and motivation of all and sundry in the Federal Republic…..
——-How healthy and politically progressive would it be if, in the context of any political thought, The South East is, God forbid, conspired against, for the Office of the President of Nigeria 🇳🇬 in 2023.
—- How do we respond to such sentiments and interests that consider it good politics to deploy their stages discriminatingly against cohesion and national bonding politics?.
Question 4:
Preamble
The Constitutional requirement for a candidate to be validly elected the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a mandatory 25%, of all the votes cast in, at least, two thirds of the 36 states of Nigeria, including the FCT, Abuja.
In fact, there is irrebuttable evidence from all elections since 1999, that it’s impossible for any region— without the support of others— to win the Presidential election in Nigeria.
Now, when you juxtapose the above reality, with the insinuation by a certain dissonance suggesting that Igbo’s do not have the numbers to win the Presidency….—— What do you make of such….?.
Dr Tokunbo Awolowo Dosumu…. I must thank you for the invitation and opportunity to participate in the 2021 Chief Obafemi Awolowo Lecture.
Madu Bright O. Alwell is a member of the Southern Middle Belt Leadership Forum.
March 4th, 2021
